Your response Looking after staff and clients Collections and enforcement agencies in the UK are on the front line of businesses affected by social distancing measures. The inability to undertake visits and inspections safely is a unique challenge, creating great uncertainty for many employees, businesses, clients, customers and local authorities. But some agencies are successfully managing business continuity throughout the pandemic, thanks in part Sharing stories, building communities This feature was put together on 9 April. More stories have continued to arrive. We read every one and will be saving them for a future round-up, so do keep sending them over. We appreciate that these are challenging times for many of you. If youd like to share your experience of it to help others, please get in touch. Wed also like to celebrate any positives, such as an individual or a team who have dealt with the situation with courage and a smile, or a company giving support through additional training or wellbeing help. Send your photos and stories to editor@britishparking.co.uk to investment in innovative technology systems and a model of direct employment. For example, all of Bristow & Sutors enforcement agents have been furloughed on full pay receiving 80 per cent from the government and 20 per cent topped up by the company. They continue to receive training and certification, so they will be ready to work as soon as it is announced safe to do so. Andy Rose, CEO at Bristow & Sutor, said: It is my hope, and prediction, that all enforcement agencies will adopt a directly employed model in the nottoo-distant future. It is our committed intention to protect our workforce, ensure the safety of the vulnerable in our community, and work with all partners and customers through this unprecedented situation. Delivering essentials Many frontline parking staff have taken on other roles to help in their communities. CEOs have been delivering food to vulnerable people who are selfisolating, while other teams have been helping with the delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the healthcare sector and getting laptops to other key workers where needed. Our parking enforcement team has been delivering PPE to community hospitals and health and social care facilities, said Lorna Hogg, parking officer at Aberdeenshire Council. They are also delivering laptops to key workers in the council and the health and social partnership of which the council is a part. RDM Group, the parent company of Aurrigo better known for its work on autonomous vehicles posted a request for help to respond to the governments call for support in the production and supply of ventilators. The business was inundated with responses, from people among its supply chain partners to individuals volunteering their time. The engineering team has been working 24/7 to get a prototype together. Ballast Nedam Parking has also been pushing on with building three new car parks for NHS staff, amounting to an extra 500 spaces. To find out more, see our interview with its UK managing director, Russell Simmons, on pages 25-26. B PA support for members can be found at britishparking.co.uk/ COVID-19---advice-for-members *In England and Wales. In Scotland, this was recommended by government, rather than mandated ** See nhs-freeparking.co.uk *** F ind out more at parkingenquiries@aparking.co.uk 12 britishparking.co.uk PN May20 pp10-13 your Response.indd 12 23/04/2020 12:44