Further to the recent Call for Nominations for the Association-wide Elections, I am pleased to announce the following;

The BAR Online Election will take place on Monday 8th March 2021 – Friday 12th March 2021, closing at 16.00 to determine the successful candidates, for BAR Board of Directors and Young Movers Group Council. Please read below individual candidates applications for the positions.

The principal of each BAR Member will receive an email containing a link to the Online Election. This process forms an important part of the democratic structure of the Association, therefore, please can I encourage all Members to participate by casting your vote. Members are reminded that the Election is based on a ‘One Member, One Vote’ basis. The results will be announced on Monday 15th March 2021.

BAR Board of Directors – 1 x Directly Elected Director (DED)

David Appleyard – Britannia Appleyards of South Yorkshire

I have been involved with the family business from a very early age. Officially starting full time 22 years ago as a porter and working my way up to driving class one. 16 years of my time were spent on the road, mostly somewhere in Europe. Six years ago, my Dad suddenly decided on a Monday morning that would be his last day, so overnight my job role changed.

I am now jointly responsible for running the company, doing the surveys and organising our European schedules. I occasionally get to still go out on the trucks with the occasional European run thrown in. I wanted to write that mainly happens on Mondays and Fridays, I am sure some other operators can relate to that.

Summary of qualifications, interests and aims:
Trained in Health and Safety, Manual Handling Trainer, First Aider (wouldn’t want to put it to the test), CPC holder, Failed BAR estimating exam twice (had to include it).

I would like to join the Board in order to try and point us in the right direction, so that the moving industry has a sustainable future for when or even if my children decide to join the business. I understand Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Chris Smallwood – Anchor Removals Ltd

I have spent 30 years in the removals industry, starting as an entry level operative and progressing through all the ranks to become a Managing Director and owner in 2008. Most of my career has been within the Britannia group of companies. I have served as National Council Chairman, BAR services NED, BAR NED (Board member). In 2019, I became a member of IOSH and attained the IGC levels 1, 2 and 3 certification for health and safety.

I previously served on the Board and didn’t feel I did myself or the Association justice, largely due to personal circumstances. I want to support the Association and promote change within the industry, engaging with those that are both Members and non-members of the Association, in the hope of creating strong bonds across the whole industry.

I serve on the Salford Living Wage City Task Group and Greater Manchester Poverty Action Support Network. As a Living Wage Champion, I support the promotion of better wages and working conditions for all staff within the sector.

Certificate of Removals Estimating 1993
Ordinary Certificate of Removals Management 1994
Higher Certificate of Removals Management 1994
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Growth Programme 2015
NEBOSH International General Certificate 2017

Steve Webber – Maidmans Moving & Storage Ltd

I have been involved in the removal industry for over 38 years, starting on the lorries as a porter then as an HGV Driver before moving into the office and covering just about every role in between including being a CPC Holder. I have covered Domestic Moving, Commercial Moving, European Moving and Overseas as well as dipping my toe into Self Storage.

I am currently the Chairman of the Southern Area for the last four years and have just completed a two-year term of office as the CMG Chairman and I have been on the CMG Council for approximately 5 years. In my time, I have been involved with the South Western Area, Western Area and Southern area as well as working at various offices throughout the country.

Having just completed my two year Chairmanship of the CMG, it has given me a real insight into the workings of the Association and also the hard work and effort that goes on behind the scenes by the Board members. I would very much like to continue this work as it’s an ever changing and evolving scene that I honestly feel that I can add to.

I have a passionate belief in the removals industry and the BAR as a whole. I see my role to be one of support, guidance and also an avenue for Members to not only discuss any problems or concerns. But to also receive answers, suggestions and support. I see that the industry is going through a vitally import stage of evolution and encouraging new members as well as the young movers is the way that we should be heading. I also believe that current Members should be made to feel valued and appreciated as we have a vast ocean of knowledge contained within the Association which can be tapped into.

I have made many lifelong friends over the years and feel that through my rounded knowledge of the workings of the Association and that having worked throughout the country, I feel that I can appreciate problems and present any questions in a balanced and understanding way whilst defending the integrity and values of the BAR.

Young Mover Group Council – 2 x positions

Jordon Bignell – Britannia Quickmove

I am 27 year old ‘removal veteran’ in that I have been in the industry about 10 years! I began my career as an apprentice, where I learned all the different parts of the trade from working on the trucks, to operations and estimating. This culminated in me buying the business and ultimately running it alongside my wife.

In my personal life, when I am not working, I can be found with a coffee and a good book. I enjoy travelling around the world and within the UK and am likely to be found on these trips nursing an alcoholic beverage.

Working in this industry at every level has helped me develop a strong and insightful philosophy in my approach to the industry. I endeavour to progress my knowledge consistently whilst further understanding removals and storage within the wider sections of sociological and political climate.

As an industry and group, we look to develop removals and storage for the betterment of all sections of society, this is something I have always personally been driven to do. I look to drive not only my business, but those businesses around me forward. I believe this gives me a different viewpoint on many things in the industry, as I am sure a lot of the Western Area can attest to.

I am a firm believer in investing in and developing younger and ambitious people. The BAR Young Movers are a group set up to help further develop young people within the industry and give them a voice, as well as a way to network and meet other young people in the industry. I like to consider myself a key proponent of this principle and want to assist and develop people like myself who are looking to have their own voice heard within the industry.

Jess Clark –  Clark’s of Amersham

I joined Clarks in 2011 to assist with general office administration and since then have progressed within the logistical and operational areas of the business to overseeing the storage and warehousing side, whilst also being involved in the booking and administration of the removals side.

My parents started the business in 1993 with my father remaining now as MD. Recently to further enhance the efficiency of the warehousing and our commercial deliveries, I developed a bespoke scanning and tracking software that is now in full use within all 3 of our warehouses. I continue to be a forward thinker in how technical advances in our operations can save time and improve service.

Having been educated to A level standard my interest was always to not go onto higher education but to gain practical experience within the business and contribute to the company’s success through hard work and endeavour.

I would like to join the Board to help my personal development within the industry and help shape and influence the future of the BAR.

Mike Fox – Fox Group (Moving & Storage) Ltd

I have been involved in the industry from a very young age however, since attending university I was fortunate enough to work outside of the family business in different fields. Whilst initially working in finance, which led to a management position in hospitality, I have understood the service demands of different industries.

I have since work in in the moving and storage industry for 5 years managing different operations within Fox Group. I was appointed Branch Manager at our Head Office facility in South Wales in 2019, which operates 12 vehicles and has a storage facility of 340 containers and 12000 sqft of self-storage space. In December 2020, I was appointed as Director.

Qualifications:
A Levels: A History, A Physical Education, B Law
Certificate of Higher Education in Applied Psychology
BSC in Police Science Services and Criminal Law.
International Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence

In my spare time I tend to use physical activity as a tool to press the reset button. In recent times, I have completed several ultra-marathons including a 230km self-sufficient run, which took me across the plains of Kenya at temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. In 2016, I climbed Mount Stanley, successfully summiting Margherita Peak at an altitude of 16,761ft.

Tommy McNee – Guardian Moving & Storage Ltd

Been in industry since school summer holidays, joined as a porter and worked my way to Commercial Manager.

Joined Guardian in 2015 and worked from HGV driver to Manager in 2 years, love everything the BAR stand for and have pushed to be involved ever since.

I would like to become a Director within the next 3 years.

I am CPC qualified and competent in transport planning, in sales, in management including ensuring the business is profitable.

I am extremely keen to push and spread the BAR ethos of quality to a bigger and wider audience.

I have other interest such as my own podcast, my community Facebook Groups and would like to use my own personal network to introduce into the BAR network as well as continue to offer a programme that is worthy of Individual Membership.

Kieran Stansbury– Roberts & Denny’s (London) Ltd

The removals industry has always had a place in my heart as it was the first job I got working for Robert & Denny’s. I signed a 2 day a week contract at Roberts & Denny’s, but I always strove for more. Therefore, I have done what I could to get my driving licence and started then driving the 3.5-ton vehicles and being trained up as a surveyor. I have now progressed to Operations Manager at the age of 23 which I am now training to complete my Operators Licence and Class 2 Licence to progress further and further my knowledge.

I have undertaken a few BAR qualifications in the Fragile & Packing Course, the Estimating Course as well as using a lot of the tools on the Members area. Since I championed the process of our company joining BAR.

Throughout my life I strove for more knowledge and the ability to make a change therefore I took on the challenge of becoming the new Operations Manager. Just after the March 2020 lockdown, a tough test to start off with, but we have overcome in bringing new faces into our company and always pushing and looking to grow. As well as the challenge of Brexit more recently and the Stamp Duty Holiday. I have aimed to create a kind and generous ethos around the workers even pushing to start bringing in some female workers into the workforce which can be challenging in this industry, but it shows the diversity we have and what we plan on being like going forward as a company.

I am 24 years old and hope to bring a fresh look at the removals industry, by not only learning myself but assisting in modernising the industry and help technology guide and assist us all going forward.

Justin Yates – JamVans

I am 28, enjoy skiing, swimming, dog walks. Main interests are F1 and reading about entrepreneurship. Live in Hertfordshire.

Started a removals and storage company after completing A-levels in 2010. Co-founded the business with best friend from school. 10 years later have grown the business to a 7-figure turnover, with an additional brand created in 2019 – Williams & Yates.

My career is focused mainly on how to scale the business at a sustainable rate, looking at new sectors, like our more recent ventures into international shipping. I also focus on problem solving and the implementation of new processes and procedures.

12 GCSES – A to C
4 AS/A2 Levels

I would like to join to express my ideas on how we work together to continuously improve the image of the removals industry. It is my desire for it to more widely recognised as a skilled trade like one would value a plumber. I think with more regulation and collaborative work we get it there.

Also I would like to surround myself with others in the industry to get ideas from them to also aid the growth of my own business, building trade relationships.

I am most interested in implementation of ideas following the discovery of an area of improvement.