Goodbye to Alistair Newey

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After five fantastic years with Warren, we are saying farewell to Alistair Newey, who joined us as a young apprentice and has since grown into a valued member of the team.

Alistair came to Warren after completing just one year of A-Levels and realising that academic study wasn’t the right path for him. From our very first meeting, it was clear he had something special – and we were delighted to offer him the chance to start a Level 3 Engineering Apprenticeship with us.

From day one, Alistair impressed us. He excelled both academically and on the shop floor, handing in work on time and showing real commitment to learning. He quickly became popular within the business and found his stride in the technical department, learning from mentors Robin Foyle and Nick Claydon.

When Nick moved on, Alistair stepped up with confidence, taking on greater responsibility with the Tech-Grocer account. Beyond his day-to-day work, he’s been an incredible advocate for engineering, supporting the next generation by:

  • Helping run weekly Design & Technology lessons alongside Jed
  • Supporting local GCSE classes
  • Representing Warren at careers events and school tours

His dedication to promoting opportunities in engineering has left a lasting impact, both within our business and in the wider community.

On behalf of everyone at Warren, we’d like to thank Alistair for his hard work, professionalism and enthusiasm over the last five years. He’s been a credit to himself and to our apprenticeship programme.

We wish him every success in his next chapter – and we have no doubt he’ll continue to do brilliantly in whatever he sets his mind to.

Kuda Show Truck – A Finishing Touch to Remember

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At Warren, we love taking on challenges – especially when deadlines are tight. A few weeks ago, we worked with our customer Kuda on their Renault show truck, providing a painted catwalk to complete its impressive design.

Just days before the vehicle was due for collection, Renault decided they also wanted the battery box and several other parts painted rather than leaving them in mill finish aluminium. With only two days to spare, Kuda asked if we could step in.

Of course, we said yes.

The parts were collected on Wednesday evening, coated exactly to spec in our paint shop, and ready for handover by Friday morning. By Friday lunchtime, Kuda’s customer was able to collect the fully finished truck on schedule.

The feedback was fantastic. When we spoke with Tim from Kuda later that evening, he was delighted with the result and so was his customer. In Tim’s own words: “It looked the nuts.”

A big thank you to Brett and the paint shop team for making this possible. Their effort and attention to detail ensured another happy customer for Kuda, and a project we’re proud to have played a part in.

Warren at the Shadwell Cricket Tournament

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This summer, we took part in the Shadwell Cup – a long-standing cricket tournament that holds a special place in the local community. The event is not just about friendly competition, but also a way of showing appreciation to Shadwell for their generous donations, which helped fund the cricket club’s new extension. This much-needed space will now allow for more social events and fundraising opportunities in the future.

The tournament featured four teams: Warren, Team C, Shadwell and Thetford Town Cricket Club Under 17s.

Our opening match saw us face off against Team C. Despite the persistent rain, the Warren team battled through and came out on top! There were plenty of memorable moments along the way – Reino’s opening spell of bowling certainly kept the opposition on their toes, Konnor’s spectacular slip in the mud brought a few laughs and Lee sealed the win by scoring the decisive runs.

That victory earned us a well-deserved place in the final against Thetford Town’s talented Under 17s side. Sadly, worsening weather conditions meant the final couldn’t be completed, and the result was declared a draw.

While the rain might have dampened the pitch, it didn’t dampen spirits. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who took part. It was a great day!

Warren Services Achieves Carbon Neutral Certification

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We’re proud to announce that Warren Services is now officially a Carbon Neutral Certified Organisation.

This certification verifies that we have met all Carbon Neutral Britain™ Certification standards, measuring, calculating, and offsetting our organisational carbon emissions across Scope 1, 2, and 3.

Becoming certified reflects our commitment to making a positive difference.

Why Carbon Neutral Certification Matters

Climate scientists at the UN IPCC have highlighted the next five years as critical in tackling climate change before its effects become irreversible. By achieving Carbon Neutral status, we’re taking a proactive approach – balancing the emissions we create today while putting plans in place to reduce them in the future.

The Certification Process

Becoming Carbon Neutral isn’t just a label; it involved a rigorous four-step process:

1. Carbon Footprint Calculation
Our emissions were independently calculated by Carbon Neutral Britain™, following the ISO 14064 and GHG Emissions Protocol standards – the world’s most recognised frameworks. This ensures our carbon footprint has been measured accurately and transparently.

2 & 3. Carbon Offsetting and Certification
Once measured, our emissions were offset through certified projects regulated by the Verra Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), the Gold Standard Voluntary Emission Reductions (VER), and the United Nations Certified Emission Reductions (CER) programmes – the three largest and most trusted global standards. With this, Warren Services became officially Carbon Neutral Certified.

4. Planning for the Future
We also received a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP). This sets clear targets to reduce our emissions year on year, keeping us aligned with both Science Based Targets and UK Government requirements for Carbon Reduction Planning.

With our Carbon Reduction Plan in place, we’ll continue to measure, offset and reduce emissions, working towards a more sustainable future for our business, our community and our planet.

carbonneutralbritain.org

Enginuity Skills Awards 2025: A Memorable Evening for Warren’s Founder

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On 3rd July, Warren’s Founder Owner, Richard Bridgman attended the prestigious Enginuity Skills Awards in London as a special guest. Hosted by Enginuity. the charity dedicated to closing the skills gap in UK engineering and manufacturing – this event brought together leading businesses, apprentices, and educators to celebrate excellence and innovation in skills development.

Richard’s journey to the event began with a train from Cambridge North to King’s Cross, followed by the Tube to Vauxhall.
“I felt a bit out of place travelling in my dinner suit, especially on a very hot afternoon,” Richard reflected.

After a 15-minute walk from the tube station to the venue, Richard arrived at a packed awards ceremony with more than 300 prize winners and guests. By a stroke of luck, he immediately bumped into Phil Smith CBE – the evening’s keynote speaker and recently appointed Chair of Skills England, working directly with government to shape skills policy. The evening also provided a chance to catch up with Fiona McGarry, Warren’s primary contact at Enginuity.

The pre-dinner drinks reception was a valuable opportunity for Richard to network and reconnect with friends and colleagues, many of whom he hadn’t seen for some time. He was seated at the table of EAL – the organisation responsible for setting qualifications, standards and assessments for apprenticeships – who had kindly extended the invitation.

As the evening unfolded, guests enjoyed a well-prepared meal, as well as speeches and awards recognising outstanding achievements by both businesses and individual student prize winners. After dinner, Richard took the opportunity to meet the head trainer from BAE Systems, one of the UK’s largest apprenticeship providers, who train thousands of apprentices annually.

The journey home, however, provided its own memorable twist! After leaving the event at 11:15pm, Richard made his way back to King’s Cross only to discover that his ticket for the 12:10 train was valid for 12:10pm — not 12:10am.
“I started to panic,” Richard admitted, “but luckily managed to buy another ticket. Unfortunately, that only got me as far as Cambridge Central. The whole journey back I was worrying about whether I’d be able to get a taxi to Cambridge North… but thankfully, I did. I finally arrived home at 2:15am.”

His eventful night didn’t end there – Richard was up again at 6:00am the next morning, taking his granddaughter to Addenbrooke’s Hospital for her work experience placement.

Despite the late-night travel saga, Richard summed up the event as a valuable and rewarding evening, reinforcing Warren’s commitment to supporting skills development and recognising the vital role apprenticeships play in strengthening the future of UK manufacturing and engineering.

Bringing Thetford’s Train Planter to Life

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At Warren, it’s great to be part of projects that contribute meaningfully to the communities around us. We are delighted to have played a key role in the creation of Thetford’s striking new train-themed planter – an installation that celebrates 200 years of railway heritage.

Commissioned by Thetford Town Council, the train planter is a centrepiece of the town’s entry into Anglia in Bloom 2025. Located outside Thetford’s Carnegie building and complementing the newly created Boudicca Pocket Park, this imaginative installation has been designed to brighten the town centre and provide a lasting feature for residents and visitors to enjoy.

The concept originated with Thetford Town Council, who envisioned a standout tribute to the region’s railway history as part of this year’s Anglia in Bloom campaign. The Council approached Warren to transform this idea into reality – and we were delighted to help.

Working from designs developed in partnership with talented students from Thetford Academy’s Gardening Club and refined by local designer David Bradley using detailed CAD drawings, our team fabricated and manufactured the planter here at Warren.

Once fabrication was complete, local volunteer El’s Painting & Decorating joined forces with Town Council members to hand-paint the planter. The project came full circle when the students from the Gardening Club returned to work alongside the Town Team to plant a colourful display, supported by flowers purchased through the Thetford in Bloom fund.

The train as a ‘work in progress’ on site here at Warren

Councillor Leuan Evans, Chair of Thetford Town Council’s Community and Environmental Services Committee, captured the spirit of the project perfectly:

“By partnering with local manufacturers, school children, and volunteers from the community, we have created something that not only brightens our town but also reflects the pride we share in our community. As part of our entry for Anglia in Bloom 2025, this project showcases our collective commitment to supporting the town, highlighting local talent, and highlighting the civic pride that exists within the Town. We are aiming for nothing less than gold at this year’s awards. Everyone involved in the project has worked hard together to make this happen, and the result is a testament to this.”

We look forward to seeing the train planter become a much-loved fixture in Thetford for many years to come.

Estee visits the House of Lords for Apprenticeship celebration

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Thursday 12th June was a proud and exciting day for Warren, as our HR Director, Estee Ross was invited to attend the Apprenticeships Ambassador Network Celebration at the prestigious House of Lords in London.

The event, which had been postponed from 2024 due to the general election, finally took place on a beautiful sunny day in the capital. It was a fitting setting to recognise the ongoing efforts of organisations like Warren that are actively promoting apprenticeships across Norfolk and beyond.

Estee said:

“It was such a special moment to be at the House of Lords – what a fantastic building! It’s actually much bigger than I imagined. I felt truly honoured to be there, representing Warren and all the work we’ve done to support apprenticeships in our region.”

Estee was invited by The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern, who unfortunately had to send her apologies on the day, as she was required in the House of Commons. Nonetheless, the event was a great success, with guests from across the apprenticeship community coming together to share ideas and celebrate progress.

Estee was also able to catch up with Lisa Peter from Norfolk Apprenticeships, whose support has been invaluable over the past few years – especially in helping Warren benefit from Levy sharing arrangements with larger employers to support the cost of training.

One exciting announcement from the day was the confirmed date for the next National Apprenticeship Week:
9th–15th February 2026 – a key date for the diary as Warren continues to champion skills development and opportunity through apprenticeships.

Congratulations to Estee on being recognised at such a significant event – and thank you for continuing to fly the flag for apprenticeships and future talent at Warren.

Wicked memories at the Apollo Victoria Theatre

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On Saturday 24th May, our HR Director Estee enjoyed a special day out with her daughter Marley, attending a performance of “Wicked” at the iconic Apollo Victoria Theatre in London.

The show – a West End favourite for nearly 20 years, didn’t just delight Estee and Marley. It also brought back some memories for Warren’s Founder Owner, Richard Bridgman, who recalled a unique experience from behind the scenes…

In 2006, Warren was commissioned to build a BT390 Winch for the show – a substantial piece of kit that needed to be installed in the roof space of the Apollo Victoria. It was a job that presented one challenge after another, as Richard shared:

“We assembled the winch in Thetford, then disassembled it to transport to site. It was Leeroy and myself – I drove down and parked outside the theatre, only to be met by a traffic warden who told me I couldn’t park there as it was a Red Route. She gave me a hefty parking fine on the spot. I said, ‘Well BU**ER you!’ and just started unloading. What else could I do?”

The winch had to be carried – in pieces – up several flights of stairs, as the theatre’s lift was out of order. Richard and Leeroy were helped by other contractors on site, but the biggest challenge was lifting the huge drum up narrow stairwells using straps, teamwork and sheer determination.

“Once we got everything up there, we reassembled it in the tightest space imaginable. It was sweltering hot. No lifting gear. But somehow, we managed it.”

To this day, that same winch is still up in the roof space – working reliably after nearly two decades. Proof if ever it were needed, of Warren’s quality in action.

“I later went to see the show with Sharon,” said Richard, “and didn’t really enjoy it – but plenty of people must, because it’s still running!”

We’re happy to report that Estee and Marley thoroughly enjoyed the performance – a fantastic mother-daughter day out and a reminder of how Warren’s work can often be found in the most surprising places.

From Thetford to the West End – Warren engineering continues to play its part in spectacular ways!

Farewell to the Amada laser!

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Well, it’s finally gone! After years of service, the old Amada laser machine and its tower have officially left the building.

Out with the old…
The Amada served us well, but as with all technology, the time came to move on. Being older-generation equipment, we virtually gave the machine away, knowing it had limited resale value – but plenty of potential for the right user.

If we’d had the space, we might have kept it for occasional jobs, but the reality is, room is at a premium. The good news is that the machine has gone to a good home, and even better – we didn’t incur any removal costs. The company that took it off our hands kindly covered all logistics and even paid the fees charged by Amada during the process.

The whole process was sparked by a LinkedIn post from Richard Bridgman:
“FREE LASER” – and just like that, interest came flooding in. Companies from all over the country responded, including some local colleges. One of the early hopefuls was West Suffolk College, which would have been an ideal fit with Warren’s values around skills and education, but unfortunately, like others, they soon realised the machine was just too large for their space.

Initially, we had some interested buyers, but they didn’t follow through – so we’re glad the machine ultimately found a suitable home with no strings attached.

What’s next?
We kept the Amada on site during the installation of our new Bysotronic machine and loading system to avoid any teething issues. With that now bedded in, it’s time for a refresh.

Kieran and the Laser & Brake Press team are now looking at how to reconfigure the area. Kieran has some big plans – not just for the freed-up space, but for a wider shake-up of kit and workflow in that part of the factory.

Watch this space – exciting things are on the horizon!

Celebrating 10 years of Dmitrijs Ahundovs at Warren

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This month we’re proud to celebrate 10 years of hard work, dedication and growth from one of our valued team members, Dmitrijs Ahundovs.

Dmitrijs first joined Warren through an employment agency, working the night shift with very little prior engineering experience. He later moved over to the twilight shift, and it didn’t take long before we recognised his potential and offered him a permanent position.

From day one, Dmitrijs showed a willingness to learn and a natural ability to pick things up quickly. He settled in brilliantly and has made an impression on everyone with his focus, precision and positive attitude.

Danny Goodman, who was running the shift at the time, played a key role in training Dmitrijs during those early months. But it wasn’t long before Dmitrijs took ownership of his development. Originally brought in as an operator, he has steadily built his skills – and today, he is confidently programming his own work and using all of the measuring equipment with ease.

His attention to detail, tidiness and consistently high quality of work make him a standout team member and a great example of what can be achieved with the right mindset and support.

Thank you, Dmitrijs, for 10 fantastic years.