Celebrating 10-year anniversaries at Warren

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Reaching a decade with one company is a fantastic achievement – and this year, we’re proud to celebrate not one but two 10-year milestones at Warren.

Josh – 10 years of design, leadership and innovation

Congratulations to Josh on reaching the 10-year mark – a full decade of design expertise, engineering production know-how and of course, surviving meetings that could sometimes have been one of his famously detailed emails.

Over the years, Josh has been behind some of our strongest design work, playing a key role in projects including NexGen, ANC and ALS. His technical insight and commitment to getting things right have made a real difference to the quality and performance of what we deliver.

Now leading our Engineering Department, Josh has taken on the significant task of smoothing the transition from engineering into production. It’s a challenge that requires clarity, collaboration and persistence – and he has made it look effortless. We are moving in the right direction, and his drive to continually improve the way we work is something we greatly value.

Thank you, Josh for ten years of excellence, innovation and for keeping your sense of humour intact when “just one small change” turns into something far more involved. We’re looking forward to the next chapter.

Daniel – 10 years of skill, precision and steady progress

Daniel, congratulations on reaching an incredible 10-year milestone with Warren.

From your early days working on the saws, it was clear you had a sharp eye for quality. Over the years, we’ve seen you grow, develop your skills and confidently take on new challenges. Your progression into a highly competent brake press operator/bender is a testament to your hard work, steady improvement and commitment to doing things properly.

Your attention to detail and pride in your work reflect the standards we aim to uphold across the business.

Outside of work, we know you value your weekends spent fishing – a well-earned bit of calm for someone who brings such care and focus to their role each day. You truly are a good egg.

Thank you both for your dedication, loyalty and the contribution you’ve made over the past decade. Long service like this is something we are incredibly proud of at Warren – and we’re delighted to celebrate it.

Level 2 apprentices achieve qualification success

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Congratulations to Alfie and Reino on successfully completing their Level 2 Engineering Operative Apprenticeship.

This is a fantastic achievement and a proud milestone in their careers. Completing a Level 2 apprenticeship takes commitment, practical skill and a willingness to learn – qualities both Alfie and Reino have consistently demonstrated throughout their time with us.

We’re also delighted to confirm that both have been offered permanent roles within specific teams across the business. Their hard work has paid off and we’re pleased to see them continuing their journey at Warren.

Apprenticeships are an important part of how we develop talent and strengthen our workforce for the future. Supporting young engineers as they build their skills and confidence remains a key priority for us.

Well done lads! We look forward to seeing you continue to grow and succeed in your new roles.

Christmas raffle success for Macmillan

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This year’s Christmas raffle was a huge success for our chosen charity, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Thanks to everyone who took part, we raised £570 through the raffle, with a further £430 raised from the sale of Chromebooks. This brought the total donation to an incredible £1,000, which will go directly towards supporting the vital work Macmillan does.

Charity fundraising has become a very important part of life at Warren Services, and it’s something we’re very proud of. Each year, the generosity and enthusiasm shown by our team helps us make a meaningful contribution to causes that matter.

A big thank you to everyone who got involved, and special thanks to Christine and Becky Webb for their help in making the raffle such a success.

Apprentice journey – learning across Warren

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We were pleased to welcome three new apprentices from a local high school to Warren Services in September. Kelci, Danny and Cody have begun their Level 2 apprenticeship studies with West Suffolk College, alongside hands-on department rotations across our Brickfields and Fison sites.

Before Christmas, Cody spent time working in the Sapphire department at Brickfields. Sapphire Balconies is a leading provider of balconies for modern, high-spec apartment developments, and we’ve worked with them for over ten years. During his placement, Cody enjoyed being part of the team and gaining insight into the production process, noting how many of the manufacturing stages are recurrent and precision-led.

Cody has since moved into the Paint area at Brickfields, where he is already proving to be a great addition to the department. We’re looking forward to seeing how he continues to develop, alongside Kelci and Danny, as they progress through their rotations and build their skills within the business.

Supporting apprentices as they learn, grow and gain real-world experience remains an important part of life at Warren, and we’re excited to watch all three continue to excel.

Diet club winner – well done Harry

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Congratulations to Harry Rudd, who won the November-December Diet Club at Warren Services.

Harry achieved an impressive 18lb weight loss over the duration of the challenge – a fantastic effort. He was very closely followed by Jake Williams, who missed out on the top spot by just 0.6lb in a tightly contested finish.

With a new year comes a new Diet Club, and we’d like to wish the best of luck to everyone taking part this time around. It’s great to see so many people getting involved and supporting each other along the way.

Welcoming Rob to the Warren team

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We’re pleased to welcome Rob Moan to Warren Services, where he has joined us as a CNC Miller.

Rob brings with him 11 years’ experience as a miller and has chosen to join Warren as part of his journey to further develop his career and broaden his experience within the CNC field. His background and hands-on knowledge will be a valuable addition to our machining capability.

Outside of work, Rob enjoys cooking, keeping active through working out and is currently learning to speak and read Japanese – a challenge that takes real dedication.

We’re delighted to have Rob on board and look forward to him settling in and meeting everyone across the business.

Farewell to Robin – a remarkable career in engineering

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In late December, we said farewell to Robin Foyle, who retired just before Christmas after an incredible 54 years in engineering, including 13 very happy years with Warren Services.

Robin was keen to leave quietly, without any big fuss, but his contribution to Warren deserved recognition. While he slipped away modestly, Richard Bridgman and his wife Sharon will be taking Robin and his wife out for a special meal to mark the occasion properly and say thank you in person.

A lasting impact on Warren and its people

At our final Board Meeting in December, we formally thanked Robin for his time with us. His words to the Board summed up his experience perfectly: “I have enjoyed every day that I have worked for Warren.” Hearing that made us immensely proud.

During his time here, Robin enriched countless lives across the business. His depth of knowledge, experience and willingness to share it freely made a lasting difference, particularly to our apprentices. Adam Wheatley was one of the first apprentices at Warren to benefit from Robin’s training, back when Robin was still working at JTL Training, before we eventually persuaded him to join us full time.

Robin had a special gift when it came to supporting young people at the start of their careers. Many apprentices simply would not be where they are today without his guidance, encouragement and patience. Some are still with us and are highly valued in their roles, while others have moved on over the years. Wherever they are now, we know they will reflect fondly on the skills, confidence and knowledge Robin helped them build.

With thanks and best wishes

Robin’s influence will continue to be felt at Warren for years to come, through the people he trained and supported along the way. From everyone at Warren, we thank him sincerely for everything he has given and wish him a long, happy and well-earned retirement.

Welcoming Katarzyna to the Warren team

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We’re pleased to welcome Katarzyna Kachel to Warren Services, where she has joined the team as a CNC Machinist.

Katarzyna works with our CNC machines, bringing valuable experience and a strong technical background to the role. Before joining Warren, she worked in a vegetarian food manufacturing environment in a Quality Assurance Technical position, where she was responsible for quality control, technical checks and maintaining high safety and production standards.

Prior to that, Katarzyna gained hands-on experience in precision engineering as a CNC Operator at Michelin Polska, developing her skills in machining and manufacturing processes.

Outside of work, Katarzyna enjoys travelling and swimming, helping her to stay active and unwind. We’re delighted to have her on board and look forward to seeing her continue to develop her skills and contribute to the work we do across the business.

Steph on Skills – powered by Enginuity

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Recently, Will and Richard Bridgman were invited by Enginuity to take part in a podcast for the Steph on Skills series, sharing Warren Services’ journey with apprenticeships.

They were interviewed by Steph McGovern, who many people will recognise from television. Richard had met Steph previously at Make UK events and he said she is exactly as you’d expect – straight-talking, knowledgeable and passionate about the manufacturing sector.

Championing apprenticeships in manufacturing

Steph has an engineering background and has done a huge amount to promote manufacturing careers, particularly encouraging young people to consider apprenticeships. She is also a strong advocate for increasing female representation in engineering and technical roles, which made the conversation especially relevant and engaging.

They met at a studio in the heart of London for what turned into a very early start. Steph had an exceptionally busy morning, recording three separate interviews for the series and despite a delayed arrival, once they were set up everything flowed naturally.

A great conversation and positive feedback

Richard said: “But I must say Will is far more eloquent and at ease with speaking than me. Since the Podcast as gone out we have had a lot of positive feedback.”

The episode offers a genuine insight into Warren’s approach, the challenges we’ve faced and why investing in apprenticeships continues to be such an important part of our business.

The podcast video is available to watch below:

Bury St Edmunds rickshaws – community support on wheels

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The photo below captures just some of the dedicated volunteers behind Bury St Edmunds Rickshaws, a brilliant local initiative making a real difference in the town.

Both the Bridgman and Ross families have personally sponsored one of the rickshaws for several years, helping the project grow and thrive. Today, the group operates six rickshaws and supports the community in a variety of ways, which includes offering free rides around the town for elderly and infirm residents, as well as collecting surplus food and donated goods from local shops, supermarkets and businesses.

All items collected are passed on to charities supporting people in need, including those experiencing homelessness and local food banks. It’s a practical, people-focused approach that combines kindness, sustainability and community spirit.

Expanding the idea to Thetford

Richard Bridgman explained how the success of the project sparked a new idea.

Inspired by how well the scheme works in Bury St Edmunds, he began exploring the possibility of launching a similar initiative in Thetford. Earlier this year, Breckland Council purchased the first rickshaw for the town, marking an important first step.

Support is already in place, with Keystone Trust agreeing to help run the Rickshaw Project from their Riversdale Centre. While there are still challenges and processes to work through before it becomes fully operational, the foundations are firmly being put in place.

Watch this space

As plans develop, volunteers will be needed across a range of roles to help bring the Thetford Rickshaw Project to life – drivers and coordinators along with support roles behind the scenes, there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved.

To learn more about the Bury St Edmunds project, visit bserickshaw.org.uk. Further updates on the Thetford initiative will be shared as plans progress.