Selco News

A hospital radio station in Sutton has received help to fix its leaking roof – thanks to our Community Heroes campaign.

Radio St Helier has been entertaining patients at St Helier Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children for 55 years.

But, while broadcasting has continued uninterrupted, a leak in the studio and dated interior has hampered volunteers in their efforts to bring uplifting music and chat to patients.

Now, Radio St Helier has won £1,000 of building materials through our relaunched Community Heroes scheme!

Andy Acton, of Radio St Helier, said: “We are so excited to be named as a Community Hero. All of our presenters work hard to bring some joy to everyone who listens. We are, however, a charity with no funding and that means we have to rely solely on donations.

“There is no way we would be able to fix and update our little studio if it wasn’t for the generous support of Selco. The revamp is going to really lift the spirits of our team and, therefore, our listeners.”

Volunteers at Radio St Helier are planning to visit Selco Sutton on Kimpton Parkway to select its materials.

The donation to Radio St Helier is just one of 40 gifts of £1,000 to spend in-store that we will be making to good causes through Community Heroes this year.

Not only that, but we have also announced an overall top prize of £10,000 in cash, and second and third place runners-up will win £5,000 and £2,500 respectively – taking the total prize fund to a spectacular £57,500.

Any group that supports the local community can apply online including community centres, sports clubs, schools and uniformed organisations. Nominations are open until September.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “We were inundated with entries to Community Heroes this month. It’s really eye-opening to see the incredible amount of good work that goes on across the country.

“Our team knows how valuable hospital radio is, particularly if you are an in-patient for a long time. The team at Radio St Helier work hard around the clock to bring quality content, so we’re pleased to be able to help reinvigorate their studio.

“Our award-winning Community Heroes programme continues to capture the imagination of the nation and we look forward to reading many more entries in the months to come.”

A charity which takes derelict houses in Leeds and turns them into comfortable accommodation for homeless people has been named as one of the first winners in Selco’s Community Heroes 2025 campaign.

LATCH (Leeds Action To Create Homes) has scooped £1,000 to spend in store and will use the materials to renovate more empty properties in some of the city’s most deprived areas, providing homes for people in need while reducing the number of eyesore buildings that can become magnets for anti-social behaviour.

Ruth Frost, Fundraising Manager at LATCH, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be a Selco Community Hero.

“These materials will make a huge difference in our work to create comfortable, supported homes in Leeds. We support tenants - around 80% of which are women and their children - for an average of three years with their mental health, confidence and practical skills like budgeting and help them back on their feet after homelessness.

“We also train unemployed local people in construction skills on the renovations and help them get their Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card.

“We’re passionate about our work and we are delighted Selco shares our vision.”

LATCH will visit our Leeds Roundhay store on Roundhay Road to select its materials.

This year we have pledged a £57,500 fund through our revamped Community Heroes scheme - including 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in-store.

There will also be an overall top prize of £10,000 in cash, and second and third place runners-up will win £5,000 and £2,500 respectively.

Any group that supports the local community can apply online, including community centres, sports clubs, schools and uniformed organisations. Nominations are open until September.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “We're delighted to be supporting LATCH as one of our first Community Heroes of the year.

“Homelessness is on the rise across the UK so it is vital that charities like this exist to ease the problem.

“Community Heroes is our flagship charitable programme and attracts thousands of entries each year. This year we wanted to demonstrate our unwavering support for good causes by upping the ante and increasing the prize pot by almost 500%.

“Times are tough for charities and community groups and we remain determined to do what we can to help them continue their invaluable work.

“We look forward to supporting many more good causes in the weeks and months to come.”

A group which supports older people and reduces isolation in Bilston is preparing a centre makeover after winning a haul of building materials from us!

Bradley Senior Citizens Centre has won £1,000 to spend in one of our stores thanks to our re-vamped Community Heroes campaign.

This year we've pledged a £57,500 fund through Community Heroes - including 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in-store.

The materials will allow Bradley Senior Citizens Centre to enhance its Wilkinson Avenue facilities, including by replacing rotten wooden doors and improving the toilets.

The much-loved group has over 100 members, aged from 60 to 103, and meets regularly for coffee mornings, dances and bingo.

Secretary Andrew Foster said: “We were thrilled to win this fantastic prize from Selco – it will make a tremendous difference.

“This organisation has been in operation since 1970 and we simply want to support older people living in Bilston by getting them out of the house and meeting with other people.

“Our members really appreciate our services but we have to completely finance ourselves and it is becoming increasingly difficult. Our water bill alone increased by £700 recently, for example. The support of local businesses means we can make tangible improvements.”

The group will visit our Wolverhampton store on Stafford Road to select their products.

The fifth edition of Community Heroes is open for entries until the end of September. As well as supporting 40 individual good causes, there will also be an overall top prize of £10,000 in cash, and second and third place runners-up will win £5,000 and £2,500 respectively.

Any group that supports the local community can apply online, including community centres, sports clubs, schools and uniformed organisations.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “A huge congratulations to Bradley Senior Citizens Centre for becoming one of our first Community Heroes winners of 2025.

“Community Heroes is our flagship charitable programme and attracts thousands of entries each year. This year we wanted to demonstrate our unwavering support for good causes by upping the ante and increasing the prize pot by almost 500%.

“Times are tough for charities and community groups and we remain determined to do what we can to help them continue their invaluable work.

“We look forward to supporting many more good causes in the weeks and months to come.”

We're proud to announce that our CEO Frank Elkins has been elected to the Board of the Builders Merchants Federation for the second time!

Frank has spent more than three decades in the merchanting industry and joined Selco last August, as well as assuming responsibility for Grafton’s trade distribution business in Great Britain.

This will be Frank’s second stint on the BMF Board having previously served for two years from April 2021.

Frank said: “I’m delighted to have been elected to the BMF Board once again. Having spent a long period operating in the sector, it’s something I’m extremely passionate about and I look forward to working with my peers to bring opportunities for the industry and those working in it.

“I'll be taking specific responsibility for people and skills and I’m excited about what we can achieve in that area.”

Builders Merchants Federation chairman Richard Hill said: “I'm delighted to welcome Frank back to the board for a second term. His expertise and dedication will be invaluable as we continue to drive innovation, develop the skills of those in the sector and build greater public awareness of our industry and the opportunities it offers.”

BMF CEO John Newcomb added: “Frank’s wealth of experience and passion for the industry and those working within it make him an excellent board member for the BMF. I look forward to working with him once again.”

We're delighted to have secured pole position by agreeing an exciting new partnership with a title-winning British Touring Car Championship team.

We'll be backing Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport for the 2025 campaign when its driver Jake Hill will be defending his title.

As well as enjoying a strong branding presence on the car and through other team assets, the new partnership will see nationwide hospitality and innovative activation campaigns across our stores.

The agreement will also see MB Motorsport – a team headed up by former Formula One driver Mark Blundell - working alongside us on community engagement initiatives.

David Lennon, Commercial Director, said: “We're delighted to be launching our new partnership with MB Motorsport in the BTCC.

“From our very first conversation, this programme felt like a very natural fit for Selco, our trade customers, colleagues and suppliers - as well as the communities in which we operate - and we look forward to bringing this partnership to life.

“The BTCC touches many areas of the country and the platform provides us with a unique opportunity to drive engagement and impact right across our loyal and trusted customer base.

“The unveiling of the car livery today has really stepped up the countdown to the new campaign and we can’t wait to see Jake in action for the first time this season at Donington Park at the end of April.”

The new partnership announcement comes at the same time as the much-anticipated reveal of MB Motorsport’s 2025 challenger BMW330i, with a striking new livery ahead of Hill’s title defence.

Mark Blundell, Sporting Director of MB Motorsport, said: “It is fantastic to announce our exciting new partnership with Selco Builders Warehouse.

“Here at MB Motorsport, we are proud of our record of welcoming big names and highly reputable companies into the pitlane and we are doing exactly that with Selco - another household name right across the UK.

“Like ourselves as an organisation, Selco has a passion for service and putting their trade customers first and we are united in that commitment. We can’t wait to showcase to Selco just how we can take this partnership forward with their customers, colleagues and suppliers.”

Selco’s first race weekend ‘appearance’ on Hill’s BMW330i will be at Donington Park on April 26 and 27.

Kind-hearted volunteers from amongst our colleagues rolled up their sleeves to help a local care home improve its garden area ahead of spring.

Half a dozen volunteers from our Bristol Bishopsworth branch spent two days on site at Brunelcare's Robinson House Care Home.

We also donated chippings and paint to dramatically revamp the home’s outdoor space.

Meanwhile, employees from LS Bristol Ltd and NJE Maintenance also got involved in the project by supplying the digger and pressure washers, as well as sending volunteers.

Maria Jones, Lead Homemaker at Robinson House, said: “We are so grateful to everyone who donated materials and volunteered their time to help us. I was lost for words when I saw the garden after the work – it looks amazing.

“The volunteers dug up the bamboo and laid the landscape fabric before putting the chippings down.

“All of the paving was also cleaned along with the furniture. The residents have been watching the progress from their windows and can’t wait to get out there in the spring. We run many activities in our outdoor space so it will really make a difference.”

Robinson House is a 70-bed care home providing a nursing-care lifestyle for older people with specific nursing needs, particularly for those living with dementia.

We're committed to helping local communities around our 75 UK branches and all colleagues are encouraged to get involved by using a paid volunteering day each year.

It means more than 20,000 hours will be donated to allow colleagues to support projects close to their hearts on a normal working day in 2025.

Steve Chandler, Branch Manager of Bristol Bishopsworth on Cater Road, said: “We were delighted to be able to help Robinson House and its residents.

“The garden gives people the chance to get out and enjoy some fresh air in a calm environment. We hope they enjoy their new facilities when spring finally arrives in a few weeks.

“Our colleagues love to get involved with the local community – and having a paid volunteering day means there is time set aside to help groups in need.”

A Tewkesbury triathlete will be flying the flag for Team GB on the other side of the world in his quest to become a world champion – with a little help from us at Selco.

Dan Derrick is preparing to compete in the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Wollongong, Australia, in October.

Dan’s quest to compete on the global stage has been supported by us and Cheltenham-based commercial and residential property specialist Coombs Group.

The two of our businesses have each provided Dan, who turns 40 in August, with £1,000 to help fund the cost of the trip.

Dan, who is Chief Executive of health and wellbeing charity Move More, which helps children to live healthy and active lifestyles, said: “To compete for Team GB in a world championship in any sport is an absolute dream come true.

“The sponsorship Selco and Coombs Group have provided has made travelling to compete in the event financially viable as it’s a very expensive trip otherwise. I’m extremely grateful to both companies and hopefully I can do them proud.

“I used to play rugby for Tewkesbury and have only been doing the triathlon for 18 months. It’s going to be a great experience and the aim is definitely to come away with a medal.”

Dan will compete in the 40-44 year category of the two-discipline Aquabike event, which features a 1,500m swim and a 40km bike ride.

Hanna Mclean, branch manager of Selco Cheltenham on Runnings Road, said: “We learned about Dan’s exploits through one of our customers, the Coombs Group, and we're delighted to be supporting him.

“It’s a fantastic achievement for Dan to have reached such an elite level within a very short space of time competing in the sport.

“We look forward to following his performance in Australia and hopefully bringing back a medal for Team GB.”

We're delighted to mark National Apprenticeship Week by committing to deliver 500 apprenticeships for our colleagues by 2030.

We've delivered a number of innovative apprenticeship programmes in recent years, ranging from Rising Stars for colleagues working in branches, Driver Academy for team members wanting to switch to a career as a HGV driver, and a new Women In Leadership programme launched last year.

We've now taken our apprenticeship offering to the next level with the pledge for the next five years, as part of the Builders Merchants Federation’s challenge for the industry as a whole, to deliver 15,000 apprentices by 2030.

Our commitment has got off to a flying start with more than 100 colleagues already engaged in, or signed up for, an apprenticeship – including 37 new Rising Stars and Sales Academy enrolments just prior to Christmas.

Sally Kerr, HR Director for Selco, said: “We're extremely proud of our training offering to colleagues and the apprenticeship delivery plays a huge role in that.

“There are a number of reasons we are so passionate about apprenticeships and they include driving career development progression opportunities for our colleagues and ensuring our teams are constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to delivering outstanding customer service.

“We've seen great success in our apprenticeship programmes so far and look forward to seeing that continually expand in the months and years to come.”

Run in conjunction with one of the UK’s leading training providers Realise, Rising Stars is available at gold, silver and bronze level and helps branch colleagues move to the next level of their careers.

Sally added: “All our programmes are tailored to meet the specific needs and offering of Selco. We select courses with a high level of practical elements and then make it bespoke to the requirements of our operations here at Selco.

“That means that our colleagues are learning by putting into practice the work they do on a day-to-day basis, gaining greater knowledge for their current job and having a tangible benefit to their careers.

“We've already seen a high number of our colleagues not only complete their apprenticeship and achieve their qualification, but also secure a promotion off the back of it.

“We're committed to giving colleagues the chance to create a genuine career path and providing them with the skills, techniques and self-development to do that. We're looking forward to celebrating many more apprentices in the future.”

In addition to the main schemes, we have colleagues currently completing apprenticeships in other business areas including finance, data analysis, HR and project management.

All apprenticeship successes are marked at special graduation ceremonies where colleagues are donned in traditional university cap and gown attire.

As part of our National Apprenticeship Week celebrations, we are also helping trade apprentices by giving away two toolkits wort £1,000 through a competition running on our social media channels. This coincides with the launch of our brand new blog, The Toolkit, which features a 'New to the Trade' section dedicated to supporting newly-qualified tradespeople, those branching into a new speciality, or anyone that might need a quick refresher, with plenty of guides to help with their latest projects.

Good causes, clubs and charities across the UK have the chance to win their share of a huge prize pot in our biggest ever Community Heroes campaign.

We've revamped our annual Community Heroes competition and increased the total prize fund to an eye-catching £57,500 – nearly five-times more than it has been in previous years.

It means more community groups, clubs and charities than ever before will benefit from winning either building materials or money to make a huge difference to their futures.

The campaign was launched February 3 with entries open until the end of September. Applicants will be looking to follow in the footsteps of the 2024 winners, Fox Wood School in Warrington.

The school will be using its prize to fund new specialist wheelchair-friendly play equipment for its pupils after winning the public vote.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing, said: “This is the fifth edition of Community Heroes and it will be the biggest yet. The award-winning campaign has already made a substantial difference to dozens of charities across the country - but we wanted to go even further in 2025.

“It’s extremely exciting to dramatically increase both the prizes on offer and the number of winners. We look forward to welcoming lots of fantastic organisations into our branches to benefit from our vast range of stock, allowing us to support many key projects.

“We're also committed to our colleagues from around the country engaging in a volunteering day in 2025, and many of these opportunities will come from our Community Heroes entries. It means, as well as the possibility of winning building materials and money, there is also the chance of benefitting from the support of Selco colleagues to work on a project.

“We welcome entries from any group that benefits the local community, whether that’s a scout group, a charity, a grassroots sports club, a community centre or anything similar.”

Nominations can be made online over the course of the next eight months. Each month, five winners will be selected – 40 in total – to secure £1,000 worth of building materials from their local Selco branch.

Our colleagues and customers will then select 10 grand finalists from those monthly winners to go before a public vote, with the overall winner receiving £10,000 in cash. There will also be prizes of £5,000 for the runners-up and £2,500 for the organisation that finishes third.

Rachael Penn, chair of the Fantastic Fox Wood PTA and the winner of last year’s campaign, said: “I’d urge any organisation which benefits the local community to enter Selco’s Community Heroes campaign.

“It’s a truly fantastic scheme which has made the world of difference to us. The chance to win building materials is extremely useful as those type of improvements to rooms, buildings and infrastructure are one of the things that can be overlooked when an organisation doesn’t have a bottomless pit of money.

“Winning the competition has given us the chance to make our dream a reality when it comes to a playground for our pupils in wheelchairs and we will always be grateful to Selco.”

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

A famous London hospice is planning to revamp some of its tired wards after finishing second place in our Community Heroes competition.

St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham picked up the second highest number of votes from the public in the exhilarating finale of our annual contest.

There was more good news for the hospice when they were told we had increased the prize money from £1,000 to £5,000!

St Christopher’s – the home of the modern hospice movement started by its founder Dame Cicely Saunders - has around 1,800 patients in its care at any one time.

“We were delighted to finish second and to win £1,000 from Selco, but it was such a fantastic surprise when we heard the prize was being boosted to £5,000,” said John Vickers, Director of Finance and Corporate Services at St Christopher's.

“Most of our service users are cared for at home, but we also have people with particularly complex needs that stay on our wards. We are planning to upgrade these wards as they have not had much work done to them in a decade. This funding from Selco will make a big difference – and will also allow us to buy specialist, noise-reducing equipment so that disruption is kept to a minimum while the work takes place.

“It has been very exciting to be part of Community Heroes and we are grateful to Selco for their support.”

Organisations, schools and charities were invited to enter our Community Heroes 2024 initiative, which had a total prize pot worth £21,000.

More than 2,000 groups put themselves forward, with 12 winners selected over the course of six months, each winning £500 of building materials from their nearest Selco branch.

The dozen finalists went before a public vote to decide the winners. The overall winner was Fox Wood Special School in Warrington, which secured more than a quarter of the 9,000 votes to scoop £10,000, a prize that was increased from £5,000.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Community Heroes is our flagship initiative for charities and community groups or organisations that always captures the imagination. We're proud to be able to demonstrate our commitment to supporting good causes right across the country at a time when, for many, the need is so great. We look forward to launching Community Heroes 2025 shortly.”