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Heras UK hosted a visit by Sally Jameson MP, who called into our Wheatley Hall Road facility to see firsthand the work that we do – and also to discuss what the government has planned to unlock growth of the UK economy, especially in the public sector.
At Heras, we work on projects for prisons, detention centres and data centres and we were keen to find out from Sally when the government plans to get the ball rolling on any capital expenditure projects.
This was of particular interest because the MP for Doncaster Central is also Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), so she was also asked about the government’s plan to deal with overcrowding of prisons in the short and medium term. This resonated with Sally, who worked as a Prison Officer at HMP/YOI Moorland in Hatfield – where she was also Branch Chair of the Prison Officers’ Association – before she was elected as an MP.
Heras’s Head of Service & Operations UK, Antonia Jeffers, welcomed the MP to its site and took full advantage of the opportunity to tell Sally all about what one of the companies in her constituency does – and discuss the challenges it currently faces.
“We provide perimeter and entrance control solutions – from turnstiles at Premier League football stadia and gate systems for transport and distribution hubs to solutions for high-security sites and infrastructures of national or strategic importance – and it was good to showcase the level of expertise that is right here in Doncaster,” said Antonia.
“The market is very challenging at the moment, and we felt it was important to discuss this with our local MP to see if there was anything that could be done to encourage the government to start giving the greenlight to projects across the UK.
“Sally also listened intently as we explained that Heras strictly adheres to all guidelines and regulations – such as the incoming new directives on gate safety – and this can be a challenge, as some competitors can undercut Heras on price because they do not comply with industry standards.”
Sally said: “It was great to visit Heras perimeter protection in my constituency, Doncaster Central, which is home to Heras’ Head Office and their Distribution Hub. Heras are a leading European supplier of perimeter protection solutions, supplying stadiums, warehouses, supermarkets, and prisons with state-of-the-art perimeter protection. I’m proud to have such a successful leading brand based in my constituency, helping to grow the Doncaster, South Yorkshire and national economy.”
Sally was also asked about plans for investment in infrastructure in the Doncaster area, and she told the company that she is committed to delivering positive change in the city – such as championing the reopening of Doncaster Airport.
The visit was capped off by a discussion between Sally, Antonia and Heras’s Senior Key Account Manager, Jacqui Richardson, who explored the wider topic of women in the construction industry.
Jacqui said: “In my experience, Heras is in the unusual position of having women in senior management roles within the business – and this is to Heras’s credit. We spoke about not only finding more ways to celebrate women in construction but also creating opportunities for young women from the local area to find out more about career paths in construction.”
ADDITIONAL QUOTES BY SALLY JAMESON MP
“After 14 years of flatlining living standards, this Government is going further and faster through our Plan for Change to put more money in people’s pockets. That is why we are taking on the blockers to get Britain building again, investing in infrastructure and removing the barriers that get in the way of businesses who want to expand. The Government is introducing significant planning reforms to remove blockers and boost delivery of housing and vital infrastructure, slashing red tape to free businesses from the stranglehold of regulation, including setting a target to cut the admin costs of regulation on businesses by 25%, and the Government has established the National Wealth Fund to mobilise billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s world leading clean energy and growth industries – since July, the Fund has already unlocked £1.6 billion and fuelled 8,600 jobs across the UK.
“Change won’t happen overnight, but there are signs of progress; Interest rates have been cut three times; wages are up – growing at their fastest rate in three years; more than 70,000 jobs have been created since we came to office; business investment is the highest its been for 19 years; and PwC have rated the UK the 2nd best place in the world to invest, after the USA. Through these promising signs, companies such as Heras will soon see the fruits of this investment through contracts for their services.”
