Issue 5
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
Where There's
Scrap, There's
Brass…
Meet The Wye Valley Group
Business
Burns Brightly
Yankee Candle Europe
Training a Nation
The ACT Success Story
Broker of
the Decade
Thomas Carroll’s Major Award
Auto Enrolment
The Vista Retail Experience
CONTENTS
Contents
Business
Burns Brightly
Where There's Scrap,
There's Brass…
Training
a Nation
Broker of
the Decade
Are You
Switched On?
Auto Enrolment &
Workplace Pensions
The Scene is published by Thomas Carroll Group plc.
Editor: Peter Acton, Yogi Communications,
Publisher: Gwenllian Thomas, Thomas Carroll,
Design: Burning Red.
Contributors to this issue: Peter Acton, Phil Hurst, Andrew
Diplock, Vicky Ash, John Moore, Gwenllian Thomas, Gareth
Cotty, Mark Eedy, Alison Davies, Kevin Price, Laura Eedy,
Michael Learoyd, Claire Humphries and Kath Powell.
36
Rhys Williams in Golf
Club Claim to Fame
38
Financial Security is More
Than Just a Salary
39
Honour for Chairman
58
Ace Appointments at
Haverfordwest Office
Photography: Peter Acton, Martin Ellard, Tim Dickeson,
Jason Ingram, Alex Mills, Richard Swingler, Wales
News, Studio 87, Clare Tebbit, Martin Caveney.
magazine are not necessarily those of Thomas Carroll
Group plc and services and goods featured are not
necessarily endorsed by Thomas Carroll Group plc.
© 2014 Copyright Thomas Carroll Group plc. No part
of this publication may be reproduced or used in any
form of advertising or promotion without the written
permission of the publisher. No responsibility will
be accepted for any error or omissions or comments
made by writers or interviewees. Views expressed in the
Editorial submission to: thescene@thomascarroll.co.uk
- The Editor retains the right to edit editorial submissions
according to style and space considerations.
Printed by: Minuteman Press Cardiff
Thomas Carroll Group plc
Thomas Carroll Cardiff
Pendragon House, Crescent Road,
Caerphilly CF83 1XX
t +44 (0)29 2088 7733
Thomas Carroll Swansea
Elm House, Tawe Business Village,
Enterprise Park, Swansea SA7 9LA
t +44 (0)1792 795265
www
2
thomascarroll.co.uk
Thomas Carroll Hereford
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Hereford HR4 9AR
t +44 (0)1432 359500
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Thomas Carroll Haverfordwest
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Thomas Carroll Group plc: Commercial Insurance Personal Insurance Financial Advice Health and Safety Employment Law Legal Indemnities
WELCOME
Cover Story
Sue Howell,
Wye Valley Group
Photograph: Martin Ellard
WIN 6 Large
Yankee Candles
Thoughts of
John Moore
Excitingly, on the 9th July before a glittering
audience of leading insurance professionals at the
British Insurance Awards, Royal Albert Hall, we
were named UK Insurance Broker of the Decade.
A night to remember … to be named
the Broker of the Decade amongst
many thousands of brokers in the UK,
takes us to an entirely new level.
Our exciting journey for the Group
over the last ten years has been
particularly rewarding as we have grown
without sacrificing our core principles
as a proud independent Group.
Simply find the answer to the question below
and you could win 6 large Yankee candles from
the new Spring / Summer 2015 ranges.
To enter our free competition simply read
the article on page 10 where the answer to
the following question can be found:
How many candles and
wax products does Yankee
Candle produce annually?
Closing date for entries is 1 March 2015.
Email your answer together with your business
contact details to: thescene@thomascarroll.co.uk.
Last Issue’s Winner
Congratulations to Beth Davies of Burns Pet
Nutrition Ltd, the winner of our Issue 4 competition,
who won a luxury stay at the Celtic Manor Resort.
The old rule still applies … about the
importance of placing the customer
first. This is at the core of our
business thinking. Our independent
and engaged people work hard
to understand your business and
offer a family of risk solutions.
With our results indicating very
high client retention figures. My
first and most important thoughts
are to recognise again with thanks
your loyal trust in our expertise.
The strength of our ‘Group Approach’ is
demonstrated through our health and
safety team continuing to attract leading
clients … Dwr Cymru / Welsh Water; Tŷ
Hafan; Celtic Manor; Amazon; National
Museum; South Wales Police; Cardiff
Council; Monmouthshire Housing.
Our family of group services offer
an advantage which influence
improved terms for commercial
insurance contracts.
With auto-enrolment staging dates yet to
arrive, Tony Smith our expert employee
benefits consultant gets to know your
business. Tony offers guidance providing
the best options for your people.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
The launch of Club Signature Private
Insurance Service, offers a tailored
range of benefits and approved
partner services for members. Again,
this broadcasts how seriously we
take your personal insurances.
The exciting recruitment of talented
Welsh graduates continues with Cerith,
Gregory, Mark and Roxanne winning
2014 places on our two year programme.
A very experienced executive Brian
Hawkins joins the Pembrokeshire team
and Ian Ace takes a non-executive
position at our Haverfordwest office.
Most pleasingly, all teams are committed
to the Thomas Carroll Group and
engaged with our business plans,
determined to deliver a service that you
rightly expect. My executive colleague
Peter Martin is now the cyber liability
expert with innovative solutions to
manage the increasing data and
digital threats to your business.
With the economic business challenges
still very much with us, the importance
of negotiating the most competitive
terms available in the market remains
a priority. Without hassle … business
protection through crucial covers
limits potential damage and financially
regains your trading position .
Thank you for being good clients …
we enjoy doing business with you.
As always, Pendragon House offers
an open invitation to come enjoy
a good coffee and Welsh cake.
John Moore MBE
Chairman
3
PROFILE
THE WYE
VALLEY GROUP
Metal guru:
Sue Howell of the Wye Valley Group
4
Thomas Carroll
Photographs: Martin Ellard
PROFILE
Interview: Peter Acton
Long before the present day
recycling boom, a resourceful
Herefordshire farmer set aside
a field and began trading
in the flotsam and jetsam
of the agricultural world.
It was the late 1960s at St Weonards,
and the farmer, John Howell, had
started a family business. This
blossomed into The Wye Valley Group,
now one of the leading independent
reclamation to demolition and metal
processing groups in the UK.
The Wye Valley Group consists of four
companies: Wye Valley Demolition,
Wye Valley Metals, Wye Valley Skips
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
and Wye Valley Reclamation. Located
on its own 28 acre Eastside Recycling
Facility at Rotherwas, Hereford, the
Group is today a £12 million operation.
The Scene caught up with the brother
and sister duo who head up operations
at the family-owned and run business:
Andrew Howell, Managing Director
and Sue Howell, Finance Director.
5
PROFILE
Hereford’s Finest:
Pictured from left at their architectural reclamation site,
Andrew Howell, Sue Howell and Sue’s daughter Amy Howell
Wye Valley Group is a longestablished company in the
Hereford area, how did it all start?
Once we
opened,
we were
bombarded
with scrap
metal, waste
and new
customers."
6
Sue: "Our roots date back to
the late 40s when my father,
John, started the business at
St Weonards, South Hereford.
He began with agricultural
contracting, then moved
into cattle farming and
plant hire in the 1950s.
By the late 60s he had
moved into demolition and
dismantling, which in turn led
into scrap metal processing.
My brother Andrew and I had
worked on and off in the business
in the 80s, but we took over the
businesses in 1996, with Andrew
as Managing Director and
myself as Financial Director."
We quickly outgrew our old
premises in St Weonards and
purchased this site Eastside
Recycling Facility, in 2000.
£3 million in developing the
site and we have continued to
invest over £1.5m in the site
during the recent recession.”
This site is on a much larger
scale than your original home.
How did you find the escalation
in scale of operations?
Andrew: "Yes, we still have the
original farm, but in 2001 we
decided to move the reclamation
business from the field at
the farm to here within the
22,000 square feet building.
Sue: “When we opened in 2006
we questioned if it was the right
thing to do, because of the level
of investment. But once we
opened, we were bombarded
with scrap metal, waste and new
customers, so we realised that
there was a need for this site.
After gaining planning permission
and a waste management
license, we moved here lock
stock and barrel in 2006.
This is a 28 acre site, but we
only used six acres for waste
management. This was part of
the old munitions site. When we
bought the site it was covered
in acres of waste including
six rusty old huts. We have
had to invest approximately
Thomas Carroll
For the first 18 months we barely
had time to raise our heads!"
PROFILE
Inside Warehouse 701
How did 701, the architectural
reclamation site, come about?
of interest on foot and through visitors to
the website (www.warehouse701.co.uk)
Sue: "Wye Valley Reclamation needed
rejuvenating and splitting away to
increase consumer appeal, as it was
more trade oriented. 701 was the
Ministry identity number for the building
that houses the reclamation.
Warehouse 701 is our online shop from
which customers can place an order from
all over the world. We have two websites.
The other is Wye Valley Reclamation. There
are about 800 products online for each
site – and this is all UK reclamation.”
Logical diversity seems to be a pattern in
the Wye Valley story. What is the biggest
part of the business in terms of revenue?
Andrew: "That would be the metal processing
side. It’s not necessarily the best in terms
of net profit, but our diversity enables us to
make full use of the resources around us.
If one area is quiet then we can move
that resource into another area. If we
didn’t have this site we wouldn’t be able
to diversify so well. We’ve always done
what we are doing, but the advances
in equipment have helped us."
The site was originally commissioned during
the 1st World War by the then War Minister,
Lloyd George, so in memory we have named
our HQ Lloyd George House. 701 was set
up a year ago and is attracting a great deal
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
7
For the first
18 months we
barely had
time to raise
our heads!"
PROFILE
Tell us about your property operations:
We were joined in the interview by Tom
David, an old friend of Andrew’s who
returned home to Hereford, after a
career in London. Tom heads up the
group’s commercial property interests
under Group company Sigeric Ltd.
Properties include the Broadway
House, former HMRC offices in the
centre of Hereford and the seven acre
SIGERIC Business Park, adjacent
to the Group’s Eastside site.
How did the property side
of the Group start?
Tom: “I came back to Hereford in
2001 to join Andrew and Sue, who had
just taken over the reins from their
father and were expanding rapidly.
We started in Cardiff and invested
heavily in Newport with a mixture
of property development, both
residential and office.
In 2008, when the recession hit,
we were fortunate in that we had
never over leveraged that side
of the business, so were still
able to deal with things well.
We stopped selling, and to a
degree we stopped buying in those
areas, and regrouped. We focused
on bringing the portfolio closer.
That’s when we became involved
with the business park and other
commercial property in Hereford.
To be able to acquire a site in such
close proximity was good, as it was
easy to manage, and we were relatively
new in commercial property. For
the first year and a half it was very
difficult, as it wasn’t well tenanted;
but now it is absolutely fine.
Going forward in the next five to
10 years we will be concentrating
on the refinement of the existing
properties that we already manage,
with possibly the acquisition of
another one or two sites if the right
opportunity presents itself.”
What has driven your success
over the last few years?
Andrew: "This business is all about
building relationships with customers
and a service that takes away the
pain and keeps them coming back.
Managing a waste product and
turning it into something that can
be used again is great. Demolition
has always been about that; and
that’s where it all came from."
As a family business is there
another generation coming
through to help in future?
Sue: “My daughter Amy has been
working with us for five years as Skips
and Waste Manager, progressing up
from weighbridge. Jason, my son,
is not part of this business, but is a
Thomas Carroll client. Jason cofounded
a business with a school friend,
Phillippe Gill. He runs the Real Wrap
Company in Bristol and is growing a
very successful business, supplying
universities and schools with wraps.”
Andrew: “From the age of six my
boys Tom, Rhys and Morgan who
are still in education help out in
various capacities on the weekends
and during holidays. Of course it
will be their choice if they want to
continue with the family business.”
What do you do as a family to relax?
Sue: “As a family we have a love
for horses. My main relaxation and
passion is horse racing. Trained at
Llancarfan, Cowbridge, Tiger O’Toole
was a recent Grade 2 Ascot Winner
which gave us all great pleasure.”
Andrew: “In 2006 we opened Bistro
Prego in Monmouth which is a
family venture. We always loved
eating there and when we heard it
was closing down, we bought it.”
Radiating Joy:
John Moore MBE, Chairman of Thomas Carroll
Group plc, with Sue Howell of The Wye Valley Group
How did the
long-standing
Thomas Carroll
relationship begin?
Sue: “This started many, many years ago
with John, our father, needing a cover note
for a van, I believe. Dad had an introduction
to John Moore, as he was having a problem
with his broker at the time, and he managed
to get the ball rolling. We have remained
with them for over 25 years, due to John and
the Thomas Carroll team being so helpful.
The length of the relationship between
ourselves and Thomas Carroll says a lot
about the two companies and the people who
work in them. John and his colleagues have
been more than just an insurance broker
to us, they have assisted and guided us for
many years. They have been an asset to our
business and we look forward to working
with them for many years to come."
Visit:
www.wyevalleygroup.co.uk
www.warehouse701.co.uk
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
9
PROFILE
Light fantastic: from left Richard Pask, Director of Thomas Carroll
Management Services, Gary Webb and Bruce Mitchell of Yankee Candle
and Brynmor Williams, Group Director of Thomas Carroll.
10
Thomas Carroll
Main Photograph: Jason Ingram
PROFILE
Interview: Peter Acton
Yankee Candle Europe is a client
of Thomas Carroll Management
Services, the health and safety
division of the Group. The Scene took
a trip to meet the team, accompanied
by Richard Pask, Director of Thomas
Carroll Management Services and
Brynmor Williams, Group Director.
What is the structure of the
company in the UK?
Based in Avonmouth, Bristol,
the Yankee Candle Europe
headquarters services the whole
of the European territory and
further afield, with a total of 55
countries, including markets
such as the Middle East and
Asia. Over recent months we
have evolved our UK structure to
maximise all opportunities and
ensure we continue to effectively
represent our brand values.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
We moved into Avonmouth in June
2012 to accommodate our growing
business and team. Set in eight
acres, the premises are comprised
of warehouse facilities, state-of-theart offices, space for 30 HGV lorries
and 16 loading bays spanning
over 165,000 square feet. Since
the move, our team has expanded
to include over 250 members of
staff. The executive team includes:
Cathy Mayor, Director of Finance;
Larissa Meixner-Adam, Director of
Distributors; Gary Webb, Director
of Human Resources, David
Crawford, Director of Wholesale
and Jenny Cox, Director of Retail.
11
PROFILE
Piled High: Inside the giant Yankee Candle
European distribution centre in Avonmouth
How many Yankee candles
are produced annually?
Annually, we produce more than
100 million candles and wax
products, which include our
Classic jars, Samplers®, votives,
wax melts and tea lights. Our
Classic apothecary jars are our
best–selling collection which
is famous around the world.
Is there a total worldwide
turnover figure?
For 2013, we were particularly
proud to have reached a middouble digit growth for the brand
outside the US, compared to
the previous year. We’re also
pleased to be able to reveal
that 2014 is already proving
to be a record-breaking year
for our European division,
with our spring trade show
season surpassing all previous
figures across the board.
In how many countries are
Yankee Candles sold and what is
the biggest international market?
From our European headquarters
we supply and service 55
countries and, of these
territories, the UK is the largest
market. As we continue to
evolve the brand, we intend to
increase our presence in each
12
market with the support of
our in-house team, supportive
network of distributors and
our dedicated consumers.
We are planning to keep creating what
we are famous for: new, innovative
and beautiful fragrances which,
What are the peak
times for sales?
quite simply, make people smile."
The festive season remains
our best selling season, closely
followed by autumn and winter.
Spring and summer are just
as important, with European
consumers embracing home
fragrance all year round and not
just in the home. For example,
we all feel that summer begins
and ends all too soon – before
we know it autumn is here and
the shops are full of autumnal
accessories. So we have
developed two collections which
will start and extend summer
2014. For the first time you can
welcome in summer with our
Fruit-a-licious Classic collection,
and extend it long into autumn
with our new Indian Summer
scents. As well as seasonal gift
buying occasions, Mother’s Day
and Easter are our specialty
and each year we provide new,
inspirational gift ideas and gift
sets for our consumers. This
year we have evolved our newlook gift sets to offer on-trend
packaging, filled with a large
range of our famous fragrances
and candles, as the perfect gift.
What are the secrets of producing
a world-leading scented candle?
What influences the new
fragrances you develop?
Research, knowledge and trust.
As well as traveling the world
to discover fragrances and
ingredients, it’s just as important
and effective to listen to our
customers and our consumers.
Quite literally, the world: its
natural fragrances, people,
experiences, memories and
trends. The floral fragrances we
launched for this spring include
Kiku from Japan, Hibiscus from
Korea, and Champaca from
South Asia. While they are very
international fragrances, they
are approachable and reachable
for all European consumers.
Our approach to research and
our experience in the industry
gives us unrivalled knowledge;
it’s this that allows us to
create the fragrances people
continually trust and which
make them smile. We identify
key trends from around the
world and evolve new, innovative
fragrances specifically for the
international market to give
consumers the chance to
enjoy them in their home.
Thomas Carroll
Yankee visited more than 30
countries last year. Our product
teams travel the world – from
South Africa, Brazil and Chile
to China, Australia, Singapore
and Scotland, always in search
of new influences that make
people smile. It's not just flowers
and fruit, it can be the smell
of a soft sweater, or the smell
of a leather saddle in a horse
barn in the summer. You never
know when you are going to find
something that makes people
PROFILE
We do not sell candles. We make
fragrances that connect to the emotions
which make people happy; this is
what Yankee Candle is about.”
go 'wow!'. For example, one of our
best-selling fragrances smells of fresh
sheets, while another smells of men's
cologne – what people like is amazing,
and so is finding the things that make
them smile. Influences come from every
direction; your eyes just have to be open.
What differentiates Yankee Candle
from other candle manufacturers?
It really is emotion
and memory that
differentiates
Yankee Candle
from every other
candle seller.
All of our
scents are
blended to be
authentic, to be
so realistic that
they have the power
to evoke memories, to
make someone breathe in,
sit back, remember and smile. There's a
quote we use which sums up the ethos
of our brand: “We do not sell candles.
We make fragrances that connect to the
emotions which make people happy;
this is what Yankee Candle is about.
A tailored
health and
safety system
Why did you choose to work with
Thomas Carroll Health and Safety?
What future plans are there for
developing the brand going forward?
We have just completed our European
spring trade show season where, for
the first time, we launched every new
product and fragrance for the entire
year. The response was phenomenal,
not only to the new launches but also
to the strategy. As a result we broke our
all-time record by achieving combined
sales increase in excess of
70%. It is important to
give our retailers the
service they deserve,
and to ensure this
we are continuing
to implement new
systems, updates
and processes.
We are planning
to keep creating
what we are famous
for: new, innovative and
beautiful fragrances which,
quite simply, make people smile.
Visit
www.yankeecandle.co.uk
We always take time to research
all available options when we are
sourcing new suppliers and, when it
comes down to health and safety, it’s
paramount that we’re comfortable we
have the best possible company. With
regards to Thomas Carroll Health and
Safety, the proposal was extremely
strong, particularly in terms of the
quality of service we were looking for.
What range of health and safety
services have you engaged on?
The health and safety management
system service provided by Thomas
Carroll is the main choice for us. This
provides a comprehensive structure
for our business, to ensure not only
compliance but also a sound and
robust management system. This
enables us to create and maintain a
safe working environment for everyone.
The supporting structure enables
Yankee Candle leadership to implement
and manage an excellent health and
safety system, with Thomas Carroll
providing structure, guidance and
support, including training at all levels.
What unique health and safety
challenges does Yankee Candle
face at the distribution hub that
Thomas Carroll assists with?
If a consumer buys a candle because
it looks beautiful, to put on a table
and look nice but never burn, that
isn’t our business. If a consumer buys
a candle because it smells good but
that is all, then this isn’t our business
either. We want to make candles which
a consumer can pick up to smell
and smile – that’s the Yankee Candle
secret, we make people happy.”
There are no ‘unique’ aspects in the
conventional sense, for example
hazards or risks, rather we required a
complete health and safety overhaul
to bring our management systems up
to date. For Yankee Candle, Thomas
Carroll’s expertise is significant
and well tailored to our needs.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
13
Illustration: Lo Price
ENERGY STRATEGY
14
Thomas Carroll
ENERGY STRATEGY
Soaring prices have put energy costs onto the
agenda in every boardroom in the UK. Andrew Diplock,
Managing Director of UES Energy, gives his advice on
the best way to look after your firm’s energy strategy.
By Andrew Diplock
It is not just increased global
demand that has fuelled
spiralling gas and electricity
prices, but also our migration
towards green energy, which the
Government estimates will cost
the UK £110 billion by 2020.
A series of progressive taxes
and levies means that energy
consumers will ultimately pay
for this and their energy prices
will increase considerably
in the next decade.
These measures, often referred
to as Electricity Market Reform
(EMR), have been enshrined in the
Energy Bill which came into law in
December 2013. The full implications
of it are only just becoming clear,
although there is still some wriggle
room for the Government.
For most businesses, the
complex new landscape is
likely to lead to a significant
increase in their overheads;
but for smarter businesses this
also represents an opportunity
to gain a competitive edge.
The Carbon Trust estimates that a
20% cut in energy costs represents
the same bottom line benefit
as a 5% increase in sales. But
how do you go about reducing
energy costs for your business?
Of course there are the usual
measures, from closing windows
to turning the thermostat down,
but for many the real savings
are to be found in energy
procurement and management.
The competitive markets for
energy means that we choose
our suppliers, and the types of
contract they offer us, to suit our
specific needs – and one size
most certainly does not fit all.
In addition to this, the wholesale
energy markets present a huge
opportunity for savings. While
we may think of energy prices
as inexorably rising, they are
really extremely volatile, with
weekly peaks and troughs.
In energy procurement, timing
is vital. Markets need constant
monitoring, followed by swift,
decisive action when necessary.
Energy contracts also need
managing. Bills need validating,
as businesses are frequently
overcharged. Multiple contracts,
perhaps spread across a chain
of outlets, can be consolidated
to make them easier to manage
and iron out costly mistakes.
Bringing them together with a
common end date can also give you
more leverage when negotiating
a new deal with suppliers.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
Needless to say, anyone tasked
with this has a lot to get their heads
around. Some of the biggest energy
consumers have teams of in-house
energy managers dedicated to the
job. Others turn to third-parties for
help, just as they may do for legal or
insurance services, where it is more
cost-effective to buy in the expertise.
There’s a lot that businesses can
do to cut costs and gain an edge,
but first you must make sure that
you understand what it means to
your business. My key advice is:
•• Keep abreast of new information
and changes announced
by the Government
•• Review your existing energy
supply contracts to see how they
deal with third party costs that
could now be passed onto you.
•• Assess the likely cost impact
of EMR and plan your
budgets accordingly
•• Consider whether you need to
amend your energy procurement
strategy to gain better budget
certainty or to change the degree
of risk you are prepared to take
Visit:
www.uesenergy.co.uk
15
PROPERTY
16
Thomas Carroll
PROPERTY
Why
Insurance
is No Miner
Matter
By Michael Learoyd
Re-development
projects can present
some challenges.
Many property insurance
companies don't provide wide cover
for properties that are unoccupied
and inactive over a long period.
Building Dreams:
Michael Learoyd (right) and Anthony Gregg, Account Executives of Thomas Carroll,
hand over bricks to Katherine Hughes of the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre charity.
The brick initiative is part of a
campaign to raise £1.2million to
preserve the hospital's 90-year-old main
‘Beeches’ building and transform it into
a multi-use centre for the community.
Thomas Carroll is taking part in the
"Miners’ 8 campaign", in which
businesses and members of the public
are invited to buy a brick, to be used
in the construction, for £8 each.
"This iconic building has played a part
in the lives of the people of Caerphilly
for generations and we urge fellow
businesses in the area to join us and
take part in the buy-a-brick campaign.”
The campaign’s title refers to the 6d
a week contributed by 10,000 miners
across the Rhymney Valley, out of their
weekly wages, to build the hospital – a
sum equivalent to £8 in today’s money.
Altogether, 10,000 miners raised
£30,000 to buy the building in 1924.
Katherine Hughes, Company
Secretary and Project Manager of
the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre charity,
which has so far raised £630,000
towards its £1.2million target, said:
Michael Learoyd, Head of
Property at Thomas Carroll, the
insurance broker for the Caerphilly
Miners’ development, said:
“As a local company of long standing,
we are committed to this magnificent
cause to give it a new life as a hub
of the community once more.
“We would encourage anyone who was
born or treated in the hospital, who
worked there or has been connected
with it in any way, to buy a brick
to commemorate their links with
Caerphilly Miners’ and help move
it forward into the 21st century.”
The Beeches building at the centre of the
Caerphilly Miners Hospital redevelopment
has been vacant for some time.
There were challenges around the
"decoupling" of the property from the
former hospital buildings, which were
demolished, leaving entry points into the
remaining structure. The retained building
had asbestos present. It also needed to be
weatherproofed before work commenced.
We needed to craft the insurance cover
to protect the interests of the owners,
United Welsh, along with the various
funding bodies and generous grant donors,
while satisfying the lease obligations of
the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre charity.
The redevelopment project to create a
community centre has several phases –
and this work will cost far more than the
value of the existing leased structure.
Thomas Carroll Brokers Ltd held several
site meetings to fully understand the
project plan, the timescales and the needs
of the various interested parties. We
have been delighted to provide support,
guidance and peace of mind to the charity
during the period of fund-raising and
planning for this important project.
Michael Learoyd, Head of Property
Thomas Carroll Brokers Ltd
e. michael.learoyd@thomas-carroll.co.uk
Visit
www.caerphillyminerscentre.org.uk
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
17
AUTO ENROLMENT
The Vista Viewpoint
18
Thomas Carroll
Illustration: Lo Price
AUTO ENROLMENT
Supported by an £8 million celebrity TV
advertising campaign, workplace pensions have
truly arrived. All employers operating in the UK have
to automatically enrol eligible employees into a
qualifying pension scheme between now and
1 April 2017, with larger employers being affected first.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
Fail to auto-enrol on time and your
company could face fines of up to £2,500
a day imposed by The Pensions Regulator.
You will receive a letter from The Pensions
Regulator confirming your staging date.
Kath Powell, HR Manager at Vista
Retail Support Ltd, the Cardiff-based
EPOS support and repair company,
shares her experience of workplace
pensions and auto enrolment.
19
AUTO ENROLMENT
Pension People:
Kath Powell, HR Manager at Vista Retail, with Mark Eedy (right),
Managing Director of Thomas Carroll Independent Financial Advisers
and Tony Smith, Employee Benefits Consultant, Thomas Carroll.
Analyse your
workforce and
review your existing
pension schemes to
make sure you are
clear on the auto
enrolment criteria."
20
Lessons Learned
by Vista Retail
I would advise attending events to research
the subject in advance of your staging
date, to gain an understanding of what
it means – ideally a year before. This
will allow you to plan for the financial
implications. Many of these events are free
of charge, so take advantage of them.
Analyse your workforce and review your
existing pension schemes to make sure you
are clear on the auto enrolment criteria.
Next, choose an independent financial
adviser (IFA). In our case we selected
Thomas Carroll IFA. We feel that their
specialist employee benefits team are well
suited to our business requirements.
Thomas Carroll
It is also important at this stage to
communicate with your workforce. Give
them an initial ‘heads up’ to advise them
of the auto enrolment staging date.
Decide who is going to be administering
pension contributions. Do you have your
own software that needs to be adapted, or
do you outsource your payroll? It's critical
that you talk to your payroll provider or
software company and agree timescales
for your project plan, to ensure that you
will be ready in time for the staging date.
Liaise with any existing pension scheme
providers to ensure that their scheme will
qualify under the new rules. Your IFA should
liaise on your behalf. Work with your IFA to
choose a scheme and contribution levels,
then set up your scheme with the provider.
AUTO ENROLMENT
Number of Employees
Staging Date
(on 5th April 2012)
60
1st October 2014
59
1st November 2014
58
1st January 2015
54 – 57
1st March 2015
50 – 53
1st April 2015
49 and below
1st June 2015 to 1st April 2017
At Vista Retail Support we had a
choice between NEST, Now Pensions
or The Peoples’ Pension. When you
know which scheme will be used,
communicate this to your staff.
PAYROLL
Ensure your system is able to auto-enrol
everyone, take contributions and provide
reports at least a month before the need
to enrol i.e. do a test run if possible.
IMPLEMENTATION
in the second month. I recommend
asking your provider about this before you
upload the data for the first time, so that
you are fully aware of any implications.
ACKNOWLEDGE OPTINS AND OPT-OUTS
Provider’s Scheme:
Decide in your business who will assess
the accuracy of employee data. Employees
will fall into three categories 1. Entitled
Workers 2. Non Eligible Jobholders 3.
Eligible Jobholders. Be clear in your
mind who is eligible and write to all
employees confirming their status. Create
a spreadsheet with separate groups, so
that you can check the results when the
assessment takes place, and ensure that
the correct people are auto enrolled.
Communicate to non-eligible staff their
right to opt in. Send them the necessary
information from The Pensions Regulator
and direct them to relevant government
links a month before your staging date.
Decide if you are going to postpone
the entry of new employees to the
scheme. We postpone new starters
for three months after joining us.
On your staging date, be ready to
enrol everyone who is eligible plus
anyone who has opted in.
•• Obtain a login for online access
•• Familiarise yourself with the
data and upload process
•• Understand the monthly process
•• Ask the provider if you have any questions
•• In-house payroll – make sure your
payroll officer is aware and trained
•• Outsourced payroll – make sure
you have tested the system
•• Ensure your tax relief is correct
STAGING DATE
The Pensions Regulator states that
employers must communicate with all
employees at staging date with relevant
information. Always check your provider’s
progress. In practical terms we did this prior
to payroll date in order to be compliant.
You cannot encourage staff members to
opt out. The provider must manage the
process and advise the employer of the
results. It is a straightforward process:
you refund contributions in month two
for those employees who have opted
out in the statutory timescale. If your
payroll is outsourced, communicate the
necessary information to your payroll
agent. Remember, you have to auto-enrol
employees again after three years.
Acknowledge any increased employee
contributions our payroll provider needed
‘the minimum’ contribution to go through
on staging date. We agreed to process
additional employee contributions
from the second month onwards.
In our experience, the best practice
is to plan well ahead and seek
advice as early as possible.
The provider in our case was not able to
allow us to run the payroll process twice
in one month. We were therefore forced to
pay two months' contributions together
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
21
AWARDS
22
Thomas Carroll
AWARDS
Thomas Carroll
IFAs Named UK
Firm of the Year
At a prestigious
financial services
awards ceremony in
London, Thomas Carroll
Independent Financial
Advisers were named
UK Firm of the Year.
Directors Mark Eedy and Louise
Eedy picked up the national title at
the Sesame Bankhall Awards 2014.
As well as the overall title, the team
were also category winners, named
Corporate Adviser of the Year at the
ceremony held in Westminster.
On 9 July 2014 at the Royal Albert Hall, Thomas
Carroll received the ultimate industry accolade
at The British Insurance Awards 2014, being
This latest accolade represents the
team’s sixth industry award in the past
five years. Thomas Carroll IFA were
named Chartered Financial Planners
of the Year in 2009. This was followed
by Bankhall Retirement Planning
Firm of the Year in both 2010 and
2011, as well as Bankhall Corporate
Adviser Firm of the Year 2012.
named UK Insurance Broker of the Decade.
John Moore MBE, Chairman of Thomas
Carroll Group plc said: “We are
honoured to have won more than
30 UK business awards since the
late 1990s, but to be named the UK
Broker of the Decade, from many
thousands of brokers in the UK,
takes us to an entirely new level.
"To be recognised by our peers in this
way is an incredible and humbling
accolade for us. It really has been a
remarkable journey for the Group
over the last 10 years and more.
For me it is rewarding because
we have grown without sacrificing
our core principles as a proudly
independent regional broker.”
We thank our clients and colleagues
throughout the insurance industry
for your continued support.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
23
Photograph: Peter Acton
NEWS
Room
At The Top
First Minister Opens
HQ Extension
Big vision: Thomas Carroll's top floor extension
The Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of
Wales, has officially opened the £0.5 million extension
to the headquarters of Thomas Carroll Group plc.
The Pendragon House
development has an additional
floor including executive offices,
training rooms and a boardroom
with views over Caerphilly Castle.
This latest extension is the fourth
since Thomas Carroll acquired
the headquarters in 1998. It
follows regional expansion
which has seen employee
numbers rise to 125 people.
First Minister, Carwyn Jones,
said: “I’m delighted to be
able to officially open Thomas
Carroll’s newly expanded
24
headquarters, marking an
exciting new chapter for this
ambitious Welsh company.
“As we continue to generate
growth, wealth and jobs in
Wales, we need exemplar
companies like Thomas Carroll,
which build our international
reputation as a financial and
professional services hub.
I’m pleased that the Welsh
Government has been able to
support the company as they
go from strength to strength,
and I congratulate them on
another fantastic milestone.”
John Moore, Chairman of
Thomas Carroll Group plc, said:
“We are enjoying significant
business growth across our
regions, by attracting leading
executives with proven expertise
and strong client relationships.
Our graduate programme thrives
on developing Welsh talent.
“We have doubled in employee
levels over the past eight years.
We are proud to be flourishing
and contributing to the economy
as a fearlessly independent
Welsh company. We are
honoured to be joined by the
Thomas Carroll
First Minister,
Carwyn Jones
First Minister as we celebrate
an unforgettable journey
and an exciting milestone
in our Group’s history.”
To view a video of the
opening, visit:
http://bit.ly/hqextension
CARDIFF
SWANSEA
HAVERFORDWEST
HEREFORD
Put it all in
Our
Hands
Our employee benefits
service includes:
•• Workplace pensions
•• Death in service cover
•• Income protection and
critical illness insurance
•• Private medical insurance
•• Hospital cash plans
•• Salary exchange
Contact us today
029 2088 7733
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
Thomas Carroll Independent Financial Advisers Ltd is
authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
We can assist
you and your
business in giving
something back
Robert Jones MBE
Regional Director
PROFILE
TRAINING
A NATION
the ACT Way
Talking training:
From left Andrew Cooksley of ACT Training, Robert Jones MBE and
Peter Martin, Thomas Carroll and Caroline Cooksley, ACT Training
26
Thomas Carroll
Photographs: Martin Ellard
PROFILE
Words: Peter Acton
Fully funded
training gives
businesses ranging
from small startups to household
brands access to free
training services.”
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
Andrew and Caroline
Cooksley are the husband
and wife team behind one
of Wales’ greatest success
stories – ACT Training.
Wales’ largest and most
successful training
provider, ACT is the Welsh
Government’s lead supplier of
training and apprenticeships.
The company trains around
6,500 people every year.
27
PROFILE
Class act: Training session at ACT
We are
Headquartered close to Cardiff city centre,
ACT employs over 350 people across its
training centres in Cardiff, Caerphilly,
Bridgend and Wrexham and has an annual
turnover in excess of £31 million.
What training services do you provide?
great and we
The Scene caught up with Andrew and
Caroline to find out about the secrets of
their success and what the future holds.
want to ensure
How did the ACT story begin?
These include school leavers looking for a
credible alternative to college, those who are
unemployed and hoping to return to work, and
people already in employment who are looking
to develop themselves through upskilling.
obsessed
with doing
something
that we use the
Government’s
money wisely.”
Andrew: “It was 1988 and a colleague and I
were working for a voluntary organisation.
They had decided not to continue working
on community programmes due to a change
in funding. We saw this as an opportunity to
branch out on our own and set up ACT.
We started with eight staff at the Parade in
Cardiff with a vision to keep these services
going, training about 100 people per year
with a turnover of around £300,000.
Since then we have trained over 30,000
people, achieved a £31 million turnover
and appeared in the Wales Fast Growth 50
list six times. We are projecting a turnover
of £50 million by the end of 2015.”
28
Thomas Carroll
Caroline: “We work with a host of different
people across Wales who can benefit from
the fully funded services we provide.
We have five centres across Wales which are open
to people aged 16 upwards, who come to us to
study towards a vocational qualification. Many
of our learners start on a Traineeship, which is a
stepping stone towards an Apprenticeship. While
on a Traineeship, learners have the opportunity
to learn how to carry out a particular job they
are interested in. Our centres are purpose
built, fully functioning hair and beauty salons,
automotive garages and construction sites.
When our learners have developed the vocational
skills they need to succeed in their chosen field,
we also teach them softer skills such as personal
effectiveness, team building and problem solving.
When we think they’re ready for the world of work
we’ll find them a placement with a Welsh business,
PROFILE
where they’ll be paid to carry
out their Level 1 qualification.
In many cases our learners
will stay with their placement
employer and progress to an
Apprenticeship at that business.
Over the years we have
developed great links
with big companies
such as British Gas,
The Celtic Manor
We have now
Resort and
started offering Higher
Barclays. We
are approached
Apprenticeships in
daily by
accountancy, health and
companies
social care, ILM management,
looking to
recruit young
children’s care, learning
apprentices in
and development."
their business.
We have a constant
stream of applicants
to choose from in our
talent pool, allowing us to
handpick the right apprentices
for the right companies.
In addition to our Traineeship
and Apprenticeship schemes,
we have set up two schools
for learners aged 14 upwards
who have left or been excluded
from mainstream education."
So, essentially, Apprenticeships
can enable the apprentice to
earn a wage whilst working
towards a qualification?
Andrew: “Yes. Apprenticeships
are a great way for young
people to get into work, but
we also offer them to people
who are already employed.”
Caroline “We want to get into
schools and change their
attitudes to reflect that there
are other options for school
leavers other than college and
university. People can learn
and get paid at the same
time. Apprenticeships have
come a long way. In the past
year we have expanded what
we offer to incorporate 30
different occupational routes,
covering areas as diverse as IT,
customer service, accountancy,
team leading, health and
social care and hairdressing.
We have a huge variety.”
You are also working with
many businesses offering
Apprenticeships to their
existing staff. Can you tell
us more about this?
Caroline: “Our Apprenticeship
programmes start at Level 2
and go up to Level 5 (Higher
Apprenticeships are Level 4 and
5) and are available to people
who are already employed.
Our Apprenticeships are fully
funded. Higher Apprenticeships
are equivalent to a degree, so
they are the most advanced
level and allow businesses to
upskill their workforce. At the
same time, they give people a
widely recognised qualification.
There are so many
different fields available,
such as management,
business administration
and customer service.
We also work with businesses to
provide training called Essential
Skills in the Workplace, to
teach people basic skills in
numeracy and literacy.”
Andrew: “Apprenticeships
really do help to develop a
skilled, motivated workforce.
They can tackle skill shortages,
upskill staff and attract new
talent. All this can reduce
training and recruitment
costs, increase productivity
and improve the bottom line.
Higher Apprenticeships are
transforming the way in which
businesses are acquiring and
developing the skills they need.”
What would you say is the
secret to your success?
want to ensure that we use the
Government’s money wisely.
We strive to give the best
service we can and we invest
in our resources and learners.
Our staff are key. They care
about what they do and are
really motivated. Everything
we do is about people and
improving their quality of life.”
Caroline: “We have a large,
growing team and everyone
is obsessed with delivering
a great service. We always
strive for the best and want
the training opportunities we
provide to be ‘brilliant’. We
never settle for ‘OK’. To do this,
we’ve invested heavily in the
business and our people. After
all, success breeds success.”
Andrew: “We have a fantastic
team who genuinely care
about helping others grow.
By employing motivated,
inspirational people with a
can-do attitude, we inspire
our learners to succeed too.”
Caroline: “And we’re socially
responsible. We have voluntarily
set up a governance committee
to question how we use Welsh
Government funding and also
recently won the Business
in the Community Inspiring
Young Talent Award for our
work on our Traineeship
Programme – motivating young
people to follow their career
dreams and aspirations.”
You are ranked 35 in the Sunday
Times list of the 100 Best
Companies to Work For 2014.
How do you achieve this?
Andrew: “We don’t want
anyone who works for us to be
unhappy. Even if just 10 of our
350 staff were unhappy that
would be a disaster. It would
have such a negative impact.
Andrew: “We care about what
we do. We are obsessed with
doing something great and we
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
29
PROFILE
We have a Head of
Happiness who looks
after colleagues
and learners.”
We have a Head of Happiness who
looks after colleagues and learners. Her
brief includes ensuring each and every
employee feels valued and fulfilled. We’ve
developed a strong sense of family with
regular socials and a no-blame culture.”
Caroline: “Good recruitment is also
important. You don’t have to motivate good
staff. Our entire team lives and breathes
our core values because they want to.”
What are your plans for the future?
Andrew : “The more successful we
become, the more confident we become
and the easier it is to take on more
projects. We have close links to the Welsh
Government and are very focussed on
delivering our public service contracts.”
Caroline: “We’re working hard to promote
Apprenticeships and Higher Apprenticeships
to employed people and businesses.
At a higher level we offer accountancy,
health and social care, ILM management,
children’s care, learning and development.
Our Level 2 and 3 qualifications are
offered in so many areas that we want
to raise awareness of everything that
we can offer businesses in Wales.
We want to encourage more people
into learning. We are training a nation
and want everyone to be part of it!”
To find out more about fully funded
training provided through ACT,
visit www.acttraining.org.uk
or call 029 2046 4727.
Two's company:
Caroline and
Andrew Cooksley
30
Thomas Carroll
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Lifestyle | Insurance | Wealth
Club Signature is the new tailored personal
insurance service for Thomas Carroll clients
whose financial position and lifestyle require
high levels of individualised cover.
Club Signature benefits include:
•• Your own dedicated consultant
•• Competitive premiums
•• Club Signature Card with partner services
•• A personalised insurance audit
•• One renewal date for multiple policies
•• 24-hour priority claims response
•• Complimentary magazine subscription
Visit: www.thomascarroll.co.uk/club-signature
LEGAL INDEMNITIES
Legal Eagles: from left, Gareth Cotty, Cerith Bevan and
Louise Jones of Thomas Carroll Legal Indemnities
LEGAL INDEMNITIES
As
SAFE
AS HOUSES
The Rise and Rise of Legal Indemnities
As the property market continues to lead
the way in post-recession recovery, demand
for legal indemnities insurance services for the
conveyancing process also continues to grow.
Now, Thomas Carroll has launched
its own specialist trading arm,
Thomas Carroll Legal Indemnities.
Headed by Board Director, Gareth
Cotty, who has over 15 years’
experience working with the legal,
property and professional sectors, the
team includes law graduates Louise
Jones and Cerith Bevan, who bring
specialist knowledge to the field.
The Scene asked Gareth Cotty
about the rise and rise of legal
indemnities in the marketplace.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
When did the growth in demand
for legal indemnities begin?
Gareth Cotty: “Ironically it was during
the property market downturn post
2009. The volatile market at this
time made lenders far more nervous
around title issues that they would
have been relaxed about before.
Buyers were also more cautious, and
with demand seriously decreasing, savvy
buyers were taking the opportunity
of making deals on sites that could
best be described as 'challenging'
from a title or covenant perspective.
33
LEGAL INDEMNITIES
About Legal
Indemnities
Legal defects are quite
common in property
transactions – for example,
a restrictive covenant, lack
of rights of access, missing
landlords or part of the land
being in adverse possession.
We were already acting for
some of Wales’ leading financial
institutions, property investors,
developers, surveyors and lawyers
at this time. We wanted to bring
the expertise that had traditionally
been provided out of London
into the local Welsh market, to
help our clients and partners
make property deals happen.
We all agree that the property
market is in growth mode – with
an increase in developments
and the sale and purchase of
land and buildings. Lenders and
buyers are still insisting that
title defects and covenants are
dealt with formally, so there is an
increasing demand for cover.
Another important factor is
that legal indemnities were
traditionally arranged by solicitors
directly with an insurer. Many
would only use one market.
With the Solicitors Regulation
Authority pushing TCF (Treating
Customers Fairly), and clients
demanding a market view,
the legal profession has been
required to look at a wider
market, which is often time
consuming and inefficient.”
a serious difference to the
profitability of property deals.
How does this specialist
service approach help
the legal profession?
“As a specialist broker, we help
the legal profession meet their
obligations. We also take on
the burden of giving advice
on policy cover and terms.
On large developments, where
premiums can be significant, it is
now more common for clients to
talk to us directly, so that we work
in a three way partnership with
themselves and their solicitors.
This allows us to understand
what is driving the request for
cover and what clients want to
achieve from a policy. It also
offers clients the assurance
that premiums represent the
best available in the market.”
What was the reason behind
launching a dedicated
trading company?
“It was for a number of reasons.
Not all brokers are the same,
and we were probably already
one of top five specialist
brokers in the UK, as well as
the only specialist in Wales.
We have exclusive, board level
access to a number of insurers.
This allows us to offer the kind
of flexibility on cover, terms
and premium that can make
34
As expert brokers to the property
sector, we already had an indepth understanding of how
to make deals happen; but in
such a specialist area, it was
also important that we could
understand the legal principles.
We have built our team around
law graduates who work as
brokers, executives and claims
executives. This sets us apart
in the industry and has allowed
us to underline our expertise.
In addition, as a community
broker, we have always sought
to understand our clients'
needs, rather than just being a
transactional insurance service.
We have obtained Law Society
accreditation for our Continuing
Professional Development (CPD)
training. We have worked with
a number of property sector
experts and now deliver free CPD
training throughout the UK.
We have a national reputation
and are actively working in
the London and UK property
market, facilitating major
transactions through Legal
Indemnity Solutions.”
Thomas Carroll
Often, these defects cannot
be quickly resolved (or even
resolved at all). Most of
these issues are unlikely to
cause any actual loss, but
they have the potential to
cause a significant loss and
a reduction in the value
of the property (insurers
have paid some expensive
claims on policies placed).
A legal remedy is often
available in these situations,
but this can take months
or even years to resolve,
delaying the purchase
or sale of the property. A
legal indemnity policy is a
one-off payment to arrange
cover that in most cases
lasts forever. Importantly,
it allows the transaction to
take place quickly. It can be
used in place of financial
penalties or a reduction
in value of the property, at
the transaction stage.
A better
deal on
your
landlord
insurance?
Tap into the buying
power of a group
insurance scheme
from Single Properties to Large Portfolios
CHARTERED | INDEPENDENT | AWARD WINNING
The Thomas Carroll Difference:
•• Landlord Insurance Specialists
•• In-house Claims Management
•• Fast Response Times
•• Designated Account Manager
Contact us today
Call
029 2088 7733
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
Cardiff Swansea Haverfordwest Hereford
Rhys Learns Valuable
Golfing Lesson
Words: Peter Acton
When it comes
to insurance claims,
former Cardiff Blues
captain and Wales rugby
star, Rhys Williams,
came out on top.
Following the theft of his
golf clubs, Rhys, with the
help of Claire Humphries,
Director of Thomas Carroll
Private Clients, learned the
importance of effective home
contents cover for items
taken away from home.
After making a successful
claim following the theft of
his prized golf clubs, Thomas
Carroll helped Rhys get back
onto the fairway with a brand
new set of replacement clubs.
“I would not have been
aware of the fact that I was
inadequately covered until
Claire took over,” said Rhys,
speaking to us at one of his
favourite courses, Radyr
Golf Club in Cardiff.
“I looked at my policy and
realised that I didn’t have
‘all risks cover’ for items
away from home, so we
made the changes.”
36
Clubbing Together: Rhys Williams
with Claire Humphries, Director,
Thomas Carroll Private Clients
This was fortunate for the
celebrated full-back and
winger, who won 44 caps for
Wales. Not long after these
changes were made, Rhys’
clubs were stolen and he
turned to Claire for advice.
“The best part about it for me
was when it came to the claim.
Rather than me having to
worry, Thomas Carroll took over
the burden for me and liaised
in terms of the information
I needed to provide. It made
for a smoother transaction.
"It took about four to six weeks
to settle the claim, but the
delay was on my part in getting
the pictures and information to
Claire. Once that information
was through, it was smooth.
The phone call came that
it had been approved and I
would be receiving a cheque.
"Having access to a personal
account manager means you
can pick up the phone anytime.
Thomas Carroll
It is one of the benefits of
Clubbing Together: Rhys Williams
being
looked
after byDirector,
Thomas
with Claire
Humphries,
Carroll
Private
Clients,
Thomas
Carroll Private
Clients
especially for busy people.
“This is not my area of
expertise. Am I the sort
of person who is going to
read through all the T&Cs?
No I’m not,” said Rhys.
“It really is their field of
expertise and they have
the relationships with the
underwriters and insurers
to come out with the best
solution for me as a client.
"I trust that Thomas Carroll
provide me with the best
information and the best
services that suit my needs.
It is that confidence you get
from the reputation they have
and the recommendations
you hear from other people."
Photographs: Richard Swingler
PERSONAL
PERSONALINSURANCE
INSURANCECLAIM
CLAIM
PERSONAL INSURANCE CLAIM
Claire’s
Top
Golfing
Tips
Having access to a
personal manager
means you an
pick up the phone
anytime. It is one
of the benefits of
being looked after
by thomas Carroll
Private Clients."
Unfortunately, theft of golf clubs
is on the rise. Opportunist
are known to target local
membership clubs and theft
from cars is common.
Golfers generally accumulate
their clubs over a period of
time, collecting them gradually.
Because of this, many don’t
retain purchase receipts
and it is a policy condition
that any claim is supported
by ‘proof of ownership’.
In Rhys’ case, photographs
showing him using his clubs
at a golf event gave us the
evidence that we needed. The
insurers were able to settle
his claim without delay.
TOP TIPS:
•• When purchasing clubs,
keep your receipts
•• Update your sum insured
when you purchase new clubs
•• Photograph your clubs
for proof of ownership
•• Ensure your vehicle / garage
is locked and secure
Driving Force
Rhys Williams in action at
Radyr Golf Club, Cardiff
FINANCIAL PLANNING
Financial Security
is More Than Just a Salary
Mark Eedy of Thomas Carroll Independent Financial Advisers offers
an insight into employee benefits, and how to develop the best possible
programme within an agreed financial budget. Through offering group
arrangements for financial benefits, a business can expect to see
considerable returns in the form of employee retention and loyalty.
G
ood employees are vital to the
success of any business. Finding
the right talent is time-consuming
and often expensive. To set your
business aside from competitors,
strategies to retain your workforce are
just as vital as recruitment.
Salary is important of course, but
additional benefits are taking an
increasingly prominent role in
reward packages. Pensions,
share incentives, healthcare,
holidays, childcare flexibility,
tax efficiency and work-life
balance all feature high on the
list of popular expectations.
Each employee has a share in the business, which
has increased engagement across all business
activities. The results speak for themselves;
with employee turnover under 3%, we have also
consistently appeared in The Sunday Times list
of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.
Many employers are surprised by
the financial benefits they can
offer their employees at very
The most valuable
little additional cost. For
benefit any employer
example, salary exchange
can add extra value
can give to their employees
to a pension scheme,
is to provide the means for
particularly if the employer
decides to reinvest some
ensuring financial security
or all of the National
– now and in the future.”
Insurance Contribution (NIC)
savings into the pension.
We take pride in the
comprehensive employment
package we offer our own employees.
This has been tried and tested over a
number of years. Benefits include a pension,
death in service and income protection cover as
well as private medical insurance and cash plans.
We would be pleased to
share our personal experience
on employee benefits and advise you on
how you can invest in your employees.
Mark Eedy, Managing Director,
Thomas Carroll Independent Financial Advisers
e. mark.eedy@thomas-carroll.co.uk
38
Thomas Carroll
PEOPLE
Recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours:
John Moore MBE, Chairman, Thomas Carroll Group plc
J o h n ’ s D at e
a t t h e Pa l a c e
John Moore, Chairman of Thomas Carroll Group plc, has
been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
John has been granted the honour
for services to the financial services
sector and his charitable services to Tŷ
Hafan Children's Hospice in Wales.
He joined Thomas Carroll as Managing
Director in 1981 when the company
employed eight people. John has since
steered the company to its current position
as the largest independent insurance
broking, health and safety and financial
services groups in Wales, employing over
130 people across four regional offices.
John Moore said: “My immediate thought is
that this is an honour that reflects deservedly
on all at the Thomas Carroll Group. We have
achieved our business success together,
sharing a common ethos that supports,
develops and rewards our people, placing
our clients at the heart of everything we do.
In accepting this honour, I will do so
on behalf of our entire group, and the
people, industry and clients whose
dedication and support over the years
makes me immensely proud.”
In 2010 John Moore was awarded a
Lifetime Achievement Award at the
Insurance Age UK Broker Awards, for his
40 years' contribution to the profession.
Rhys Thomas, Managing Director of
Thomas Carroll Brokers, said: “This
latest honour firmly establishes John
as one of the most respected figures in
the insurance broking profession.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
"It reflects his immense and infectious
drive and spirit that has inspired the
growth and success of our group over
the past 33 years. As a group, we are also
overjoyed that Tŷ Hafan shares in the
citation for this tremendous honour."
Last year, John, a stalwart member of
Pentyrch Cricket Club for the past 51
seasons, received a Lifetime Achievement
Award for his dedication to Welsh cricket, by
the sport's governing body Cricket Wales.
John will receive his MBE from
The Queen at an Investiture at
Windsor Castle on 2 October.
39
PROFILE
A DAY IN
THE LIFE OF
An Insurance
Broker
Sheralee Lewis Account Executive
Ever wondered what
insurance brokers get
up to in their working
day? Here, Account
Executive Sheralee
Lewis shares her diary
entry with The Scene.
40
Thomas Carroll
Illustration: Lo Price / Nic Finch
PROFILE
6.00 am
7.45am
10.30 am
11.00 am
Still getting back in the
swing of things after two
weeks in Malaysia. It’s an
early morning start for our
annual charity sector seminar.
There’s always something
new to learn in this industry
and we have some great
guest speakers lined up.
Arrive at Wales
Millennium Centre.
Thankfully bacon
rolls are plentiful.
Successful seminar
complete, back in my little
red car and heading to
our HQ in Caerphilly.
Quick catch up with my team,
Paul and Duncan, to bring me
up to date and discuss important
client activities. We make a plan
for the remainder of the month
and before I know it, I feel as if
I have never been away! Back
to organising my inbox and coordinating my diary for the week.
7.00 am
I ease myself slowly back into
my emails and flag some
post-holiday priorities over
a herbal tea. Jump into the
car and head for Cardiff Bay.
8.30 am
Greet clients and
guests, I always
enjoy a good chat
and meeting new
people. The seminar
is underway and the
subject is managing
data and digital risks –
a hot topic these days.
12.00 pm
Grab a quick lunch in the Cwtch Café
watching the rain come down on
Caerphilly Castle. This time last week,
I was pool side with a good book.
12.30 pm 2.30 pm
5.00 pm 5.45 pm
Back to it! A few calls to
negotiate with insurers
before driving to visit
one of my clients. They
have recruited a new
Financial Director –
important first meet. We
talk through the various
insurance protection
services and our health
and safety programme.
He seems impressed.
The end of the
day brings good
news! We have
successfully retained
a long-standing
group client; it’s
made my day.
Second client meeting of the day is with a longstanding and expanding client – it’s always a
pleasure to see this. I walk them through the risk
management they need for their growth, including
equipment, markets and financial exposures.
4.30 pm
Where has the day gone? Jet lag is setting
in and I am back in the office. A quick catch
up with my team members on the day's
events and I pop up to our claims manager
to check progress on recent cases.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
By my standards, a relatively
early finish. After an overdue
post-holiday appointment at the
salon, I come home to Richard’s
cooking. Richard always cooks.
8.30 pm
Check the phone again and respond
to a few clients on urgent matters.
Dinner, sofa and I can’t keep my
eyes open. It’s been a good day.
41
WREX
Rugby
Legends
Photograph: Studio 87
Supporting
Fellow Players
Legendary line-up:
Pictured with Alison Davies from left, Tom Shanklin,
Brynmor Williams, John Dawes (Chairman), Craig Quinnell,
Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, JJ Williams and Nigel Short
42
Thomas Carroll
WREX
It is humbling and heartwarming to see the legends
we all look up to, working
together to provide support
for players who have
fallen on hard times."
Words: Peter Acton
Sign up for SWALEC
Stadium Charity Dinner.
Their names are the stuff of legend;
Gareth Edwards, JJ Williams, JPR
Williams, John Dawes.
Between them they have won hundreds of
Welsh rugby caps, thrilled us with several
Grand Slams and British Lions victories, and
now they are helping their fellow Welsh rugby
players who are experiencing hard times.
Along with Paul Thorburn, John Devereux,
Tom Shanklin, Craig Quinnell and Nigel
Short, Chairman of Regional Rugby
Wales, they are trustees of the Welsh
Rugby International Players Benevolent
Association, popularly known as ‘WREX.’
In November 2014 at the SWALEC Stadium,
WREX are holding a fundraising dinner
at which Welsh rugby legends will be
inducted into their glittering Hall of Fame.
Thomas Carroll’s own former rugby star,
Brynmor Williams, Business Development
Director, and Alison Davies, Managing
Director of Thomas Carroll Private Clients,
met with them ahead of one of the charity’s
regular meetings at SG Mercedes, Cardiff.
Brynmor said: “Welsh players have
put their bodies on the line for their
country over the years, entertaining us,
thrilling us and bringing great pride
to the nation. Thomas Carroll believes
it is important to acknowledge their
superb efforts by supporting their
major charity dinner in November.”
Alison Davies pledged that Thomas Carroll
Private Clients will make a donation
for every insurance premium taken out
by a member of the Association.
Alison said: “It is humbling and heartwarming to see the legends we all look up
to, working together to provide support for
players who have fallen on hard times –
either financially, through injuries or a wide
range of problems that have affected their
lives. As a Welsh company, we are proud
to support them in any way we can.”
To book your table please visit
www.wrex.co.uk
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
43
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Join the Safety
Culture Club
by Kevin Price
Getting your employees involved and
engaged in health and safety is not always the
easiest task, but it is well worth the effort.
The best workforces are built on
trust, co-operation and respect,
where employees are empowered and
there is a positive safety culture.
6. Encourage worker involvement
in risk assessments, safe
working procedures, safety
meetings and inspections
Of course, workplace safety is important
to you as a business. But how important
is it to your employees? If you don’t know,
it may be time to evaluate the safety
culture at your business and improve
worker engagement in health and safety.
7. Empower individuals through
effective training, giving
them the confidence and
competence to get involved
Evidence shows that organisations
with a positive safety culture and good
worker involvement not only experience
improved accident and incident rates,
but also tend to have higher levels of
motivation, loyalty and productivity.
Being regarded as a better place to work
could also help you attract and retain top
talent in a competitive market place.
Here are some basic tips to help
you engage your workforce:
And finally, be patient. Turning
your workforce into a police force,
where everyone feels responsible
and looks out for each other, will
take time. But ultimately it could
save lives and reduce injuries.
Your safety culture
1. Reward or incentivise
safety performance.
is a direct reflection
2. Make sure senior management
support and encourage
worker involvement
of your organisation
3. Explain to the workforce why
you want them involved and
what is expected of them
4. Encourage feedback and
suggestions and act on the
findings or shortcomings
5. Make sure senior management
demonstrate visible and
committed leadership
44
Whilst these tips are not exhaustive,
the importance of worker involvement
cannot be emphasised enough. After
all, nobody knows the workplace, the
equipment used and the activities
undertaken better than the employees.
Thomas Carroll
of the overall culture
and employees."
A strong safety culture, with appropriate
recognition and rewards, will inspire
employees to look out for one another
and identify unsafe behaviours and
situations. Everyone will feel responsible
for safety and pursue it on a daily basis.
Kevin Price is Managing Director of
Thomas Carroll Management Services
e. kevin.price@thomas-carroll.co.uk
HEALTH AND SAFETY
HSE GENERATES
Over £12m
in FFI income
HSE income generated
through FFI scheme
MARCH
2014
MARCH
£12.3 MILLION
2015
2014
EXPECTED £23 MILLION
AND
2015
COMBINED TOTAL OF £35.3 MILLION
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has
released its latest results, detailing the revenue
generated from fining businesses through its Fee for
Intervention (FFI) scheme. The total figure reached
£12.3 million between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014.
With the HSE expecting its FFI
income to reach £23 million this year,
it can only mean further enforcement
action will be likely in the future.
Under the Health and Safety (Fees)
Regulations 2012, companies that
break health and safety laws are liable
to cover HSE related costs, including
call-outs, inspections, investigations
and taking law enforcement action.
The Fee for Intervention
rate is £124.00 per hour.
Thomas Carroll Management Services
offers a Fee for Intervention Reimbursement
Scheme to protect you against possible
costs incurred through the HSE’s Fee
for Intervention scheme. This means
that if your business receives a Fee for
Intervention invoice we guarantee to
indemnify you for the costs incurred.*
For more information on our Fee for
Intervention Reimbursement Scheme, and
how it can help protect your business,
contact Victoria Thomas on 02920 853752
or at victoria.thomas@thomas-carroll.co.uk
*Subject to terms and conditions
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
45
PROFILE
Restoring
our
Pride
By Phil Hurst
46
Thomas Carroll
Photographs: Wales News
PROFILE
Rainbow
International, the
UK’s top disaster
restoration provider.
When disaster strikes and fire or flood
decimates property, Thomas Carroll’s claims
management team ensures that Rainbow
International – the UK’s leading provider
of domestic and commercial restoration
services – is called in to put things right.
Founded in Texas in 1981, Rainbow
International launched in the UK in 1987
and has since grown to over 70 independent
franchise operations, with 560 staff
servicing the whole of the UK. Eight new
franchises opened up last year alone.
John Newnes, Claims Manager, Thomas Carroll, Simon Ford, UK Operations Director for
Rainbow International with Geza Hajgato, Account Executive, Thomas Carroll.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
47
PROFILE
Top table:
Simon Ford of Rainbow International with
members of the Thomas Carroll team
In times of distress
and destruction,
Rainbow
International are
the people who
arrive on site to
clean up the mess
and carry out the
recovery process
from start to finish."
In the UK, Rainbow is owned and operated
by the ISS Group, a leading global provider
of facility services for public agencies
and private sector companies, employing
over 540,000 people worldwide.
In times of distress and destruction,
Rainbow International are the people
who arrive on site to clean up the
mess and carry out the recovery
process from start to finish.
Rainbow International considers itself
to be a restoration company, rather than
simply replacing damaged items.
With that in mind, a wide range of
skilled staff are on board, from French
48
Thomas Carroll
Polishers to specialists in the cleaning
of air conditioning systems after fires.
Each franchise operates throughout a
designated region, with several Rainbow
teams joining up where the job is either
large or requires a specific set of skills.
“We are at the coal face of the insurance
industry,” said Rainbow International’s
UK Operations Director, Simon Ford,
talking to The Scene, “and therefore
customer service is our top priority.”
“We place great emphasis on making
sure staff communicate effectively with
our clients and they all follow a 17 step
restoration plan for every call out.”
PROFILE
Utilising a full-
The 17 Step Plan, developed by Rainbow
International in the US, is a blueprint
for dealing sensitively with customers in
their own homes at times of stress.
As a result, each and every operative
undergoes thorough, hands-on training
in the Rainbow International way before
they meet their first customer.
Step one, for example: on first arriving,
Rainbow International operatives will
always park their van on the road rather
than just pulling into someone’s drive.
Following the widespread flooding of
last winter, we asked Simon if this had a
major impact on Rainbow’s workload.
eliminates
“Not really,” says Simon, “despite the
huge media interest. So far this year
we’ve dealt with around 5,500 claims.
complexity of
They make sure they introduce the whole
team to the client and only after this will
they ask if they can park on the drive. Step
two: protective matting is placed down as
soon as the team enters the property.
“It’s those little things that make the
difference for customers,” says Simon.
“You do not want somebody trampling
in and bashing furniture in a property
that’s already damaged. That is why we
turned our corporate structure upside
down. Customers are at the very top.”
“You often do not know what you
are walking into. We have staff that
can deal with asbestos and have
expertise in hazardous wastes.”
Utilising a full-service restoration
company eliminates the logistical
complexity of bringing in a range of
independent specialist trades.
This not only saves time, but also assures
the customer and the Thomas Carroll claims
management team that the restoration
project is carried out correctly and
consistently by a single point of contact.
Before even stepping into a customer’s
home, every new franchise staff member
undergoes a rigorous training programme
at Rainbow’s Mansfield HQ, which has
the largest purpose-built training house in
Europe, specifically designed to replicate
fire and flood situations. This enables
Rainbow’s technicians to be trained in
real life scenarios and to become skilled
through the latest training techniques.
"To put that in perspective, in 2007, we
dealt with well over 21,000 claims (out of
around 55,000 across the UK as a whole),
in a 2 month period. What made last
winter different was the length of time
the water remained in the properties.
"That created a whole new set of challenges
for us. Secondary damage may occur –
for instance, the downstairs might be
flooded, but over time it can also do huge
damage upstairs as mould spores spread.
It’s much more than the bottom few
inches of a property that get damaged.”
And for the future? Rainbow International
are at the forefront of developing new
technologies in the restorations field.
“It used to take us on average 46 days to
dry out a flooded property, for example,”
says Simon. “But with new technologies
we have reduced that down to below 26
days, which has a massive impact – not
only for the client, but also for Thomas
Carroll’s claim handling service."
Visit:
www.rainbow-int.co.uk
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
service restoration
company
the logistical
bringing in a range
of independent
specialist trades."
Franchise
Insurance
Thomas Carroll has recently
been working with a number
of national franchises,
providing insurance and
health and safety solutions.
Our involvement with Rainbow
International's local providers
in Cardiff and Swansea led us
to win the national tender.
To date, we have saved Rainbow
International Franchises
an average of 26% on their
previous insurance premiums.
Our scheme has driven cover
improvements across the
board and improved claims
management procedures,
which has led to an increase in
overall business performance.
49
PERSONAL INSURANCE
by Alison Davies
Alison Davies, Managing Director of
Thomas Carroll Private Clients, highlights
the importance of having your jewellery
insured for the correct amount, as well
as ensuring that the cover provided
by your insurance policy is suitable.
50
One of the biggest issues the
insurance industry faces is
underinsurance, which leaves
clients disappointed when
they suffer a loss. It is vital to
read through your insurance
document, know how much
your jewellery is really worth
and share valuations with
your insurance broker.
Thomas Carroll
Investing in the appropriate level
of cover protects your jewellery
against a potential loss, whether
through accidental damage
or theft. This not only offers
clients the reassurance that
their most valuable possessions
are protected, but it also
attracts a premium saving.
PERSONAL INSURANCE
WHAT YOU SHOULD
CONSIDER WHEN INSURING
YOUR JEWELLERY?
WEARING HABITS
a daily basis or keep by for special
occasions? Your jewellery wearing
habits will most certainly have an
impact on the cost of your insurance.
How much of the total value of your
jewellery collection do you wear at
any one time? What do you wear on
SAFE AT
HOME
REGULAR VALUATIONS
When was the last time you had your jewellery
valued? Having an up-to-date valuation for
your jewellery is paramount, especially with
the significant rises in the price of gold and
diamonds. Most leading insurers require an
up-to-date valuation every three to five years.
Where do
you keep your
precious jewellery
when you are
not wearing it?
Jewellery kept in
your safe is less
vulnerable to
certain losses.
Because of this,
your insurer will
often charge
you less.
POLICY MAINTENANCE
When was the last time you read through
your insurance documents and updated
your sum insured? Regular communication
with your insurance broker will provide
you with peace of mind that your
possessions are adequately covered.
WATCH OUT
More than 43 million of us in the
UK own a valuable watch or a
collection of watches. Some people
may not consider the collective
value when insuring these items.
The examples below demonstrate
the relevance of regular valuations.
Patek Philippe watches have
undergone the most substantial
Our private client executives work
closely with clients to help them
establish their jewellery sum insured.
Through our Club Signature service,
clients benefit from an exclusive
offer on jewellery valuations of 0.5%,
L aunch
E xclu sive
Me mber
Be ne f its
Thomas Carroll Private
Clients are delighted to
launch Club Signature,
a tailored, independent
personal insurance service.
Club Signature clients who
insure their contents and
properties through us will
receive their own exclusive
membership card, giving access
to a range of approved partner
services, discounts and benefits.
growth in value at 88% between 2010
and 2012. However, Rolex remains
the market leader where apparitional
purchases are concerned.
Rolex example: Rolex Oyster
Perpetual 18ct Yellow Gold Daydate
Watch, with a value of £10,880 in
2009, is now worth £23,300. That
is a staggering increase of 114%!
through our associate partners
Diamond Centre Wales. Unlike some
jewellers, Diamond Centre Wales
provides valuation certificates that are
hand signed on site and authorised
by qualified diamond graders.
The high value, high-net-worth
insurance arm of the Group, Club
Signature specialises in insuring
homes, contents, holiday homes and
cars, as well as offering various other
insurances that meet the needs of the
client and their family. Club Signature
has been expertly designed for clients
whose financial position and lifestyle
require high levels of individualised cover.
Visit:
www.thomascarroll.co.uk/club-signature
Alison Davies, Managing Director
of Thomas Carroll Private Clients
e. alison.davies@thomas-carroll.co.uk
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
51
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Everything you
wanted to know about
non-executive directors…
Boardroom experience:
John Moore MBE, Chairman Thomas Carroll (centre) with
Non-executive Directors Gareth Williams (left) and Stuart Deane (right)
Ever thought of
appointing a nonexecutive director to
your boardroom team?
The Scene asked Stuart
Deane and Gareth
Williams, non-executive
directors of Thomas
Carroll, for their views
on the subject.
52
What motivated you to become
a non-executive director?
Why and when should a company consider
appointing non-executive directors?
Stuart: "For me, it’s the ability to
start sharing your knowledge with a
different audience and to be able to
contribute towards a local company.
Stuart: "When a company reaches a certain
size, they have to make important decisions
around strategy and direction. When some
of the business decisions on the horizon are
starting to get complex, I think that’s when nonexecutive director can add a lot more value."
You can bring to the board the
experience of what’s worked and
what hasn’t, providing a different
perspective and an independent view.
To see people take the odd nugget
and apply it to their business strategy
gives me a sense of satisfaction."
Gareth: "I think it’s easy to be flattered
by a request to be a non-executive
director. However, you should be very
nervous about accepting it unless you
think that you can make a difference."
Thomas Carroll
Gareth: "I agree with Stuart. A very small
business generally doesn’t need, nor can it
really afford, to have a non-executive director.
One of the big issues businesses
should ask is: what are the skill sets of
its directors? Could those skill sets be
supplemented by somebody external who
can bring his or her experience to bear?
However successful and experienced
the directors are, it is always helpful
to have an external perspective."
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
What reaction have you had from the
Thomas Carroll Board to your input?
Stuart: "Generally the board and
business as a whole has been
receptive, keen to find new and
different ways of working.
The board is comfortable enough
to challenge if they think my view
wouldn’t necessarily work in the
Thomas Carroll environment."
Gareth: "One of the things you
would be concerned about as an
incoming non-executive director is
feeling welcome around the table.
It is a source of great comfort to
Stuart and me that we have been
welcomed with open arms."
What challenges face growing
companies like Thomas Carroll?
Stuart: "Growing companies have to
start making more difficult choices
in terms of investments. There is
no shortage of good opportunities
to make the business bigger.
It's about investing in the
right place. In a way, as you
grow, it takes away some of
the pressures of being small,
especially in financial services, a
highly regulated environment.
Whilst growth creates some
complexity around capability and
having to do things differently, it
also removes constraints around
having one person doing the
role five different people would
do in a big organisation.
Gareth: "For a growing business
you have to manage the growth
carefully and ensure that you’re
doing so in a financially sound
way which doesn’t challenge
the business, for example, by
causing it to overextend itself.
I think one of the dangers for a
growing business is that it can
lose that culture of friendliness.
The challenge for Thomas
Carroll, as it has been for us
at Hugh James, is to keep that
sense of identity and culture."
How would you describe your
experience with the Thomas
Carroll team to date?
Stuart: It’s been very positive.
It’s been a steep learning curve
for me, because although I’ve
got fairly broad experience, it’s
in different businesses and
different ways of doing things.
I am delighted to have been
offered a position and pleased to
have been able to contribute."
About our
Non-executive
Directors
Stuart Deane
Stuart Deane has over 25 years' experience
in financial services, having held senior
leadership roles across general insurance,
retail financial services, life and pensions
markets. Stuart's most recent role was
as Managing Director of Distribution
for the Principality Building Society.
Stuart owns a consultancy business
specialising in sales, marketing and
distribution with clients across a number
of household name companies, including
a FTSE 100 retailer bank, building societies
and an international mutual life company.
Gareth: "Well, entirely positive and
constructive. I like the collegiate
nature of the business. I like the
culture here, and not just at board
level, but as far as I’m concerned
throughout the business.
I’d like to think that over a period
of time, Stuart and I will be
able to make a contribution."
Gareth Williams
Gareth Williams is the senior partner
of leading law firm Hugh James. He
specialises in sports law and substantial
commercial and insurance litigation. He
has represented insurance and corporate
risk clients for more than 25 years,
handling complex and high value cases.
Growing means you are attracting
more good people, you’ve got
more opportunities and the
chance to retain quality people.
It’s an exciting place to be."
Gareth is also the company secretary of the
Welsh Rugby Union, for whom he has acted
for 20 years, and a trustee of the Welsh Rugby
Charitable Trust which supports rugby players
who have suffered serious injury playing the
game. He is the chairman of the board of
governors of the University of South Wales,
having formerly been chairman of the board of
the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
53
SPONSORSHIP
Golden Wonders: from left, Gwenllian Thomas, Marketing Manager of Thomas Carroll and Laura Eedy, Marketing
Assistant of Thomas Carroll, pictured at a Welsh Poppy sowing session at Pentrebane Community Centre, Cardiff.
The Daffodil may reign supreme as the national flower
of Wales, but there is another golden yellow bloom which
deserves celebrating and protecting, the Welsh Poppy.
Thomas Carroll has pledged
its support to the National
Botanic Garden of Wales
‘Legacy Campaign’ by
sponsoring the DNA barcode
of ‘Meconopsis Cambrica'.
The Legacy Campaign encourages
people to leave bequests to the
Garden in their wills, which help
maintain the public garden and
benefit future generations.
54
Throughout 2014, the centenary
of the start of the First World War,
Thomas Carroll is promoting
the conservation of these
beautiful Welsh flowers.
We have recently supplied £1,000
worth of Welsh poppy seeds to
local schools, community gardens
and our Club Signature clients.
Gwenllian Thomas, Marketing
Manager of Thomas Carroll
Group, said: "We believe the Year
of the Welsh Poppy provides
an important opportunity for
promoting the conservation
of this beautiful perennial,
by getting involved in school
gardening projects.
We believe the Welsh Poppy
is a beautiful plant which
deserves more recognition and
wider cultivation in Wales."
Thomas Carroll
The Welsh poppy adds
a dainty vibrancy to any
garden, with its elegant
and graceful foliage
and abundance of large
golden poppy flowers,
which are produced in
succession from late
spring to early autumn.
A perennial, the Welsh
Poppy will self-seed freely
in undisturbed ground.
To grow the Welsh Poppy
in your garden, seeds are
readily available and can be
sown from September to
October or February to May.
COMMUNITY
Tŷ Hafan 15 th Birthday
Having supported Ty
Hafan since fundraising
began in 1999, we would
like to wish the charity a
very happy 15th birthday.
Based in Sully, Tŷ Hafan
was the first children’s
hospice in Wales to offer
care to life-limited children
and young people. It
immediately began to bring
much-needed comfort and
support to families in Wales.
Tŷ Hafan is much more
than bricks and mortar. To
date it has provided care
and support to nearly 600
children and their families.
Tŷ Hafan provides. Our
very own executives, Geza
Hajgato and Paul Evans, set
out on individual missions
this year to raise vital funds.
It costs £10,000 a day to
run all the services that
Paul Runs a
Marathon
Paul Evans did his bit for Tŷ Hafan taking
part in the world famous London Marathon.
We asked him about the experience.
Q. How many weeks did you train?
“I followed a 16 week training plan – four runs
every week (many in the rain!) including the
dreaded early morning weekend long run. It
took about year of regular running prior to this,
so that my fitness was at a reasonable level.”
Q. What was your marathon time?
“A ground-breaking four hours, 56 minutes!
Not brilliant, but I was there to finish.”
Q. How much did you raise?
“I raised £3,525 with my wife Nerys.”
Fighting Fit:
Geza Hajgato (left) and Paul Evans
Geza Gloves Up for Charity
Congratulations go to Geza Hajgato,
Thomas Carroll Account Executive,
who took part in a white collar boxing
charity event in support of the Tŷ
Hafan hospice for young lives.
At Fight Club 10, organised by Elite Fitness,
Geza won his bout, having never boxed
before he started training for the event.
"I thoroughly enjoyed learning to
box for a good cause. Tŷ Hafan is a
wonderful charity that gives support
Q. Would you do it again?
“Absolutely – I have entered the ballot for
next year. On the day, you kind of forget about
the training, which was very difficult.”
Your reflections on the event:
“It was a fantastic day and one we will both
never forget – apart from our wedding day, it
was probably the best day we have had together.
The weather was perfect, with London looking
fantastic and the crowds all the way round
were amazing, offering encouragement, jelly
beans, slices of orange and even a doughnut!
to life-limited children and their families.
I would like to say a big thank you to my
sponsors, Thomas Carroll Group and
Jeff White Motors, and everyone who
has sponsored and supported me!”
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
Running for Tŷ Hafan was very special too.
Having visited a number of times, including
quite an emotional visit two weeks prior
to the marathon, it was all the motivation
we needed to help keep us going.”
55
Photograph: Clare Tebbit
NEWS
On a high:
Pictured at the new Thomas Carroll Hereford office, from left, Rhys Thomas, Managing
Director of Thomas Carroll Group, Wendy Peplow, Thomas Carroll Hereford, John Moore MBE,
Chairman of Thomas Carroll Group plc, and Charles Taylor of Thomas Carroll Hereford
NEW HEREFORD
Office Officially Opened
Thomas
Carroll has
opened its
first regional
office
outside the
Principality,
with a new
regional office
in Hereford.
The new office, which also serves
surrounding Welsh counties, is
located at Broadway House in Broad
Street, in the centre of Hereford.
Mike Ashton, Chief Executive of
Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Chamber of Commerce, who officially
opened the new office, said:
Thomas Carroll Hereford is headed up
by local insurance brokers Charles Taylor
and Wendy Peplow, with 37 years and 30
years of insurance industry experience
respectively. Both have joined from
Clarke Roxburgh Insurance Brokers,
which was purchased by Jelf in 2008.
“It’s always great to welcome new
businesses to Herefordshire. It shows
that the county is buoyant. Attracting
businesses like Thomas Carroll, with
their professional reputation, is good
for the local business mix. It also
boosts our standing as a business
region, and that can only be good for
the local economy as a whole.”
John Moore, Chairman of Thomas Carroll
Group plc, said: “This is very much a
logical move for us, geographically. We
already enjoy a diverse client base in
Herefordshire, including the Wye Valley
Group, as well as long-standing clients in
neighbouring Powys and Monmouthshire.
Our new base gives us access to an
important marketplace, allowing us to
develop our group offering further into
Herefordshire and Worcestershire.”
56
Thomas Carroll
Thomas Carroll Hereford
is based at
Broadway House,
32-35 Broad Street,
Hereford HR4 9AR
t. 01432 359500
www.thomascarroll.co.uk/hereford
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57
PEOPLE
Keeping Up
with Jones
Our very own
Business Executive,
Louise Jones, won
Bridging a gap:
Members of Thomas Carroll Haverfordwest team, from left: Claire Sutton, Robert Jones MBE,
Brian Hawkins, Martin Colley, Ian Ace, Alison Rees, Simon Lawrence and Dafydd Jones
Ace Appointments at
Haverfordwest Off ice
Young Achiever of
the Year at the Cardiff
Chartered Insurance
the size of its Pembrokeshire executive
Institute (CII) annual
team, with four new appointments.
dinner in March.
With only two years’ experience in the
insurance industry, Louise was recently
promoted to Business Executive within
our growing legal indemnities team. A
law graduate from Swansea University,
Louise has excelled through her insurance
qualifications, reaching Diploma level,
with the intention of becoming a Chartered
insurance broker within a year.
Louise is actively involved in the industry and
was selected from members across the UK
to participate in the CII’s New Generation
Programme. This scheme encourages and
develops future leaders in the sector. Her
current role as Regional Secretary for the
British Institute of Brokers Association
(BIBA) has led to an approach from the CEO
of BIBA, Steve White, to represent the region
on the BIBA Young Committee.
Going above and beyond her role has been
the key to Louise’s fast track achievements,
which have now been recognised by this
prestigious award.
58
Thomas Carroll Haverfordwest has doubled
Experienced Haverfordwest insurance
broker Ian Ace is appointed to the senior
position of Non-executive Director of
Thomas Carroll Group plc. With a career
in insurance spanning over 40 years,
Ian was Managing Director of Hedley
Davies Insurance, which later merged
with Antur Insurance Services.
Joining the Victoria Place office as Account
Executive is Brian Hawkins, together
with Alison Rees as SME Executive and
Claire Sutton as Account Broker.
Ian Ace said: “It is extremely exciting
to be part of a Welsh-based broker of
UK renown which is truly independent
and delivers its services from within
the communities it serves.
"Our blend of experienced local broking
expertise, and the dynamism of the Thomas
Carroll way, makes for an important
new advantage for the Haverfordwest
business community. I am also more than
delighted to be joining Thomas Carroll at
Group level as a non-executive director.”
Thomas Carroll
Specialising in the field of commercial
broking, Brian Hawkins has nearly 30
years in the insurance sector. Brian
joins Thomas Carroll from Nicholas
Insurance Services in Haverfordwest.
Alison Rees and Claire Sutton, with 20 years
and 12 years insurance broking experience
respectively, have moved to Thomas
Carroll from Antur in Haverfordwest.
Robert Jones MBE, Regional Director of
Thomas Carroll Group plc, said: “Since
opening our Haverfordwest office in May
2013, to serve our existing clients locally,
we have seen significant business growth,
hence the need to expand our team.
"These exciting appointments illustrate
our expansion, which is ahead of target
and epitomises our policy of appointing
locally based insurance professionals,
who bring a wealth of experience to
our growing client portfolio.”
PEOPLE
Great New Group of Graduates
Sullivan
Takes
Swansea CII
Presidency
New Arrivals: Pictured with John Moore MBE, Chairman of Thomas Carroll Group plc
L – R: Mark Slade, Gregory Edwards, Mike Powell, Simon Skinner, Rhys Woodward,
Cerith Bevan, Nathan Dixon, Laura Eedy and Roxanne Jones.
The Group’s
Announcing the third significant
wave of appointments in
as many years, John Moore
MBE, Chairman of Thomas
Carroll Group plc, said:
“Our appointments strategy
encompasses both experienced
insurance and financial services
experts, as well as a healthy
graduate programme.
Graduate
Programme
continued to
grow this year
with a further
eight graduate
appointments,
adding to the
steady stream of
young university
"We are excited to be nourishing
talent by attracting individuals
to the business. Through
a structured training and
development programme, we
offer everyone at Thomas Carroll
the opportunity to achieve a
fulfilling career, whilst securing a
bright future for the business.”
GRADUATE
APPOINTMENTS:
talent who have
joined the Group.
Mark Slade joins as a Graduate
Executive with a BA (Hons) in
Business Management. Nathan
Dixon, who has an HND in
Computer Forensics, joins as
Group IT Technician. Cerith
Bevan, with an LLB (Hons)
in Law & Politics, joins as a
Legal Indemnities Broker.
Gregory Edwards arrives as a
Graduate Broker, qualified with
an LLB (Hons) in Law. Rhys
Woodward, our new Development
Executive for the SME sector,
has a BSc (Hons) in Economics.
Roxanne Jones, who has an LLB
(Hons) in Law, joins the team as
a Graduate Claims Executive.
Laura Eedy, who has a BA
(Hons) in Illustration, joins us
as Group Marketing Assistant.
Simon Skinner joins our
financial team as Assistant to
the Financial Manager, with
a Diploma in Accounting.
Also pictured above is former
Glamorgan cricket star, Mike
Powell, who has been appointed
to the position of Business
Development Executive.
Kevin Phillips has been appointed as
a Claims Executive. Joining us from
Antur Insurance, Kevin specialises
in private, small business and
commercial insurance claims.
Originally from Haverfordwest,
Kevin now lives near Bridgend.
www.thomascarroll.co.uk
This year, Mark Sullivan our
Swansea based Account
Executive, takes the role of
President of the Swansea
and West Wales Chartered
Insurance Institute (CII).
Originally from Pontardawe,
Mark has 25 years' experience
in the insurance industry,
spending the last four
years with Thomas Carroll.
Mark has been on the CII
committee for two years and
looks forward to continuing
his work with the council
to promote and champion
the Chartered Insurance
Institute throughout the area.
The President's role is
to shape the future of
our industry by exerting
influence at a local level,
ensuring that the sector
continues to give something
back to the community.
Jim Grigoriou, who lives in Barry,
joins the Group with over 27 years'
experience in the insurance industry.
Previously with Willis, Jim joins the
new business team at our Cardiff HQ,
as Business Development Executive.
59
Commercial and
Personal Insurance
Health and Safety
Financial
Management
Employment Law
Legal Indemnities
Proudly awarded
UK Insurance
Broker of the
Decade*
With more specialists in Wales than any
group in our sector, Thomas Carroll takes
care of it all for you, from insurance to
health & safety and financial advice.
Dafydd Jones
Business Development Executive
Visit
thomascarroll.co.uk
Email
info@thomas-carroll.co.uk
LOCAL | CHARTERED | INDEPENDENT
*British Insurance Awards