Selco News

We've reaffirmed our commitment to the tradespeople of the future by backing students in Exeter in the next steps of their careers.

At Selco, we’ve donated thousands of pounds of materials to college students carrying out trade and construction courses around the country.

Amongst the beneficiaries have been students of Exeter College who have also been invited to our Exeter branch, based on Filmer Way in Marsh Barton, to learn more about how a builders' merchant operates and the relationship it has with tradespeople.

Each college has also received £3,000 worth of materials to use in the classroom as part of the studies.

West London College, Leeds College of Building, Bournemouth and Poole College and Birmingham Metropolitan College are amongst the education establishments we have partnered with on the scheme.

Andrew Legge, a construction tutor at Exeter College said: “The Selco partnership is proving a fantastic initiative and an absolutely invaluable experience for our learners.

“A builders' merchant plays such a significant role in the life of a tradesperson so introducing our learners to them so early in their careers will stand them in really good stead.

“The materials and tools that Selco has kindly donated has also been an incredible help. We want our learners to carry out as much practical work as possible and the products and materials Selco has donated has enabled us to do that.

“We can’t thank Selco enough for the work it's doing with our college and others around the UK and the significant difference it's making to the future of the industry.”

Barry Price, branch manager of Selco Exeter, said: “We're committed to supporting tradespeople at every level so this is an extremely exciting project for us to be involved with.

“We're delighted to be playing a small part in the educational journey of the next generation of tradespeople, whether that be through the donation of materials and tools or the insight visiting one of our branches provides.

“It was great to see the students so receptive to learning about what the future might hold for them in their day-to-day working lives.”

A junior football club which is linked to a Southwark charity designed to improve the lives of local youngsters has hit the back of the net – thanks to a sponsorship from us.

We're thrilled to have backed Bosco FC’s under 12 team with a £3,000 donation towards running costs for the team and a new strip.

Bosco is a small charity-based college which also has a nursery on-site and offers a youth club open for extra-curricular activities after school.

It also runs a football academy for children aged from two to 14 and has nine teams operating from under sevens through to an adult team.

Robert Rosier, club secretary for Bosco FC, said the donation is making a huge difference to the club.

He said: “What sets us apart from other football clubs in the area is our charitable aspect.

“We rely on support from the local community to create opportunities for young players who demonstrate commitment and talent to fulfil their potential.

“We understand that the rising costs of recent times is posing huge challenges for families so Selco’s donation is having an incredibly positive impact on the local community.

“The donation is covering the cost of our under 12s for a whole season, ranging from training sessions, kit and the funding of league matches, so everyone involved with the club is hugely grateful for Selco’s support.”

Bosco’s junior teams play in the South East London and Kent Youth Football League.

Alison Wong, our head of communications and sustainability, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Bosco Football Club and the wider charitable aspects of the organisation.

“It’s a unique offering which brings opportunities on and off the football field to hundreds of youngsters in the deprived area. We're following the progress of the club with great interest.”

A Leeds charity that supports adults with learning disabilities or autism through the power of art is our latest Community Heroes winner.

Pyramid, based in Holbeck, has scooped £500 worth of materials in our popular competition.

The arts collective and charity plans to use its prize to revamp the accessible toilet at its Croydon Street studio, improving its facilities to be more welcoming and inclusive of disabled participants.

Alice Clayden, Creative Programme Coordinator at Pyramid, said: “We were over the moon to be named a Selco Community Hero. As a small charity, any support is very gratefully received.

“We exist to support adults with learning disabilities, autism or both to come together and make friends. We host many individual artists as well as running eight two-hour group sessions each week where members can express themselves and create art.

“It is a really valuable time for some of the most culturally and socially excluded people in society.

“Everyone is very excited about cracking on with the work on our toilets as it means we can continue to offer a first-class, inclusive service.”

This is the fourth edition of Community Heroes, which sees good causes across the country supported with an annual prize pot worth more than £10,000.

Over the course of six months, 12 winners will benefit from £500 to spend at their nearest Selco.

At the end of the campaign, the dozen winners will go before a public vote, with the most supported bagging £5,000 in cash and the runner-up securing £1,000.

Alison Wong, Head of Communications and Sustainability at Selco, said: “Community Heroes 2024 has been open for three months and we have already received more than 1,000 entries.

“Judging the monthly recipients is always difficult but Pyramid are very worthy winners. They have a clear vision and plan for improving their facilities.

“We hope the work helps to make the centre even better for Pyramid’s members.”

Pyramid works with around 150 people a year and around half of its members have profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).

Community Heroes is open to any charity or group which is at the heart of its local community and entries can be made online by explaining in no more than 100 words how the building materials or money would be used to benefit organisation.

A new community shed near Swansea is one step closer to opening its doors after winning building materials in our Selco Community Heroes competition.

Volunteers are working hard in preparation of the official launch of The Shed at the Pavilion in Birchgrove.

The group has now received £500 of building materials through our Community Heroes 2024 campaign, which gives community groups and good causes the chance to secure materials to use on a project.

The Shed at the Pavilion will also be a Community Heroes finalist later in the year and will compete against 11 other winners to scoop the £5,000 first prize, or £1,000 as runner-up.

Former truck driver Peter Harris, who heads up The Shed at the Pavilion, said: “We’re thrilled to be a Selco Community Heroes winner.

“The Shed is part of a health and wellbeing movement aimed at alleviating loneliness.

“We were very kindly offered the use of the former OAP pavilion in Birchgrove. It's a perfect site for us but it has taken a lot of work to get it into a useable condition.

“We are nearly there now and these materials from Selco will allow us to complete the final touches, including installing worktops for crafting.”

The group was originally called Llansamlet Men’s Shed but, due to a recent influx in female members, decided to rebrand as The Shed at the Pavilion.

Members currently meet once a week but, when renovation work is complete, there are plans to hold a variety of sessions three times a week.

Peter added: “Anybody who wants to come here can do. It’s not just woodworking – we are planning a wide range of crafts and skills.

“If someone has a skill they can come and share it with others. But above all, it’s about making new friends and combatting isolation by being together.”

The Shed at the Pavilion will visit Selco Swansea on Upper Fforest Way to choose its materials from the extensive range of materials and products on offer.

Alison Wong, Head of Communications and Sustainability at Selco, said: “We’re delighted to support The Shed at the Pavilion, which will be an invaluable service for people in and around Birchgrove.

“The group has worked really hard to get the building to a useable state. The materials will help to complete the job.”

Community Heroes is open to any charity or group which is at the heart of its local community and entries can be made online by explaining in no more than 100 words how the building materials or money would be used to benefit members.

A West London Sea Cadets unit has been given a boost after being named as a Selco Community Hero.

The Feltham and Hounslow Sea Cadets group was dealt a blow at the end of last year when it suffered problems with ceilings at its building on Poplar Way.

Repairs are underway – and now the group has been named as one of the first winners in our Community Heroes 2024 campaign.

The Community Heroes campaign gives community groups and good causes the chance to secure materials to use on a project.

Feltham and Hounslow Sea Cadets has secured £500 of building materials to improve its facilities – and will also be a finalist later in the year with the chance of winning £5,000 in cash.

Heidi Pepper, chairperson of the group, said: “We are over the moon to be named as one of the first Community Heroes winners of 2024.

“We support young people in their development, offering them opportunities to learn about marine engineering and boating.

“In December we started an emergency renovation as our ceilings were failing and other parts of the building did not meet current standards.

“Most of the project is complete but we still have some areas to focus on. The funding has come to an end so this prize from Selco is very timely indeed.

“We can’t wait to let the young people enjoy their new space.”

Feltham and Hounslow Sea Cadets will visit our Hanworth branch on Hampton Road West to choose its materials from the extensive range of materials and products on offer.

This is the fourth time we have supported good causes across the country through Community Heroes, with an annual prize pot worth more than £10,000.

Over the course of six months, 12 winners will benefit from £500 to spend at their nearest Selco.

A public vote will follow, with one overall winner bagging £5,000 in cash and a runner-up awarded £1,000.

The scheme is open to any charity or group which is at the heart of its local community and entry can be made by explaining in no more than 100 words how the building materials or money would be used to benefit members.

Entries can be made online.

Alison Wong, Head of Communications and Sustainability at Selco, said: “We’re delighted to support Feltham and Hounslow Sea Cadets, which offers amazing opportunities to young people in the local area.

“We have received hundreds of entries to Community Heroes so the judging process was extremely difficult. Feltham and Hounslow Sea Cadets really stood out, however, as we were impressed with their determination to restore their facilities to their former glory.”

A Devon charity that seeks to empower survivors of domestic abuse is planning renovation works after becoming one of our first Community Heroes winners of 2024.

SAFE Foundation, based in Exeter, has secured £500 of building materials to improve its facilities – and will also be a Community Heroes finalist later in the year with the chance of winning £5,000 in cash.

Our ever-popular Community Heroes campaign gives community groups and good causes the chance to secure materials to use on a project.

Lucy Skye, Programme Development Lead & Therapist SAFE, said: “We are very grateful for this donation, which will make a huge difference to our service users.

“SAFE Foundation is one of the leading domestic abuse recovery organisations in Devon. For over five decades we have been transforming the choices and life paths available for adult and child survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

“We offer a range of community-based programmes, including group and individual trauma recovery therapy for adults and children and our whole-family approach, Flourishing Families.

“These materials will help to make our building safe, welcoming, warm and comfortable.”

SAFE Foundation will visit our Exeter branch on Filmer Way to choose its materials from the extensive range of materials and products on offer.

This is the fourth time we have supported good causes across the country through Community Heroes, with an annual prize pot worth more than £10,000.

Over the course of six months, 12 winners will benefit from £500 to spend at their nearest Selco.

A public vote will follow, with one overall winner bagging £5,000 in cash and a runner-up awarded £1,000.

The scheme is open to any charity or group which is at the heart of its local community and entry can be made by explaining in no more than 100 words how the building materials or money would be used to benefit members.

Entries can be made online.

Alison Wong, Head of Communications and Sustainability at Selco, said: “We’re delighted to support SAFE Foundation, which does valuable work by supporting survivors to make healthy decisions, now and for the long-term.

“We received hundreds of entries to Community Heroes in the first month alone so the judging process was extremely difficult. SAFE Foundation, however, really stood out due to its determination to make a tangible difference to people’s lives.

“We look forward to seeing the revamped facilities.”

A Manchester community garden which welcomes around 250 green-fingered local residents a month has received the support of Selco.

The Fallowfield Secret Garden, based on Wilbraham Road, has been donated materials by our Ardwick branch to help create the foundations for the building of a second shed on the 1.5 acre site.

The garden was founded in 2011 and plays host to a number of different groups from the local community each month.

As well as growing vegetables, the garden attracts wildlife and hosts a large children’s play area.

Mark Roberts, joint founder of the Secret Garden with Jordan Campbell, said: “We are extremely grateful for Selco’s support and having another shed will make a real difference to the opportunities we are able to offer the local community.

“The land originally surrounded social housing and fell into disuse but we have come a long way since then, creating a thriving green space which is enjoyed every month by hundreds of local residents.

“We welcome all sorts of different groups – from a forest school for under-fives, to special sessions for children who are home educated to groups for local mums and events for pensioners.

“We like to think we have something for everyone, whether they want to be gardening, learning new skills, meeting other local residents or just being outside and all the benefits that brings.

“We have also got ambitious plans for the future, including trying to form a partnership with the NHS and mental health groups.”

The Secret Garden contributes to local, organic food production, hosts classes for people to learn practical skills including gardening and carpentry and features a large pond.

Matt Keith, branch manager of Selco on Hyde Road, said: “We are delighted to support the Fallowfield Secret Garden project.

“It does an outstanding job for the local community, not only encouraging local residents to come together and enjoy the outdoor space but also teaching people new skills.

“We are committed to supporting the local communities in which we operate and the Secret Garden is the perfect project for us to support.”

We're delighted to have further demonstrated our commitment to delivering long-term sustainable operations by creating a fourth ‘Selco Forest’ as part of our carbon-offsetting tree planting scheme.

Set in Lomond Hills in Fife, the latest forest to be developed covers 21 hectares and features more than 54,000 trees.

It means, over the last four years, we've planted more than 350,000 trees as part of our commitment to delivering a sustainable future for our customers and colleagues.

The forest in Fife will capture 2,938 tonnes of carbon over its lifecycle, with management, thinning and harvesting of the woodland bringing an employment and economic boost to the rural sector in Fife.

The tree planting project sits alongside a wide range of policies to help reduce our carbon footprint, including introducing alternative fuel vehicles to our transport fleet, a comprehensive recycling strategy, the installation of LED lighting and a new gas management system installed across the branch network.

Howard Luft, Selco Chief Executive, said: “This is an exciting move forward in our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy and demonstrates our commitment to playing our part in tackling climate change.

“We are fully committed to lowering our carbon footprint and the latest addition to the ‘Selco Forests’ portfolio will help further offset the carbon generated from our customer deliveries, promoting a greener future for the business.”

The trees planted on the new Fife site include Sitka Spruce and Scots Pine. Once ready to harvest, it's calculated that the woodland is expected to yield roughly 7,000 tonnes of timber.

We also have two forest sites in Jedburgh and one near Llandrindod Wells in Wales.

We are delighted to have further demonstrated our commitment to supporting local communities by offering each of our colleagues a paid volunteering day.

All colleagues operating in our 75 branches and Support Centre will be given the opportunity to lend support to a community or charity project while still being paid.

It means more than 20,000 hours will be donated to allow our colleagues to support projects close to their hearts on a normal working day in 2024.

Sally Kerr, HR Director, said: “As a business, we have always been committed to supporting the local communities in which we operate and this initiative is another step on our sustainability strategy around community and our people.

“We know that many colleagues would love to engage in active volunteering but are restricted by time.

“Launching this corporate volunteering programme will give colleagues the chance to give back to a project or organisation but within the structure of a routine working day.

“Colleagues will be free to make their own choice on which organisation they would like to volunteer for, and we will offer support and assistance to colleagues who are keen to engage with the programme but maybe struggling to identify an opportunity.

“We are extremely proud to be offering this scheme and look forward to seeing our colleagues playing their part in improving local charities and community organisations.”

We have a proud tradition of supporting charities and communities across the UK.

Over the last two years, we have raised more than £400,000 for our nominated charity Cancer Research UK.

In addition, we donate £12,000 – in building materials and donations - to good causes through our Community Heroes campaign each year.

A Nottingham primary school embarking on a sustainability journey for its pupils has received our support.

Green-fingered children from Snape Wood Primary School, based on Aspen Road in Bulwell, have come together to begin the ‘Dig Deep for Trees’ project.

The youngsters have planted more than 50 fruit trees donated by the Woodland Trust – including cherry, pear and apple trees – and plan to use the fruit for school dinner recipes and to take home.

Our Nottingham branch on Radford Road has donated more than £950 worth of materials, including wood and other products to create planters, as well as garden rakes.

Kymberley Grant, Parent Governor at Snape Wood, said: “It’s a really exciting project and the children have loved every second of planting the trees.

“As a school community, we want our children to embrace and enjoy the natural world, to understand the sustainability elements that this type of scheme can bring and to provide hands-on experience of outdoor learning.

“It’s been fantastic to engage with different areas of the local community and Selco have been incredibly generous with their donation, enabling us to create an outdoor area we are extremely proud of.”

Adam Newbold, Trade Sales Manager at Selco Nottingham said: “We are delighted to be supporting the project at Snape Wood.

“As a business, we are fully committed to operating as sustainably as possible so to see a local school doing likewise is fantastic.

“As soon as we heard about the scheme, we had no hesitation in agreeing to a donation and we look forward to following the project closely, as well as seeing the children develop their love of the outdoors.”