House of Lords TWI Dinner

/in ,

On the evening of 29th October, Will, Louis, Kieran and Estee had the honour of attending a dinner at the House of Lords, hosted by the TWI.

The group were invited by Caroline Gumble, the new Chief Executive of TWI. Caroline is a long-standing contact of both Richard and Will, with connections going back many years through EEF and Make UK.

The evening brought together representatives from a range of UK businesses and members of the TWI community. It offered an opportunity to share experiences, discuss industry developments and reflect on the ongoing importance of collaboration across the manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Estee, our HR Director, said, “It was a really lovely meal and an honour for all of us to be invited and share tables with lots of other UK businesses and members of the TWI.”

It was a memorable night for the team and a proud moment for Warren to be represented at such a prestigious event.

Ada Lovelace Day: Supporting Women in Manufacturing

/in ,

To mark Ada Lovelace Day, Richard encouraged our Business Development Director, Sophie Hall, to attend the breakfast reception at Westminster Palace on 14th October. The annual event shines a light on the underrepresentation of women in STEM careers, including engineering and manufacturing.

Despite the early start, Sophie’s journey went smoothly and she arrived at 7:30am to find a growing group of women gathering. After confirming she was in the right place, she soon struck up conversations, first with Esther Cornell, MD of a subcontract engineering firm and a familiar name to Richard, and then with Kirsty Davies-Chinnock, MD of Professional Polishing Services Ltd.

Sophie said, “My initial nervousness about attending such a significant event alone quickly dissipated as I found myself in great company.”

The event included inspiring speakers who shared their experiences and discussed the Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Plan, which supports the 35% by 35 initiative. This aims to increase the proportion of women working in manufacturing to 35% by 2035.

At Warren, 19.3% of our current workforce are women. Reflecting on this, Sophie spoke about her own journey into engineering:

“I recalled being the only female apprentice in my college class. Speaking with Estee, it seems the numbers have not changed significantly, even today. While the solution to this issue remains unclear, it’s encouraging to see so many dedicated and intelligent individuals working to inspire young women and girls to consider careers in engineering and manufacturing. Warren is certainly striving to be the change we want to see. I remain hopeful for the next generation of women in these fields thanks to the promising young women Warren already employs.”

Sophie returned energised by the discussions taking place across the sector and encouraged by the collective drive to open more opportunities for young women. At Warren, we will continue to champion a more inclusive future in engineering, one where women are better represented and fully supported to thrive.

Welcoming our new apprentices

/in , ,

We’re pleased to welcome Danny, Kelci and Cody, who have recently joined Warren Services to begin their Level 2 apprenticeships with West Suffolk College.

All three have started their process rotations, giving them the chance to spend time in different areas of the business and build a solid understanding of how each part of our operation works. These early rotations are an important step in helping new apprentices find their strengths, develop new skills and gain confidence in a real engineering environment.

As they settle in, they will as always, receive guidance and support from colleagues across the company.

We are proud to continue investing in the next generation of engineers and look forward to seeing how Danny, Kelci and Cody progress over the months ahead.

Welcome to the team!

Strengthening Our Welding Standards with The Welding Institute

/in ,

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.

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

/in , ,

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

/in , ,

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

/in , ,

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

/in ,

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!

Bringing Thetford’s Train Planter to Life

/in , ,

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

/in , ,

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.