Temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment
Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire or sale of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment. Ideal for events or to provide temporary catering facilities during your kitchen refurbishment, our versatile units and equipment offer an efficient and economic solution to the caterers’ needs. Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms and Restaurant Units are available as individual units in their own right or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex. Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer-term hires. We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period. The standard specification of our smallest Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range, salamander grill, twin basket fryer, upright fridge, hot cupboard, single bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, plus ample power points to plug in Microwaves, Food Processors, Toasters etc. Internal equipment can be interchanged and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout. Some advice when considering temporary catering facilities Ideally the site must be accessible by road with any entrances and gateways no less than 3.5 metres in width. Space to manoeuvre a large Hi-ab truck needs to be considered and overhead cables/trees in the vicinity of the installation should be a minimum of 9 metres above ground to clear Hiab lifting gear. Ground should ideally be level and any soft areas made firm by means of purpose-built trackway to support the vehicle and cabin delivery. Linking of units to form a co-ordinated complex and weatherproof access to an existing building can be specified. All service connection points are provided on the exterior of each unit, and we can provide our own engineers to connect your services, if preferred. Power requirement for single units is from 63 Amps single phase, larger complexes may require a three phase supply. Water connection can be made to any potable source at mains pressure, such as a stand-pipe. We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project. So if you’re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal. For further information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk
50% Less Sugar Hot Chocolate Drinks
DELICIOUS Hot Chocolate– with 50% Less Sugar – with hot chocolate drinks being the most popular hot drink between 11 to 18 year olds, and with ever increasing levels of obesity in our society – the compact table top hot chocolate dispensers have been designed especially for schools to offer 50% less sugar hot chocolate drinks. There are two models available – just hot chocolate on its own, or with fat free skimmed milk for added Choco-latte, this offers a healthier option than all the leading brands of hot chocolate.A new school to introduce our 50% Less Sugar hot chocolate drink for the start of this term is the Tile Academy, Birmingham. They have already used 5 cases in just a week, and just ordered another 6 cases urgently, with 340 drinks per case our reduced sugar hot chocolate is proving a huge success and very popular with students. OBESITY– has been much publicised across the Media and many voices within the NHS over the increasing costs year on year in treating obesity and rising and concerning levels of diabetes in our children. By switching your hot chocolate to a 50% less sugar chocolate will contribute and assist your school in tackling rising levels of obesity. ARE YOU A FAIRTRADE SCHOOL? – Fairtrade Vending offer a wide range of vending and beverage equipment solutions for schools, from table-top Bean to cup hot drinks systems to Cold Drinks and Snack Vendors, Fresh Food and free-standing hot drinks machines which can operate with cash or cashless payment systems. All our coffees – Beans Fresh Ground and instant, fresh leaf tea and T bags and hot chocolate are Fairtrade Certified and our 50% Less Sugar chocolate is ethically sourced. Fairtrade Vending Ltd, Email: mike@fairtradevending.co.uk Website: www.fairtradevending.co.uk, Tel: 01634 726163
Eureka! Giving you what you want from a first aid supplier
Established in 2000, Eureka! has grown to be the leading supplier of first aid to schools in the UK. Our success over the last 19 years has been due to our commitment to providing schools with what they want from a first aid supplier: A vast range of top quality products; excellent low prices; free next working day delivery on all orders regardless of the value; a no-quibble money back guarantee; 30 days interest free credit and exceptional levels of customer service. We are so confident that we do the supply of first aid right, that we invite our customers to review their experience on independent online review site, Ekomi, where we have been awarded the Gold seal of approval achieving a 4.8/5-star score from over 1500 reviews. First aid supplies you are looking for At Eureka! we are constantly looking at our product portfolio to ensure it meets the requirements of our customers. We source the best quality branded first aid products but also offer our own EurekaPlast value range of first aid to fulfil the needs of those with the tightest of budget constraints. Our team monitors proposed changes to the curriculum/updates to regulations and puts products in place well in advance to help our customers prepare. An example of this is our vast range of supplies already available to schools in preparation for the lifesaving first aid skills training being added to the curriculum next year. Whether you are looking for first aid kits, first aid consumables, health & safety products, defibrillators, resuscitation manikins, instant ice packs, inhalers or essential medical supplies, we can help by offering you all these products under one roof. Making ordering simple We talk to schools all the time, so truly understand the time pressures you face. That’s why Eureka! offers three simple ways to order, so you can be sure to have the same easy and convenient experience, however you like to do things. Our website (www.EurekaDirect.co.uk) is clearly laid out and our dynamic search function enables you to find what you are looking for straight away. Just add the items to your basket and complete the purchase. We have a Freephone telephone number (0800 358 0085) and a fully trained sales team ready to take your call. Or if you like to fax your orders, just use our Freefax number (0800 358 0095). Going the extra mile School staff face enough stress every day, so we go the extra mile to make sure ordering first aid is a happy experience. Our next working day delivery is free of charge on all orders, regardless of the order value. If you need an item straight away, we can set you up with an account and offer 30-days interest free credit. Or if you aren’t 100% happy with your purchase, we won’t quibble about it, we will simply replace your item, refund you in full or credit your account. Find out more at www.EurekaDirect.co.uk or call us on 0800 358 0085 and see how easy your first aid ordering can be.
Encouraging parental engagement via technology
Carer or parental engagement in education is so valuable, particularly for primary school children. Not only does it boost their confidence and encourage them to do well, but feeling supported provides the conditions necessary for them to develop their skills while exploring all the different aspects of their education. It pays dividends for parents too, reassuring them that their child is happy and secure in their school’s environment and is being given the support they need to learn important skills. Contrary to the beliefs of some parents, being engaged with their child’s education isn’t all about doing their homework for them. This is one of the main points of anxiety for today’s parents, many of whom feel that their skills simply don’t extend that far, they just don’t understand what’s needed, or it was all done differently when they were at school. Involvement really counts Schools are eager for parents to be involved in the school and know what their child is learning about. They want them to be interested and part of the school community, which then brings the benefits of security, support and encouragement to their children. Not all parents understand this, however, and finding ways to involve them is a dilemma faced by schools right across the country. With so many barriers to overcome (e.g. time pressures, disengagement, low parental self-esteem, inflexible work schedules, language barriers, poverty and so on), schools can’t possibly find a single solution that fits everyone, so instead they employ a variety of approaches that offer options for parents to connect with school life on different levels. Try, try and try again Many schools go to great lengths to extend the hand of inclusion to parents and, through a mix of dialogue, social events, parent and child learning sessions, family assemblies and so on, are very successful in garnering the involvement of the majority of their pupils’ parents/guardians. Many parents really value the time that teachers take to talk to them about their child in person. These face-to-face conversations enable each to understand the other better, as well as provide the teacher with an insight into their pupils’ home circumstances and how that contributes to their learning. The biggest challenge for most schools is connecting with those hard-to-reach parents who don’t come to events, don’t respond to letters or emails, don’t come to parents’ evenings and just don’t appear to be interested. Of course, there are many, many reasons for apparent non-engagement. Most schools understand this and constantly seek alternative ways to connect with these parents. One such way is via technology. With so many parents having smartphones these days, schools have a direct path to keeping them in the loop of what’s happening in their child’s school life – without the parent having to do anything! ReallySchool: a multi-tasking solution In all primary schools, it’s a requirement for each teacher to observe and gather evidence of pupils’ skills acquisition in their EYFS, KS1 and KS2 classrooms every day. As you know, this takes a lot of time, especially as pupils need to be assessed on each activity multiple times to show the level and rate of their progression. The ReallySchool app makes this task easier and more streamlined for teachers, allowing them to capture an image of the observation and apply an assessment score for each child in just a few clicks and compiling a record of their progress as they go through the year, as well as enabling them to generate termly reports or student journals to show to parents at parents’ evenings – and more. However, in terms of parental engagement, ReallySchool delivers a really useful extra benefit and that is to help schools to involve parents in their child’s learning journey via their own dedicated free version of the app. The school simply sends an email invitation for the parent to download the app and, once accepted, the parent is automatically linked to their child’s profile. This removes any potential barriers to parental uptake of the app by making it as easy as possible to get started. Designed in the style of many social media apps, it’s totally intuitive and easy to use; neither teachers nor parents need special training to be able to use it fully – and this includes those who may feel that their IT skills are lacking! It works like this: teachers capture children’s learning in the classroom with photos, videos or audio recordings – and these can all be shared directly to parents’ smartphones or tablets to provide a snapshot of what their child is doing and how they are getting on. Parents and guardians then have the option to reply to the teacher’s messages and even have a quick dialogue, if they wish. It’s an easy way to keep them informed, without the pressure of having to attend the school – or even reply. For those parents who may speak English as a second language and find visual or audio communication more useful than the written word, ReallySchool also enables teachers to share video or audio clips of their child’s learning, ensuring these parents can still be aware of what happens when their child is at school. A feature of ReallySchool that the pupils love is that their teacher can award them badges for achievement when they have done well. The teacher can immediately share this news with their parents/guardians – and this acts as a great motivator for children as their parents share in their success. And let’s not forget that people are social beings. We love sharing on social media and ReallySchool mirrors this, making it easy for parents to download learning journals that show their child’s progress in a matter of clicks, which they can then share with relatives or friends. Having access to the ReallySchool app is especially useful for busy parents who are keen to be as involved in their child’s education as they can be but are constrained by working hours or other commitments. The app allows them to
Create a memorable image at an affordable price by personalising your school signage
BSGA accredited PCMI Signs are in an excellent position to provide free guidance and advice on all your signage essentials. A leading signage provider specialisingin supplying unified products to the Education Sector. Signs ranging from corporate branded exterior signage to personalised door plates and acrylic wall plaques. All produced in-house and installed by their dedicated signage team. External signage Make your business stand out with eye catching, custom made entrance signs. Available as wall, post or fence mounted, in a range of materials including Perspex and aluminum. Car parking, guidance and informational signposts made to order. Internal Signage Standard health and safety, hazard, warning, mandatory and prohibition signs available. For internal wall or door fixing, these can be customisedwith your logo. Inclusive range of interior directional signage including braille, tactile and pictorial. Wall-mounted, free standing, projecting, suspended, single or double sided the choice is yours. Engraving We can engrave most materials including acrylic, aluminum, brass, bronze and laminates. Privacy Window Film Create the illusion of etched or frosted glass, providing privacy at a fraction of the cost. All fonts, any shape or design including colouredsections. Promotional Banners Roller banners create engaging displays in lobbies and receptions. Own a PVC event banner with removable day, date and time panels to extend their life. Staff and Visitor Badges Available in a wide range of coloursand designs manufactured in rectangular, round, oval or custom shapes. Your choice of standard pin fixing; combination clip or magnetic backing. Vehicle Graphics Removable magnetic panels or self-adhesive graphics for your car or van raise the profile of your business 24/7. Why PCMI Signs? Assistance and Ordering Our friendly, experienced staff offer no obligation expert advice and guidance, working to your budget to make ordering easy. Transparent inclusive prices with no hidden extras Free guidance and support In-house sign production and installation Products have a 365 day guarantee DBS checked installation team Price Matching Delivery and Installation Our products are delivered complete with fixing kit, ready to use. Our CRB checked installation team can also fit for you at a very competitive price. You can contact our sales and advice team by phone, fax, post, email or via social media: PCMI Signs 85 Northern Road Portsmouth Hants PO6 3EP Phone: 023 9232 2828 email: enquiries@pcmisisgns.co.uk web: www.pcmisigns.co.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/portsmouthsigns Twitter: https://twitter.com/pcmisigns Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pcmi-signs?trk=biz-companies-cym
Secom Networks Ltd.
Secom Networks Ltd is part of a group of companies which delivers a full design, installation and support service for your IT communications infrastructure. SNL, design, install and support all your network infrastructure cabling. Design is important as services such as Voip, Wifi and IPCCTV use Poe. Power Over Ethernet will power more and more services, this saves money on new 240volt power circuits. How-ever puts extra strain on your cabling system, before deployment of new Poe connections your cabling should be tested to ensure compatibility and safe connections. At worst case, failure to ensure your cabling is capable could lead to network failure and even a fire risk. The Poe switch also has to be within the power budgets required to support the equipment. Info@secomnetworksltd.co.uk for further information. SIPsys, is a hosted cloud based Voip system, our servers are supported by dual ISP links, ensuring 99% uptime. SIPsys have been installing and maintaining Voip telephones since 2006 across the south east. We now offer a rented telephone system, with free IP phones while in contract, with a UK mobile and land line call package. Prices are from £12.99 per extension which includes call package, a massive saving on the normal upfront costs of around £2,000.00 for a new system. Minimal set up costs make this offer a fantastic opportunity to have a new telephone system with all the services of a full blown PBX. info@sipsys.co.uk further information. Rack-Sec, is a new IOT company, we can monitor, switch and protect equipment all over the internet. We offer 2 systems to monitor and protect racks, R-EDGE-ENT is a 1u unit fitted to your rack with an onboard camera, the door status is monitored and on opening an image is emailed to a designated account. A temperature and humidity sensor monitors the environment within the rack. R-EDGE-EAC is the same system as described R-EDGE-ENT with the addition of electronic swing handles fitted with RFID readers. The RFI Proximity cards can be your own existing or our own cards. The fitting of controlled access to your server/equipment rack will be a step towards GDPR compliance, physical protection of data. We also manufacture and install our own time & attendance system, monitor and record pupils, teachers and visitors on your campus. info@rack-sec.com for further information.
University of Manchester standardises on bespoke Loxit desks
The University of Manchester is the largest single-site university in the UK and part of the prestigious Russell Group. The challenge The University of Manchester recently took the decision to invest in new desks for lecturers, but a number of specific requirements made this a difficult task, as Jamie Wright, media services assistant manager, at the university, explains: “We struggled to find something that would have all the abilities that we wanted: electrically height adjustable, the right size, which for us is shallower than a normal depth of desk, the ability to incorporate a 19” rack and customisable. We really struggled to find anywhere else on the market that could provide that. Thankfully when we came to Loxit, they managed to find a good solution.” The project After meeting with Loxit, the university discovered we were able to design and install desks that met their requirements. “One of the interesting things we found was that the type of mechanics we’ve got actually suited the university’s requirements but being a shallow desk, which was actually based on the depth of a plinth, and needing the integrated AV meant that it had to have a certain type of electrically height adjustable leg set,” explains John Whittle. Following the design review after the first rollout, the requirement to have a split vanity panel at the back was introduced. This means that IT can go into a room mid-lecture if a piece of equipment goes down, remove the portion of the vanity panel and access the back of the rack todo the servicing while the lecture continues to be delivered. Jamie Wright adds: “Generally when it comes to AV support there’s only one technician who’ll fix the issue, so instead of having to take off an entire vanity panel they can take off the section they need, which is just behind the rack, and get to all the equipment. That’s been really useful for us as opposed to having to get a couple of people in to take off whole vanity panels at once.” In addition to this, two-thirds height doors allow lecturers to access some of the components but ensure they’re not able to reach everything. The outcome The bespoke Loxit desks have now been installed across the University of Manchester’s campus. “It’s become part of our teaching standard. We have the same kit and the same layout in 85 of our centrally timetabled rooms which makes it really useful for the lecturers because no matter where they are on campus it’s the same equipment and the same layout.” – Jamie Wright, UoM “When lecturers come to use the equipment, not only the AV equipment but also the features of the desk like the raise and lower, they know where everything is located. It’s been really useful for us to be able to standardise on this product. It’s also actually had unexpected uses which we hadn’t planned for but it’s been delivered really well. “We started out with one particular product and through several iterations, which we worked on with Loxit, we’ve come up with a really good product which we feel we can roll out across our entire campus“. The Impact The height adjustment has been a particularly popular feature, having a number of unexpected benefits. “In addition to providing easy acces and comfort for wheelchair users or those who have difficulty standing for long periods, we’ve also found that the height adjustment has been very useful for some of our other users, such as our maths lecturers who want the desk to be raised quite high so they can use the visualizers.” – Jamie Wright, UoM Before we got the desks, lecturers were having to spend a good hour, sometimes even two, leant over writing formulae on the visualisers and we were getting a lot of complaints about people with bad backs. Having these desks has made it really easy for lecturers to be able to utilise things like the visualizer without causing any serious damage to their back, so it’s actually had unexpected uses which we hadn’t planned for but it’s been delivered really well.”
Vanesta are committed to raising the standard of our children’s washrooms
From nurseries to universities, we’re committed to raising the standard of our children’s washrooms. We’ve been supplying school washroom solutions for over 50 years and pride ourselves on paving the way for children’s safety with a number of essential safety features throughout our education range. To cater for young children, schools have the option to choose low-level cubicles for easy supervision and our clever anti-finger trap hinges come as standard. As well as safety we believe children have a right to privacy, that’s why for energetic teenagers we’ve designed full height cubicles that offer total privacy. Just in case, all of our ranges are fitted with an emergency release indicator bolt mechanism. We also work hard to ensure that our stylish and robust designs encourage respect and discourage vandalism. For that reason our solutions for secondary and further education feature metal frames renowned for strength and durability, along with concealed fixtures and fittings and anti-tamper locks. Not to be overlooked, colour can influence the way children perceive and behave in an environment which is why we offer you a choice of 37 inspiring laminate colours, as well as 4 colourful screen prints for extra vibrancy. Our washrooms are built to last and with the help of our Specification Managers to select appropriate products, you’ll gain an environment that is easy to maintain and fit for purpose for generations to come. Find out more about our education ranges here https://www.venesta.co.uk/products?t=.cubicles&s=.education11,.education211 Between the 7thMarch and 31stJuly we are giving one lucky school the chance to win £500 of books in our prize draw. Find out how to enter here. https://www.venesta.co.uk/news/ArticleId/1089/calling-all-education-facilities-win-500-of-books-this-summer
Is your school fully stocked with first aid this summer
A great British summer can be somewhat unpredictable when it comes to the weather. One day we are being bombarded with rain, whilst the next could see us basking in record breaking temperatures. With UK temperatures set to rise in the coming days and Europe in the grips of a heat wave, it is essential to ensure that your school’s stocks of ice packs and vomit bags are topped up, ready for active children who haven’t recognised the early signs of heat exhaustion. Eureka! Direct has been specialising in providing schools with essential first aid supplies for nearly 20 years. Included within its extensive portfolio, the organisation offers a wide range of children’s instant ice packs and vomit bags specifically designed for safe and hygienic containment and disposal of vomit should a child be sick. Hot and cold therapy from a brand you can trust Undoubtedly one of the most popular brands of children’s ice packs is KoolPak. Considered the UK’s leading manufacturer of instant ice packs, the quality of KookPak products and their adherence to ISO quality standards and requirements of the European Directive on Medical Devices, makes them ideal for use in schools. Eureka! Direct stocks a range of sizes and designs suitable for children of all ages. Easy and safe to use vomit bags CareBag vomit bags, also available through Eureka! Direct, are supplied with an absorbent core which eliminates the risk of any splashing and leaking of liquid. The bags are easy to hold by children and will rapidly turn up to 450ml of bodily fluid into an easy to dispose of gel. A simple drawstring closure minimises the risk of staff contact with vomit and the design of the bag reduces nasty odours. As well as offering high quality first aid supplies, Eureka! Direct also offers schools free next working day delivery to UK mainland addresses on orders placed before 4.30pm, and 30 days instant credit—enabling the acquisition of supplies with only a purchase order number. To find out more and place your order of essential summer supplies, visit www.eurekadirect.co.uk or call 0800 358 0085.