HIGH WYCOMBE BUSINESS INVESTS £0.5M IN THE UK’S LARGEST VAN CENTRE

A prominent High Wycombe business has invested half a million pounds in a state-of-the-art centre in the town.

Vehicle retailer group, Citygate, will move its Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles site to the new premises on Holtspur Lane in Wooburn Green.

The new 2,500m² centre will be the largest Volkswagen Commercial Centre and only the second lifestyle centre in the UK and will include a six vehicle showroom, seven bay workshop and dedicated MOT bay, with the potential to create new jobs next year.

Previously the business had been located at Citygate’s Volkswagen cars site on London Road, but due to an increase in business demand, required larger premises.

Citygate Volkswagen Van Centre’s brand manager, Mark Hudson, said: “This investment demonstrates our commitment to providing businesses and van drivers in Buckinghamshire with the highest standard Volkswagen facility.

“After four successful years based on London Road, this is now an exciting time for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

“The new showroom has a contemporary design in line with Volkswagen’s new corporate identity, allowing customers to view the full range of Volkswagen commercial and lifestyle vehicles including the California campervan models, in a friendly and relaxed environment.

“We are looking forward to seeing customers, both old and new, at the new premises and which will now be able to offer Class 7 MOTs because of the new and improved workshop facilities.”

Citygate Automotive group is Buckinghamshire’s largest car retailing group with seven sites across the region, employing 350 people.

EXCLUSIVE CLUB FOR STOCKPORT DUO

A Stockport retailer is celebrating as two of its staff join an exclusive club after being recognised for their outstanding services to the automotive industry.

Lily Heeley and Steve Simcock were presented with Volkswagen Gold Pins for exceptional and long service to the brand, at a recent ceremony in London.

The Volkswagen Gold Pin is the highest international accolade given by the brand to individuals. Only about 20 people are awarded the Gold Pin every year.

The duo have together served 50 years with Volkswagen and at Smith Knight Fay in Stockport, having both started as apprentices in 1986.

Lily, (41) from Stockport, is the new vehicle supply manager, while Steve, (41) from Hazel Grove, is the retailer’s master technician.

“I’m thrilled to have been awarded a Gold Pin, it’s a huge honour to be recognised by Volkswagen UK, said Lily.

“Both Steve and I started on apprenticeship schemes at the same time and it’s great to be sharing this success with him.”

Steve added: “I thoroughly enjoy my job and couldn’t have achieved this without the support of my colleagues.”

Smith Knight Fay Volkswagen’s brand manager, Paul Colman-Smith, said: “I am very proud to have two colleagues awarded a Gold Pin in the same year, it’s an exceptional achievement and my congratulations go to both Lily and Steve.

“I am delighted that their long service and high calibre of performance has been recognised nationally.”

£1M REFURB FOR CREWE BUSINESS

A prominent Crewe business has invested £1m in a state-of-the-art premises in the town.

Work has already started at transforming the current Crewe Volkswagen building and is expected to be completed in February, with the aim of creating new jobs in the future.

The refurbishment will see the showroom increase from seven cars to eleven and an extra two ramps in the workshop.

Crewe Volkswagen’s brand manager, Ben Gilbert, said: “This investment demonstrates our commitment to providing motorists in Crewe and south Cheshire with the highest standard of Volkswagen facility.

“The refurbishment will take place in four phases to ensure disruption for customers is kept to a minimum.”

Among the major changes is the addition of a diagnostics bay in the workshop which allows customers to view work being carried out on their car. It also allows direct contact with the technician working on their vehicle.

Ben continued: “The new diagnostics bay is one of the first in the UK and provides a facility that gives customers one-on-one contact with technicians to discuss anything about their car.

“This new approach is designed to showcase the amount of technical know-how our technicians need to be able work on cars in the 21st century and give some indication on how the workshop operates.

“The new showroom has a contemporary design in line with Volkswagen’s new corporate identity, allowing customers to view the full range of Volkswagen passengers cars, including the new Golf cabriolet, in a friendly and relaxed environment.”

HiQ tickled pink by Silverstone supporters' generosity

The HiQ fast fit network is well and truly tickled pink with fans of the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship, whose clamour for official memorabilia helped raise £6,000 for Breast Cancer Care.

For the third time this season, the Teams’ Championship sponsors parked up their eye-catching pink stand on the outfield and watched as the crowds flocked to pick up HiQ hats, large foam spanners and all number of T-shirts and goody bags.

The HiQ team, together with the pink ladies and special guest Beverley Edwards - who won HiQ’s national grid girl competition - managed to boost the championship total to more than £15,000 for the season.

In the process, HiQ smashed the £80,000 mark for Breast Cancer Care since partnering with the charity in 2009.

HiQ retail marketing manager Geraldine McGovern, said: “We have enjoyed a fantastic season of fundraising and it is with thanks to everyone involved that we have raised so much.

“There was a great atmosphere at Silverstone with fans going above and beyond to donate to Breast Cancer Care, a charity very close to everyone’s hearts.

“Fifteen thousand pounds is an incredible amount to raise over the season and we are proud to have totalled over £80,000 through various fundraising initiatives applied through our project pink programme.

“We are continuing with our sponsorship and charity partnership in 2012 so we look forward to continuing in our fundraising and turning the grids pink once again.”

For more information about HiQ’s project pink programme, please visit www.hiqonline.co.uk/projectpink

EXCLUSIVE APPRENTICESHIP FOR COLTISHALL TEENAGER

A young motor enthusiast from Coltishall has embarked on an exclusive three-year training programme with the aim of becoming the best in the business.

Seventeen-year-old Sean Rose, has been accepted by Norwich’s Volkswagen Van Centre, Robinsons, as the latest recruit on the technician apprenticeship scheme.

Over the next three years Robinsons Van Centre will invest nearly £40,000 to train Sean through to technician status.

The dedicated apprentice successfully completed a motor mechanics course at City College Norwich to increase his automotive knowledge and employment opportunities and is now looking forward to achieving his ambition of working in the motor industry.

He said: “I am very pleased to have secured my apprenticeship and grateful to Robinsons Van Centre for giving me this chance.

“My uncle was a car mechanic and I believe this started my passion for the motor industry. Alongside the apprenticeship I will be utilising my new skills to renovate an old car I have recently bought.”

Robinson Van Centre’s service manager, Steve Scott, said: “Sean demonstrated great enthusiasm for the industry and this is one of the main reasons why he’s been given the place on the apprenticeship programme.

“We are confident he will come through the three years with flying colours.”

For more information contact Sue Foster on 01902 714 957 or email sue@connect-group.com.

Top trio’s trip to international headquarters

An Exeter business has rewarded three of its employees with a trip to Germany after they all qualified from a national training programme.

The trio from Mann Egerton Volkswagen visited the manufacturer’s global factory in Wolfsburg during the visit following the demanding qualifications with the Volkswagen Academy.

Phil Perry from Exeter recently gained his sales specialist status after three years of training. The 31-year-old has spent all his working life in the motor industry, six of which have been at Mann Egerton Volkswagen.

He was joined in Germany by Jonathan Eastment, from Brixham, and Gavin Viney from Newton Abbott, who also qualified as sales specialists after completing the programme, which included customer service and product training, along with both written and practical tests.

Commenting on the trip Phil said: “I’m very grateful to Mann Egerton Volkswagen for giving me the opportunity to visit the impressive headquarters in Wolfsburg.

“The factory visit was a fantastic way to commemorate completing our training. We felt very privileged to walk around the site and enjoyed the celebratory presentation dinner.”

Mann Egerton Volkswagen’s brand manager, Paul Beazley, said: “Jonathan, Phil and Gavin worked very hard to gain their qualifications and it was fantastic to be able to reward them for their efforts.

"We are very lucky to have professionals of their calibre within our team."

Managing director gets back in the saddle for charity

A West Midlands managing director has completed a sponsored bike ride, raising £1,200 for a children’s charity.

Andrew Hockedy, who manages Trust Group UK which has three Volkswagen sites in Redditch, Wolverhampton and Stourbridge, cycled 100 kilometres for Action Medical Research.

The 49-year-old, who is based at Wolverhampton Volkswagen, took part in the organised Warwick 100 ride around the Warwickshire countryside, to help raise awareness of the leading UK-wide medical research charity dedicated to helping babies and children.

Speaking of the ride, Andrew, said: “It was certainly a tough challenge but one I relished.

“I was a keen cyclist when I was younger and even rode 1,500 mile of my own Tour de France route, but I hadn’t been on a bike in years.

“The charity ride has revived my passion for the saddle so much so that I have committed to three further races for Action Medical Research.

“I am very grateful to all sponsors and aim to double my donation total over the forthcoming rides.”

Andrew plans to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats next year to raise further funds for Action Medical Research.