March 2011

affinity landscapes gains Exor Management Systems "Qualified" accreditation.

affinity landscapes today gained it's "Exor Qualified" accreditation allowing the business to access larger, more profitable contracts as compliant landscape contractor. This has already resulted in a new large contract to provide landscape maintenance services to a major Exor client in the UK. Business Director, Gary Rees-Keeble comments: "We are really pleased to have gained this accreditation, along with our SAFEContractor (www.safecontractor.co.uk) and Trading Standards 'Buy With Confidence' (http://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/) status, it puts us in a very strong position in these difficult times".

For further information about affinity landscapes, please visit : www.affinitylandscapes.co.uk

For further information about Exor Accreditation, please read below or visit : www.exorms.co.uk/home This qualification standard is widely recognised and utilised in both the public and private sectors. It positions suppliers of goods, works or services to win contracts by demonstrating you are Exor Qualified. Exor Qualified proves your business has been accredited to standard where competency, viability and adherence with legal requirements have been achieved. There is no better way for a supplier of goods, works or services to position your business to win contracts in the Public & Private Sectors, by demonstrating you are Exor Qualified. Exor Qualified proves your business has been accredited to standard where competency, viability and adherence with legal requirements and current codes of practice are assessed. Exor uses a set of standards that have been developed over the past ten years in consultation with clients to become an accepted criteria for qualification for Public and Private sector Clients. Being Accredited to the Exor Qualified Standard is more than a Pre-Qualification check, traditionally used by the public sector, the Exor Qualified standard can mean that you do not have to fully complete PQQs and with many of the Authorities Exor work with you will be automatically qualified and be in a position to tender for business.

October 2010

affinity landscapes takes on another major commercial landscape maintenance contract in the Surrey Area.

Our proposal was accepted in the face of much competition and our ability to satisfy stringent H&S requirements and provide value for money solutions, including Winter Gritting.

May 2010

affinity landscapes gains new commercial landscape maintenance contracts in the South East.

affinity landscape recently took on 3 new commercial sites for leading property management companies.

Selected for the ability to provide a full range of services, it increases the company's presence in the key M3 / M4 & M23 corridors.

Services provided range from regular grounds care, through to lawn care and finally winter gritting.

More news to follow.....

February 2008

Top Safety Accreditation for affinity landscapes

affinity landscape is one of the latest in a group of successful companies to join a leading edge scheme, designed to help industry improve its safety record. The Farnham, Surrey based firm recently received accreditation from SAFEcontractor, a programme which recognises very high standards of health and safety practise amongst UK contractors.

The company’s application for SAFEcontractor accreditation was driven by the recognition for a uniform standard across the business to deliver a safe working environment for clients, employees and members of the public.

Our goal is to ensure we operate in the in the safest possible environment by the following industry leading health and safety practises. We looked at our options and identified the SAFEcontractor scheme as the industry lead. The team at SAFEcontractor were very, very thorough but supportive during the audit process. Having achieved this accreditation our clients can be sure affinity landscape’s Health and Safety management systems have been independently verified to the highest level said Gary Rees-Keeble, business owner of affinity landscapes.

SAFEcontractor accreditation is expected to enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts and its insurers will view it commitment to safety positively when the company liability policy is up for renewal.

SAFEcontractor is operated by international safety, health and environmental risk management specialists, the National Britannia Group. Currently over eighty major nation-wide businesses, from several key sectors, such as facilities & property management, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors. Although applicable the most sectors, it is particularly relevant for services such as landscape maintenance, building & property maintenance, cleaning, refurbishment or electrical & mechanical work.

James Ostler, Managing Director of information Service at National Britannia said ‘ Major organisations can no longer run the risk of employing contractors who are not able t prove that they have sound health and safety policies.’ ‘More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that affinity landscapes has done. The firms high standard has set an example, which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector’ Under the Safeconractor system, businesses undergo a vetting process, which examines health and safety procedures and their track record for safe practise. Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users only via a website, www.safecontractor.com

Employer-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the database, which enables them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. These employers agree that, as users of the scheme, they will engage only those who have received accreditation.

affinity landscapes believe this accreditation, along with the ‘Buy with Confidence’ scheme, will further strengthen the reputation of the company and the services it provides.

January 2007

affinity landscapes centralises its operation.

affinity landscapes, a leading commercial and residential landscape service provider in Surrey, Hampshire and south east Berkshire, has centralised it operations into a new location conventiently placed for access to the A31/A331/A3/M3 routes.

Owner, Gary Rees-Keeble, said "We have established ourselves in terms of reputation and exllecent service so it seemed natrual to bring all our equipment and supplies into one location, providing capacity for our continued expansion. We are pleased to find a location that is both central and convenient along with a secure environment. Our new base provides storage, office capabilites and staff factilites".

"We felt it was the right time to move. The additional space allows us to invest in machinery with the resultant improvement in services to our clients"

Spring 2006

affinity landscapes implements class leading Qxpress scheduling software for field service companies using Quickbooks Accounts packages.

“We are pleased to implement QXpress into our company.  Our ambition was to find an existing product that already solved our business problem - we didn't want to reinvent the wheel.  We went looking for a product that would eliminate double entry, decrease the chance of errors, and put more knowledge in a central system rather than in our heads!  We found QXpress had an easy-to-use interface, perfect QuickBooks integration, and was designed specifically for a company like ours." said Gary Rees-Keeble of affinity landscapes.

 Together with QuickBooks, QXpress helps companies in the field services industries gain operational efficiencies by automating scheduling, job costing, batch invoicing, and contact management.  At its basic level, the system allows companies such as affinity landscapes to schedule service visits for their existing customer list found in QuickBooks accounting software, and when the services are completed send the details back to QuickBooks for invoicing - eliminating several steps of double-entry for office staff.

 'We are very excited to welcome affinity landscapes to the QXpress community', says Paul Jackson of Alocet Incorporated.  'We are encouraged to see QXpress starting to build a presence in the United Kingdom, as more UK firms are looking for established, mature products to integrate with their QuickBooks accounting software.'

 About Alocet Incorporated

Alocet Incorporated, based out of Toronto, Canada, is the leading developer of accounting add-ons for the field services industry.  Its flagship product, QXpress Scheduling Software, is used by over 2000 QuickBooks-using business across the USA, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Visit www.qxpress.com for more information.

January 2006

affinity landscapes expands gritting services.

With the recent weather forecasts indicating a severe winter, affinity landscapes is again offering the service to commercial clients to provide, maintain and spread rock salt grit in times of icy weather, including the supply of suitable fully stocked Grit Bins.

We use the very best products and automated spreaders to ensure thorough and cost effective coverage for access roads, car parks and pedestrian walkways.

For existing clients, these services can be added to your normal maintenance contract or alternatively as an ‘on-demand’ service.

For new clients, we can provide these services on a one-off or on demand basis

Summer 2005

affinity landscapes approved by Surrey Trading Standards for their

 Buy With Confidence scheme.

This scheme provides consumers with an easily accessible list of traders approved and vetted by Surrey Trading Standards.

The vetting process is very thorough and acceptance is not guaranteed. Careful checks are made to make sure businesses can maintain high standards, with references taken up and Criminal Records Bureau checks on staff members.

Trading Standards officer Peter Denard said,   "Buy With Confidence is a major step forward in our fight against rogue traders.  By vetting members we will provide a list of approved trusted traders to Surrey consumers, and help allay the fears often associated with building and repair work around the home".

The proprietor of affinity landscapes added,  "We are among the first batch of businesses to pass this scheme. I think it is of great benefit to my business, my clients and the industry".