Staff from a family-owned Shropshire firm are celebrating after being named top fund raisers at this year’s World Coracle Championships.

Two teams from Tudor Griffiths Group, in Ellesmere, raised just under £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and received The Richard Bayliss Cup from the championship organisers.

Managing Director Tudor Griffiths, who led the two intrepid quartets, said they had really enjoyed the event and had already signed up to take part next year.

“It was a really fun day, and at the same time, it gave everyone the chance to raise plenty of money for such a deserving cause. To have received the trophy as the top fund raisers was a real honour for all of us here at Tudor Griffiths Group. We entered a team two years ago and the feedback was terrific, so the event is fast becoming a firm favourite with our staff – it’s a good team bonding event and it’s very competitive!

“We do our best and it’s the taking part that counts, along with having lots of fun and hopefully not getting a soaking! Supporting Macmillan Cancer Support in Shropshire is a great cause.”

The World Coracle Championships, which was sponsored this year by JT Hughes, has been running for ten years and takes place on the River Severn in the Quarry area of Shrewsbury.

Race committee secretary, Camilla Hughes, said: “It’s a unique event and it was the brain-child of Richard Bayliss. In 2008, he persuaded a collection of Shrewsbury companies to paddle these unstable coracles across the River Severn for charity, and so the Championships was born.

“The intention has always been to have a fun day out of the office and raise lots of money for Macmillan Cancer Support along the way. With this year’s total exceeding £31,500, this event has raised over £230,000 for Macmillan over the past ten years.

“Sadly, Richard himself died of cancer in 2015. We vowed to carry on the Championships in support of Macmillan and provide support and the best care possible for cancer sufferers and their families in Shropshire. In memory of Richard, we present the Richard Bayliss Cup to the team who raise the most sponsorship for the event.”

Teams have already started to sign up for the 2018 World Coracle Championships via the website at www.coracleworldchampionship.co.uk and organisers are on the lookout for a headline sponsor.

Two Shropshire fifth generation family businesses joined together on an extensive restoration scheme, transforming an ancient redundant barn complex at English Frankton near Ellesmere into six outstanding country family homes of character.

The Tudor Griffiths Group, which has owned the land for generations, called on Morris Property and its specialist Morris Joinery team to give the disused barns a new lease of life as they were no longer suited to modern farming techniques.

Tudor Griffiths supplied all the building materials from its own network of builders’ merchants and concrete plants across Shropshire and specified top of the range kitchens and bathrooms and quality finishes throughout. The six luxury homes are now available to rent with Strutt & Parker in Shrewsbury.

James West of Morris Property said: “The client has close connections to the site and wanted a sympathetic restoration which really did it justice. We have used our skills and experience to deliver homes of great quality which meet high modern standards while still retaining the buildings’ character.

“We have kept as much of the existing structure as possible and re-used bricks and slate to preserve the feel and authenticity of the setting. The solid oak staircases for example have been crafted to last for several lifetimes and will look as good in 100 years’ time as they do now.”

Tudor Griffiths, Managing Director, said: “Frankton Barns has been in our family for generations and it’s a proud moment for us to finally have the work completed on the barns. The quality of the workmanship throughout is superb and really adds to the spectacular views of the Shropshire countryside which makes the properties so special.

“The Tudor Griffiths Group has been in operation for five generations, as has the Morris family, and having the opportunity to work on such a prestigious project together has been wonderful. The project really has been a joint effort and thanks to the skilled craftsmen from both sides, we have a stunning barn complex which we are immensely proud of.”

Experts from a family-owned Shropshire firm that specialises in ready mix concrete have found a new use for one of their products – building bridges.

The team at TG Concrete – part of the Tudor Griffiths Group – has been working in partnership with Dawnus Construction Limited, and their clients British Rail and Powys County Council, on a programme of bridge construction across the region.

General Manager Dave Morris said: “We’ve been using our coloured concrete product as part of this initiative, and the results have been absolutely fantastic.

“It’s the first time the product has been used in this way, and the innovative process requires us to pour the coloured concrete, let it set, and then contractors remove the outer rubber mould to leave an authentic-looking brick pattern on the surface.

“The method has given us a whole host of new ideas of how we could use the coloured concrete and how we can use this experience to benefit other customers in the future.”

Contractor Dawnus Construction Limited has been building new bridges over the railway line to help create easier access for farmers, and they ordered 750 cubic metres of pewter coloured concrete from Tudor Griffiths Group.

“The bridge using our coloured concrete is near the A470 at Talerddig, near Newtown in Powys, and we’re very pleased with the results of the work that’s been carried out,” said Mr Morris.

The coloured concrete range is just one of a wide and varied catalogue of products that the experts at TG Concrete have developed. They have also created a range of AgriCrete products specifically for agricultural clients which are designed to tackle the very specific challenges the industry faces.

Tudor Griffiths Group has 12 concrete plants covering the whole of Shropshire, Cheshire, and North and Mid Wales.

They specialise in high-quality concrete products including concrete that can be pumped or poured, concrete that will flow, concrete that is ultra high strength, or products that set rapidly or slowly.

Mr Morris said: “We’re proud of our dedicated and experienced staff here at TG Concrete, and it’s thanks to their skills and knowledge that we are able to constantly find new and surprising uses for the products we can supply.”

Pic: TG Concrete delivers the coloured concrete for the new rail bridge in Powys

Concrete specialists at a Shropshire firm have joined forces with a renowned agricultural supplier to help farmers create the very best environment for their animals.

TG Concrete – which is part of the Tudor Griffiths Group in Ellesmere – had developed three products aimed specifically at the agricultural sector and the TG AgriCrete range is already proving hugely successful.

Now the team has formed a partnership with the Wynnstay Group who will now supply the specialist TG YardCrete, TG StoreCrete and TGSilageCrete in their network of stores.

Tudor Griffiths, Managing Director of the TG Group, welcomed the partnership and said the deal was a great fit for both companies.

“We pride ourselves on the quality of our products and the high levels of customer service we deliver, so to join forces with such a well-respected company as the Wynnstay Group is great news.

“Our AgriCrete range was developed after many months of research and development work, and the products are now proving so popular that the vast majority of our business in the concrete division is coming in from the agricultural sector.”

TG Concrete developed the range after farmers said they were looking for hard-wearing and highly durable solutions for their yards and buildings, and all three of the ready-mixed concrete products comply with the very latest agricultural standards, having been designed to help resist abrasion, erosion, and chemical damage.

Ken Greetham, Chief Executive of the Wynnstay Group, said they had been very impressed by the quality of the AgriCrete range which had been created to meet some particular agricultural requirements.

“We’re very pleased to be working with Tudor Griffiths Group, and we’re sure the AgriCrete products will prove extremely popular with our customers.”

Wynnstay Group manufactures and supplies agricultural products to farmers and the wider rural community in Wales, the Welsh border counties, the Midlands, Lancashire, Yorkshire and the south west. The TG AgriCrete range will be available in all the Wynnstay stores across Shropshire, Cheshire, and north and mid Wales.

Pic: Celebrating the partnership deal are, from left Dave Morris (TG Concrete General Manager), Tudor Griffiths (TG Group Managing Director), Ken Greetham (Wynnstay Chief Executive) and Peter Butler (Wynnstay Product Manager)

Tudor Griffiths Group are very proud of their heritage (dating back to 1874) and it is through the ambition of William ‘Billy’ Griffiths, Chairman, with support from Jamie Jones, Transport Manager, and Dale Griffiths, Workshop Manager, that they have managed to preserve a part of the firm’s history by restoring the A-Series ERF in the TG’s red and cream livery. This stunning restored ERF/mixer combo is unique as it is still fully operational and was featured in the December 2017 Classic Truck magazine.

A spectacular evening of comedy and music is to be held in Oswestry to raise money for Hope House Children’s Hospice.

The Very Nice Production Company, which is based at the British Ironworks Centre, is renowned for its hugely entertaining family productions that feature well known songs from all the Broadway shows combined with plenty of humour and fun.

Tickets, priced just £10 each, are selling fast for the performances on November 9^th, 10^th and 11^th at The Marches School Theatre. There will also be a chance to browse Christmassy stalls on the night, along with refreshments and a raffle.

Thanks to sponsorship from the TG Group all the proceeds from ticket sales and raffles will go directly to help the children and families who use Hope House this Christmas.

Vanessa Thomas of Hope House said she was thrilled that the Very Nice Production Company had chosen to support the charity and very grateful to Tudor and Rita Griffiths of TG Group for their sponsorship.

“Having seen the dress rehearsals I can reveal that audiences are in for a spectacular time – It really is a night not to be missed with amazingly talented vocalists and terrific fun,” she said.

Tudor Griffiths of event sponsors TG Group, added: “We are delighted to support the Very Nice Production Company in putting on this event.  It promises three nights of wonderful entertainment featuring local adults and children with a multitude of talents. And with the proceeds going to Oswestry’s remarkable Hope House Hospice, we hope it will be a roaring success.”

Tickets are available from cast members, in person or by telephone from the Hope House Fundraising Office on 01691 671671 or online at www.hopehouse.org.uk/events.

Caption: Rita Griffiths of event sponsors TG Group visits a dress rehearsal for Not(e) Perfect in aid of Hope House.

TG Builders Merchants narrowly missed out on a prestigious national award for their approach to training.

The team from Tudor Griffiths Group were finalists in the Training Company of the Year 2017 category in this year’s Builders’ Merchants’ Federation awards.

Managing Director Tudor Griffiths said: “To be shortlisted in such prestigious company really is a great honour for our team, and we really couldn’t have achieved such success without the dedication and commitment shown by our staff.

“Training plays a vital part in our operations, and it’s important that our employees are given the opportunity to boost their skills on a regular basis in order to develop their careers.

It’s also imperative that our builders’ merchants’ workforce is fully-trained in all aspects of their particular role so that everyone complies with the rules and regulations of our industry.”

TG Group was one of five companies shortlisted for the award which was sponsored for the second year running by Professional Builders’ Merchant magazine – the other finalists were Haldane Fisher, Howarth Timber, LBS, and Chandlers Builders Supplies.

Judges said all the finalists had shown not only a commitment to training as a core element of their business, but had demonstrated their support of the Builders’ Merchants’ Federation by using the BMF for the majority of their training solutions.

BMF Chief Executive John Newcomb said: “Ongoing commitment to training is a vital part of any successful business, and this award is a great way of recognising the outstanding commitment by the most active merchant members.”

The awards were handed out at the BMF’s annual members’ day, held at Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel, in Leicestershire.

Teams from Tudor Griffiths Group answered an appeal from TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh to help transform the garden of a couple who put everyone else first.

Love Your Home and Garden is a follow-up to one of the celebrity gardener’s most popular programmes Love Your Garden.

And the aim is to carry out a green-fingered makeover that makes a huge difference to people’s lives. The next episode airs on Wednesday September 13th, at 8pm, on ITV1, and heads to Chester to help Richard and Ann.

Richard has been a Samaritan volunteer for over 40 years, Ann trains guide dogs for the blind, and together they have fostered over 20 children in the last ten years.

But their home and garden have been somewhat neglected while they’ve been busy caring for everyone else, so teams from TG Skip Hire and TG Builders’ Merchants joined forces with other traders, suppliers and contractors to complete an incredible transformation.

We supplied four eight-yard skips, ten tonnes of aggregate stone, and eight bulk bags of sharp sand, to help change a garden that Alan himself described as ‘one of the ugliest he has ever seen’.

Paul Griffiths, of production company Spungold TV who make the Love Your Garden series, said: “We were extremely grateful to Tudor Griffiths Group for all their invaluable support during this project – and during previous episodes too.

“Richard and Ann’s home and garden have understandably taken a back seat over the years given everything else they’ve been involved with, but we can’t wait for the episode to air later this week to show viewers just how much the house and garden have changed – they really are unrecognisable.”

Our Shropshire-based firm that’s been in business for over 140 years has seen some major staff changes over the summer.

Tudor Griffiths Group’s concrete division is preparing for a busy final quarter of the year, and TG Concrete General Manager Dave Morris said the new-look team was raring to go.

“We’ve said goodbye to Martin Rogers, who has been a key member of our team for almost 30 years, and who has now retired from his role as manager of the despatch office. Martin will be sadly missed by customers and staff alike, and even though many customers have never met him in person, many people have said how professional and helpful he has been.

“He’s been a steadfast and reliable point of contact who has helped to ensure they received their concrete when and where they needed it, and it has been very difficult to see him leave.”

Peter Strachan is now following in Martin’s footsteps in the despatch office and he will be the person liaising directly with all trade customers when it comes to placing and fulfilling orders.

There’s a new face in the TG Concrete sales team too, where Chris Kilvert has taken on the role of Area Sales Manager, focusing on the Chester, Wrexham, and north Shropshire area.

Chris, who is originally from Four Crosses and now lives in Oswestry, has over 30 years’ experience in the Readymix concrete industry, and has spent the past nine years working in the Middle East in the oil and gas sectors, and supporting infrastructure projects in preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He has also worked in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, and holds various industry-recognised qualifications, as well as being a member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

TG Concrete General Manager Dave Morris said: “These are exciting times for our team and we’re looking forward to developing the strong reputation we already have with customers right across the local area. With the addition of Chris to our team, I am confident we have the momentum to drive our sales in the Chester, Wrexham and north Shropshire area forward in an extremely positive way.”

Pic: At TG Concrete are, from left, Peter Strachan, Martin Rogers, Dave Morris and Chris Kilvert

Thanks to everyone who helped us to celebrate the first birthday of our Bridgnorth Builders’ Merchants branch – it was a great day with over 50 cars washed, 20 haircuts completed and face painting all day long!

Congratulations to Richard Aveley who won the patio set raffle and thanks to the lovely customers who even went to the trouble of delivering a birthday card to our team.

Can you spot yourself in our gallery?