Apprenticeship success for Wiktoria!

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Congratulations to Wiktoria, who has officially passed her Level 2 Welder Apprenticeship – and not just passed, but achieved a Merit, the highest possible grade for her course!

This is a fantastic achievement and a proud moment for both Wiktoria and the entire team at Warren.

Wiktoria was among the first four apprentices to train on site at Swarm REAGIT. It’s never easy being first, but Wiktoria rose to the challenge with resilience, determination and a real passion for engineering.

The team at Swarm REAGIT shared the good news with a celebratory LinkedIn post – see screenshot below.

Wiktoria’s success reflects not only her hard work and commitment, but also the strength of the apprenticeship programme we’re proud to be part of here at Warren. She is now well-positioned to begin the next chapter of her engineering career.

We’re especially proud to see more young women like Wiktoria stepping into technical roles and excelling. Her achievement is an inspiration to others and a reminder of the opportunities available in modern manufacturing.

Well done, Wiktoria – we’re all incredibly proud of you and here’s to a future filled with sparks, skills and continued success!

Sophie Hall – Celebrating 20 years at Warren

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This year marks a remarkable milestone for one of our most respected and admired team members – Sophie Hall, who is celebrating 20 years with the company.

Sophie joined Warren at a time when it was still rare to see women in engineering roles – particularly in rural Norfolk. She had completed her Engineering Apprenticeship with Bosch in Stowmarket, but after a less-than-ideal stint at a small commercial glazing company in Brandon, she found herself at a crossroads.

Through mutual friends and family connections, Richard and Will Bridgman approached Sophie with an invitation to join Warren. Initially, she declined – but undeterred, they persisted. Thankfully, she eventually said yes, and joined the business just as it was relocating to the Fison Way site in Thetford.

It proved to be an excellent decision for all involved. Sophie has never looked back, and Warren has never looked the same.

Even in her earliest days, Sophie stood out. Her technical training, professionalism and determination were immediately evident – and so too was her influence on the workplace culture. She quickly instigated the removal of outdated ‘girly’ calendars and helped set a new tone for the business. She was, and still is, uncompromising when it comes to sexism or casual remarks – and helped Warren become a more inclusive, accommodating and respectful company.

Over the past two decades, Sophie has taken on a wide variety of roles across the business. She’s been instrumental in:

  • Estimating, costing and planning
  • Customer visits and site surveys
  • Organising and managing trade shows – including one event that led to securing one of Warren’s largest accounts
  • Mentoring young people, especially during school visits and community outreach

Her technical knowledge, combined with her excellent people skills, make her one of the company’s most trusted ambassadors. When customers come to visit, Sophie is often the one showing them around, offering real insight into our operations, backed by two decades of first-hand experience.

Today, Sophie is focused on Business Development – one of the most challenging roles in any company. Cold calling and pursuing new leads is never easy, but Sophie handles it with resilience and professionalism. She knows that you often only get a few seconds to make an impression, and she uses her wealth of experience to do just that.

Sophie has paved the way for more women to enter engineering. Her example has encouraged a cultural shift that is now becoming visible. This year, for the first time, two of the four new Engineering Apprentices joining Warren from Thetford Academy are female – a milestone that reflects just how far things have come, thanks to pioneers like Sophie.

Sophie, you’ve helped shape Warren into the company it is today. Your strength, your standards, your humour and your humanity are woven into our culture, and we are incredibly proud to have you as part of the team.

Thank you for 20 outstanding years. Here’s to many more!

Celebrating 20 years of dedication – Fraser Craigen

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This year marks a major milestone for one of our longest-serving team members – Fraser Craigen, who is celebrating 20 years with Warren Services.

Fraser’s journey into the world of manufacturing began in an unexpected way. Originally a Game Keeper, Fraser made a career change due to health reasons. Through word of mouth and a family connection (his brother Darren was our very first apprentice), Fraser was offered a role with us and the rest as they say, is history.

Starting out briefly at our Feltwell factory, Fraser has been with us through decades of growth and change, from our expansion to two factories and the development of the Kilverstone site. A true constant throughout it all, Fraser has taken every challenge in his stride, always willing to go the extra mile.

As one of the first employees at our Fison Way site, Fraser was instrumental in shaping and managing our Goods In & Out processes, as well as coordinating transport across all sites. His work ensures finished goods are correctly booked out, securely packaged, and delivered to customers across the country — no small task when you’re dealing with large and complex items like balconies, which require careful coordination between our Brickfields and Kilverstone locations.

In more recent years, Fraser has also taken on the growing challenge of recycling management, working closely with Sackers to ensure our waste and scrap processes are efficient, compliant, and environmentally responsible.

What’s written here only scratches the surface of the contribution Fraser has made over two decades. He carries enormous responsibility and his knowledge, reliability and calm approach are appreciated by everyone who works with him.

From all of us at Warren, thank you Fraser for your 20 years of service, dedication and hard work. We look forward to the years to come and the continued success we’ll share together.

Easter raffle raises £500 for children’s charity

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We’re delighted to share the final update from our Easter raffle – and we’re proud to announce that we raised £500 in support of West Suffolk Hospital’s WiSH Upon a Star Children’s Appeal.

This important charity works to enhance the care that young people receive across the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, both in hospital and in the wider community. The Trust supports a population of around 280,000 people – with more than 160,000 of those aged 18 or under, so the impact of this appeal reaches far and wide.

The Warren team came together to deliver another fantastic fundraising effort for a truly worthy cause. A huge thank you goes to Becky and Christine for all their hard work in organising the raffle, selling tickets and collecting donations – your dedication makes events like this possible.

Thank you also to everyone who donated prizes and to those who bought tickets so generously. Your support means a lot and helps us continue to give back to our community in meaningful ways.

Well done, team Warren – and happy (belated) Easter to all!

A royal honour: Visit from Lady Dannatt, Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk

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On Thursday 10th April, we had the privilege of welcoming a very special guest to Warren Services – Lady Dannatt, the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk.

As His Majesty’s representative in the county, the Lord-Lieutenant plays a unique and important role in promoting goodwill, supporting community initiatives, and recognising excellence across Norfolk. Lady Dannatt, who holds this position, is deeply committed to strengthening local communities and takes a keen interest in businesses, voluntary organisations and education.

Her visit to Warren Services focused on our work with young people, particularly in the areas of skills development, apprenticeships and engagement with local schools and colleges. We were proud to share how we support learners, help bridge the skills gap in engineering and manufacturing, and encourage others in the sector to follow suit.

The tour went smoothly and the discussions that followed were both meaningful and encouraging. We were honoured to learn that Lady Dannatt plans to write to His Majesty The King to share details about our company and the positive impact we are making.

In a further mark of recognition, we were delighted to receive an invitation to attend The King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday 14th May – a true honour and a testament to the dedication of our team in promoting education and opportunity within our industry.

More news and photos from this exciting occasion will be shared soon.

Will Bridgman announced as Chair of EEIN

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We’re proud to share some fantastic news from the Warren Services team – our Managing Director, Will Bridgman, has been appointed as Chair of the EAL Engineering Industry Network (EEIN).

Will’s appointment is a reflection of his longstanding commitment to training, apprenticeships and education in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. His passion for developing the next generation of talent is well known across Norfolk, and he has been a driving force behind many local initiatives to support learners and close skills gaps.

As Chair of EEIN, Will will continue to strengthen partnerships between industry and education. He actively collaborates with schools and colleges to help shape learning experiences that are meaningful, relevant, and aligned with real-world needs. Whether it’s inviting students into our facilities to see engineering in action, or helping shape sector-wide qualifications, Will is focused on making a difference.

His mission is clear: to ensure qualifications are not only fit for purpose but also empower learners to succeed in their chosen career paths.

Congratulations, Will. We know you’ll bring your energy, insight and leadership to the role, and we’re excited to see the positive impact this will bring to our industry and community.

Warren ladies enjoy an afternoon out in Norwich

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In April, a group of the Warren ladies headed out to Norwich for a well-earned afternoon of great food, drinks, and even better company.

Once we’d done a quick headcount, we were delighted to find there are now 20 women working at Warren – a fantastic number and a real shift compared to years gone by. It was lovely to see so many of us able to come together outside of work, especially with colleagues we may not usually cross paths with day to day.

The team enjoyed a relaxed afternoon at Mr Postles, where good conversation flowed just as easily as the drinks. It was a brilliant opportunity to unwind, catch up and share a few laughs away from the workplace.

A big thank you to everyone who joined – here’s to more afternoons like this in the future!

Lighting the Warren Beacon in tribute

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At 9:30pm on Thursday 8th May, we gathered at the Fison Way roundabout to take part in a nationwide moment of reflection. The Warren Beacon was lit as part of a coordinated tribute across the UK, joining hundreds of other beacons shining brightly in towns and communities across the country.

It was a fantastic fire – a striking and symbolic display, and our thanks go to Scott Fraser for organising the event and lighting the beacon on the night.

These commemorative moments are always moving, and this one was no different. As the beacon burned, we stood alongside others from our local area, quietly taking a moment to reflect on times passed and the significance of the occasion.

Thank you to everyone who came along and made the evening so memorable. It was a simple yet powerful reminder of the strength we find in coming together – something that holds true both in our community and in our company.

Celebrating 35 years with some high-speed fun

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On Sunday 11th May, our Founder and Owner, Richard, had a fantastic idea. To mark our 35th birthday as a company, he wanted to treat the whole team to a day out – and what better way to celebrate than with a bit of friendly competition on the go-kart track!

We didn’t expect the sign-up to be quite so popular, but we were thrilled when an incredible 43 team members joined in, making this the largest turnout we’ve ever had for a company sporting event.

Teams of three were selected at random, which brought plenty of laughs (and a little bit of healthy grumbling!). Over 1.5 hours of driving time, our teams battled it out under the blazing sun – it was an exceptionally hot day, but that didn’t dampen the competitive spirit.

Our overall team winners were Karol and Harry – yes, a team of two managed to beat the rest! And the fastest lap of the day went to Dan Barnard, who arrived fully kitted out in his own racing suit and helmet – we had a feeling he’d be one to watch.

It was brilliant to see so many of our colleagues come together for such a fun and energetic day. A huge thank you to everyone who took part – your team spirit and enthusiasm were exactly what this celebration was all about.

We captured lots of great moments on camera – scroll down to see a few of our favourite shots from the day.

Here’s to 35 years – and many more to come!

Welcoming Aurelia Bzozovskaja to the Warren Services team

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Aurelia Bzozovskaja joined the Warren team at the end of November 2024, initially working in Product Operations before moving into our Goods In department.

Aurelia has already made a positive impression with her enthusiasm and dedication to her role. Reflecting on her time with us so far, Aurelia shared:

“I am delighted to be part of the company and grateful for the support and training I have received so far. It has helped me to settle in well. I am looking forward to new challenges and continuing to develop in my role.”

Originally from Lithuania, Aurelia moved to England almost nine years ago. She now proudly calls the UK home, saying: “Home is where the heart is.” As a friendly, cheerful and active person, Aurelia enjoys walking, cooking, and experimenting with new recipes in her free time.

Family plays a big part in Aurelia’s life. She is a proud mother of three children – two girls and a boy, who keep her busy and motivated every day.

Aurelia is already making great connections with colleagues across the business and is looking forward to building strong, long-lasting friendships here at Warren Services.

We are delighted to have Aurelia on board and are excited to see her continue to grow and thrive within the team.