STEM Experience – 30th October 2025

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We’re excited to announce that we will be hosting a STEM Experience on Thursday 30th October 2025, right here in Thetford!

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and this event is all about giving young people the chance to explore these fascinating fields in a real-life manufacturing environment.

The session will take place at our Brickfields Way site in Thetford (IP24 1HX) from 10.00am to 2.00pm, and is open to students aged 13–18 years. With just 15 places available, it’s a brilliant opportunity for young people who are curious about how things are designed, made and tested.

Participants will need to bring a packed lunch, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis – so if you have a son, daughter, sibling or friend aged 13–18 who might be interested, encourage them to register them.

REGISTER HERE

We’re proud to support STEM learning and help inspire the next generation of engineers, technicians and innovators.

We look forward to welcoming the group later this month for what promises to be a fun and inspiring day of discovery!

Take a look at the STEM Experience flyer below.

Inspiring the Next Generation on National Manufacturing Day 2025

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After the success of last year’s National Manufacturing Day, we knew we had to do it again – only bigger and better! This year, we were thrilled to welcome even more young people through our doors for another day of hands-on learning and discovery in the world of modern manufacturing.

We hosted six classes from different schools across the region, with group sizes ranging from 30 to 65 students. Their day began with visits to Boniface and Peerless Plastics before making their way to our sites for the final part of their tour.

At our Fison Way site, Ella and Richard led the tours, introducing students to the fascinating world of welding – especially our robot welder, which was a huge hit! They also watched demonstrations in the Quality Room, saw the Bystronic laser and water jet in action, and got a close look at our turning and milling processes.

Over at Brickfields, Jed, Sophie and Will took over, giving classes a glimpse into our production work on Sapphire balconies and other current projects. There was even time for some fun, with students building their very own Warren Lego figures!

For many of the children, it was their first time stepping inside a factory and seeing the machines and technology that bring real engineering projects to life. The curiosity and enthusiasm they showed throughout the tours were fantastic – and their teachers and school staff told us how valuable and inspiring the experience was.

A huge thank you goes to Will, Richard, Ella, Jed, Sophie, Suzie, Louis and Gavin for their brilliant support with tours and demonstrations, and to everyone across both sites who helped make the day run so smoothly.

We received lots of great feedback (and some excellent questions!) from the students and it was a pleasure to see so many young minds excited about engineering and manufacturing. We’re already looking forward to welcoming students next year!

Strengthening Our Welding Standards with The Welding Institute

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Warren has been steadily moving up in the welding world, and on Friday 5th September, we were delighted to welcome two very special visitors from The Welding Institute (TWI): Caroline Gumble, the new CEO, and Dr David Howse.

Richard Bridgman has known Caroline for over 30 years, since the days when Warren first joined the EEF (now MakeUK). Their paths crossing again at this important stage feels very timely, as Warren continues to raise the bar in welding and fabrication.

Caroline and David were given a tour of Fison Way by Kieran Stewart (Factory Manager) and Louis Lummis (Quality Manager & Responsible Welding Coordinator), with a particular focus on the Welding area. Afterwards, the visit continued at Brickfields, where they were joined by our Managing Director, Will Bridgman.

We were open in sharing that we’ve been a little disappointed with TWI in recent years. However, with Caroline at the helm, there is optimism that the organisation will be reinvigorated and return to its best.

This visit comes at a crucial time for Warren. With defence and potentially nuclear projects on the horizon, we are now working under much higher levels of scrutiny. These sectors demand exceptional quality and precision, and our team is determined to meet that standard. Louis has already been undertaking extensive training at TWI to ensure our welding processes continue to evolve and align with these demanding requirements.

Our discussions with David covered a wide range of technical detail and by the end of the day, both teams had developed a much stronger mutual understanding of the expectations and opportunities ahead.

This was a highly valuable visit for Warren, reinforcing our commitment to the very highest standards in welding, and we look forward to building a stronger relationship with TWI under Caroline’s leadership.

Richard Appears on ITV News

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Warren’s Founder Owner, Richard Bridgman recently found himself in front of the cameras, for an interview with ITV News.

The opportunity came about when Richard’s friend, Gina Long MBE was approached by ITV to be filmed at her home for a feature on the Honours List. As there wasn’t enough airtime available for both of them, Gina kindly suggested Richard, and the filming took place at her house.

Richard admits the process was quite daunting:

“It’s a strange experience having a camera right in your face. The filming takes a long time, but so much gets cut down – so it can end up as just a few minutes on screen.”

The feature reflected on the significance of receiving an Honour. Richard was awarded his OBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II, in recognition of his work over many years to support apprenticeships both locally and nationally. Today, the tradition continues under King Charles.

Richard says he was humbled to be recognised:

“When I received the letter from the Queen, I felt that I knew others who were far more deserving than me. I feel many get an Honour just for doing their job, and this needs to change. Let’s hope that more recognition is given to people who have dedicated their lives to something they’re passionate about. I must admit though, it was one of the proudest days of my life.”

Richard was accompanied to Buckingham Palace by his wife Sharon and their children, where his medal was presented by Prince William. After the ceremony, the celebrations continued with a lunch surrounded by 16 family members and friends.

📺 You can watch Richard’s ITV News appearance  below (skip to just after 6 minutes in).

Only The Brave – Supporting Nathan Cubley and the East Anglian Air Ambulance

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On 21 September 2025, Warren’s very own Nathan Cubley will be lacing up his trainers and taking on Only The Brave, a tough challenge event in aid of the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA).

The East Anglian Air Ambulance is a cause close to many in our region. They provide advanced critical care, 24/7, 365 days a year, responding to the most seriously ill and injured people across East Anglia – by both air and road. On average, their crews attend eight critical emergencies every single day, with each mission costing around £4,250.

What makes their work even more remarkable is that the charity receives no regular government funding. Instead, it relies entirely on the generosity of the community. Every donation helps their highly skilled doctors, paramedics, and pilots deliver life-saving treatment when it is needed most.

Nathan is proud to take part in this event and is hugely grateful for all the support received so far:

“I’d like to thank everyone who has sponsored me – every penny will help save lives across East Anglia.”

If you’d like to show your support, you can visit Nathan’s fundraising page here:
👉 Donate to Nathan’s Only The Brave challenge

Good luck, Nathan – the whole Warren team is behind you!

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.