Tag Archives: Bexley

women

FOXY Trades Places to support First Step Trust

I have been invited to take part in the First Step Trust (FST) Trading Places initiative to raise awareness levels of their social enterprise good work. Our connection is to do with their London and Manchester garages called SMaRT Garage Services that are all FOXY Lady Approved.

FST helps young people with mental health problems back into the workplace. This is a very topical subject with one in four of us suffering mental health problems of some sort throughout our lives. Some of the individuals I have met at SMaRT Garages have had very challenging issues to deal with in their young lives and yet they come to SMaRT where they are supported, learn new skills and are helped towards a new career that gives them hope, independence and future opportunities. These are life-changing opportunities for individuals that really need them, nothing less.

Few of us know enough about this illness, the downward spiral of depression and the unfair stigma that so often comes with any mention of mental illness. I am honoured to have been invited to shine a light on this subject to share with women drivers in general and Club members in particular.

Readers of my blog will know that FOXY is a not for profit organisation that is all about identifying and promoting better motoring services for women and working with businesses that go that extra mile to do a better job for women. Without these businesses we’d be unable to do our not for profit work for women drivers, spreading the word about car and tyre safety issues at business events across the UK for example, so we particularly identify with the SMaRT Garage Services business model.

When I say ‘for women’ read ‘for men too’ in the SMaRT Garage context but my point here is that it is rare to see ANY garage organisation so actively involved in everyday training for individuals (whether as mechanics or pastry chefs) hence my huge admiration for FST.

Trading Places Supporters

Here are some of the individuals that have already participated in the Trading Places initiative.

Trading_Places1

Cathryn Moses, Small Business Saturday UK
Chris Graham, Wates Living Space
Cllr Denise Hyland, Royal Borough of Greenwich
Hannah Stafford, Buzzacott Chartered Accountants
Jack Hopkins, Jobs & Growth, Lambert
John McGirr, Royal Borough of Greenwich
Maureen Thone, Royal Borough of Greenwich
Mike Freeman ARC BITC
Neil Airey, Royal Borough of Greenwich
Nicholas Campbell-Watts, Mental Health CERTITUDE
Peter Holbrook, Social Enterprise UK
Philip Breslin, Royal Borough of Greenwich

Trading_Places_2

Rachel Hubbard, Deaf Umbrella
Ray Calcutt, Boston Garage Equipment
Sean Kelleher, Business Connector BITC
Steve Nash, Institute of the Motor Industry
Stuart James, Retail Motor Industry Federation

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I am not sure whether to pack my hiking boots or blender when I report for duty on 9 March because First Step provides garage and catering career services and I am equally as incompetent in both areas.

But I do know that I shall meet inspiring individuals who are all as committed to the success of the business as I am.

Finally I’d like to pay tribute to FST’s tenacious CEO Ronnie Wilson OBE who works tirelessly to fund their work and who we are delighted to work with to promote their genuinely female friendly garages to local female motorists in Woolwich, Bexley, West Norwood and Salford.

To find a FOXY Lady Approved garage in your area…

FOXY
@FOXYtweets

female friendly

A gender equality approach makes this a truly SMaRT garage

Last week I attended a special garage launch at SMaRT Garage Services in Bexley. Now some of you might wonder how any garage launch might be called special but prepare your mind for an entirely different experience to the one you might be conjuring up now.

This garage is spotless, so much so that the launch was carried out in the workshop with drinks, canapes and a huge paella lunch being prepared and served on the premises.

Walk in through the garage reception door and you can’t miss our FOXY Lady Approved female friendly logo on the door. That surely prepares women for a more welcoming experience than they might otherwise have expected in an ordinary garage…

Screenshot-3Step inside and there are a lot of women already there.

Channel 5’s Fifth Gear personality, Vicki Butler-Henderson who is here to host the launch and cut the ribbon assisted by Bexley’s female Mayor.

What is a SmaRT Garage?

Smart Garage Services is a social enterprise providing MOT and vehicle servicing and repairs, set up by the registered charity First Step Trust. SmaRT stands for ‘Socially Minded and Reponsible Trading’ and what makes them different is that they provide work experience and salaried employment for people that have been excluded from the workplace because of a previous mental health condition or other disadvantages. Half of the workers they help have been unemployed for more than 10 years, helping them recover their mental health, stay well and live independently which is what having a job is known to do.

Katie B&Tegan4Here we have Katie and Tegan working together. They are both apprentices who haven’t had an easy ride through life so far yet they are thoroughly enjoying what they do and have plenty of ambition for pursuing a career in the motor industry in future.

I defy anyone not to be inspired by the commitment of the First Step Trust and SMaRT Garages team to making a difference in this area. Then listen to the stories so many workers relay, whose lives have been turned around in this supportive environment.

What makes a SMaRT garage female friendly?

To be FOXY Lady Approved as female friendly any garage needs to meet our quality standards, demonstrate a warm welcome, be clean and offer great value for money. Women in the business are always a bonus as are community events for local females.

Overall there are four SMaRT Garages that are FOXY Lady Approved – three in London’s Woolwich, Bexley and West Norwood plus the fourth in Salford, Manchester.

All are members of the Trading Standards Institute approved service and repair code, their facilities are great, it’d be hard to beat their cleanliness and with offers like a £10 MOT (valid for future bookings made befor 30 November 2013) you won’t do better for value.

smartwomenWhen it comes to bonus points SMaRT Garages organise one of the best courses for local women drivers that I’ve attended. This includes a classroom video followed by a workshop session to help women understand the MOT, find out how to carry out their own car maintenance and about vital safety checks. This programme is called SMaRT Women, as you’d expect. It costs £25 (towards the First Step Trust charity) and all comers receive a gift membership of FOXY Lady Drivers Club (worth £23) and usually a discount voucher for future MOT or car servicing work.

This programme is so good I’d really like to see it rolled out to other FOXY Lady Approved garages, providing this can make financial sense for First Step Trust and mean others can demonstrate their community credentials too.

So I’ll be talking to First Step Trust’s Chief Executive about this soon and if any garage would like to know more with a view to their being involved in future, please get in touch with me.

FOXY
info@foxyladydrivers.com