Scheme News http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/ Scheme News Copyright Dulux Select Decorators en-GB Mental Health First Aiders Contact Details Earlier this year, we asked for members to nominate themselves as Mental Health Advocates and complete training as a Mental Health First Aider. This initiative has been designed to address the industry-wide challenge of providing support for those struggling with their mental health and providing… https://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/scheme-news/mental-health-first-aiders-contact-details/ http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/44001.aspx Tue, 06 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT Earlier this year, we asked for members to nominate themselves as Mental Health Advocates and complete training as a Mental Health First Aider.
This initiative has been designed to address the industry-wide challenge of providing support for those struggling with their mental health and providing access to others where they can turn to for help and advice.
While these members have completed their Mental First Aid Training and are a great first step, they will also assist you in gaining more formal support and directing you to what’s available should you need it.
Please be assured that all your contacts with these individuals are in confidence and will not be shared within the scheme or to the Dulux Select team.
Don’t suffer in silence, your physical and mental wellbeing is important to us.


Mental Health Ambassador Contact Details
John Green
07855 787 406
john@johngreendecor.co.uk

Georgie Baker
07771 923 764
georgiebaker@live.co.uk

Rachel Bates
07949 087 913
Rachel@batesandmisons.co.uk

Rob Whyte
07785 902 984
robertwhyte682@btinternet.com

Darren Whitfield
07725 417 562
darrenwhitfield@me.com

Matt Shopper
07930 463 662
matt@chameleondecorating.co.uk

David Barrett
07891 964 989
David@davidbarrettdecorating.co.uk

Belinda Halpenny
07854408573
bee_halpenny@yahoo.co.uk

Sean Kelly
07802 440 314
sean.kelly68@btinternet.com

Steve Trebilcook
07880 325 636
refreshnow@live.com

Sam Costa
07957 979 004
info@costadecoration.co.uk

Rose Morris
07814 933 210
stephshowhomes@btinternet.com

David Cooper
07711 160 858
davidandclaire@ntlworld.com

Trevor Mangan
07532 778 861
tmangan@gmx.com

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Supporting each other on the issue of mental health Our Mental Health First Aiders are supporting scheme members who could be affected by mental health challenges. Steve and Rachel share their stories of what drove them to get involved in supporting others within the scheme. https://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/scheme-news/meet-some-of-our-mental-health-first-aiders/ http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/43996.aspx Tue, 06 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT Our Mental Health First Aiders are supporting scheme members who could be affected by mental health challenges.

Meet some of the scheme members who’ve taken the course...

Steve Trebilcook, owner of Refresh Property Services in Dartford, took the course after seeing the effects mental illness can have on his loved ones.

He said: “Mental health is an illness very close to my heart. Having a partner that has suffered from depression along with other family members and friends I felt that the opportunity Dulux Select Decorators offered me was one not to be missed.

“Mental health affects many in different ways from mild to severe to life threatening all of which have signs that as humans we completely ignore. We all have busy lives to lead and have our own stresses to combat - daily. This course allowed me to give the time to focus on those signs and with the trainers assistance I was able to gain an understanding of what those signs represent.

“There are many warning signs and at times more than one presents itself. So being shown what to look for and how we can ‘get help’ is without doubt a huge benefit to not just me but those who require that assistance.

“From a personal experience my mother and partner both suffered from Post Natal Depression. This has helped me to come to terms with some personal issues I encountered and has also helped me to better understand what others have to endure.

“This course for me was the biggest ‘eye opener’ and allowed me to reflect positively on past life experiences and aim my focus on the present working for a better future.”

Rachel Bates, owner of Bates and Misons, attended the course in February.

Rachel, from Somerset, took the course in memory of her own dad Trevor who took his own life.

She said: “Mental health in the construction industry has been highlighted in recent years as having some of the highest number of suicides compared to other professions.

“Dulux has acknowledged the importance of first aid training in the workplace by also offering training to the Dulux Select Decorators who work on sites.

“I have to say 100% credit where credit is due here and big thanks to Dulux and the Select Decorators team for organising such an important training course.

“This course I undertook in memory of the man that loved me first and held my hand and my heart long before any child or boyfriend had their chance. This one I did for my dad.”

If you need someone to talk to at any time, reach out to one of our first aiders.

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Dulux Supporting the Trade in 2020 Its incredibly important to the team here at Akzonobel that we are doing everything we can to help the trade as we move out of COVID times and into the second half of 2020, this has lead to a number of marketing initiatives to get people booking decorators again. https://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/scheme-news/dulux-supporting-the-trade-in-2020/ http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/43836.aspx Fri, 28 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT Des Advert

Its incredibly important to the team here at Akzonobel that we are doing everything we can to help the trade as we move out of COVID times and into the second half of 2020, this has lead to a number of marketing initiatives to get people booking decorators again.

SELECT DECORATORS AD CAMPAIGN

First up, we have launched the Select Decorator ‘Your Home is in Safe Hands’ campaign in magazines as well as online. This campaign is specifically designed to target homeowners who are looking to have work done, and reassure them that is a Dulux Select Decorator will act safely and professionally in their home.

The £50,000 ad campaign has featured in 8 major house and garden magazines as well as being seen by over 3 MILLION people looking at home renovations online. This has resulted in visits to the Select Website increasing to SIX TIMES what it was before the ads went out. Its incredibly important to ensure your profiles are up to date, complete with pictures, skills and great customer feedback. That way they people who are going to the site are more likely to get in contact with you.

Thank you to members Carl Lesh, Des Cass and Steph Howles who featured in the ads online ad helped promote the professionalism of Select Decorators.

DULUX DECORATOR CENTRE SUPPORT

DDC has also done a lot to increase jobs for the trade. With their ‘Backing our Decorators’ campaign, they have shown that they are dedicated to helping painters and decorators get back to work in any way they can.

This included a host of us useful resources including the Workfinder, to connect decorators with jobs that need help. DDC also put together a support box filled with goodies to help get decorators back to work.

DULUX TRADE SUPPORTING THE TRADE

Finally the Dulux Trade Team are working on something big to come in the coming months, designed to support the trade and getting homeowners booking decorators again, watch this space!

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Homeowner Advertising Campaign We are launching a £50,000 advertising campaign designed to show the expertise of a Dulux Select Decorator that will run across two main areas, home improvement magazines and the Internet. https://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/scheme-news/homeowner-advertising-campaign/ http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/43491.aspx Tue, 23 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT It may seem that people are being more frugal than ever with their money at the moment. Many are struggling, but there are also a lot of people who have been working from home as normal, actually saving money because they can’t spend it on leisure activities at the moment. These people are ready to spend money on home improvement, including decorating.

As we come out the other side of lockdown, and people become more comfortable with having tradespeople in their homes, its important that we make sure the Dulux Select Decorator brand is in front of people who are looking to have work done on their house.

What are we doing?
We are launching a £50,000 advertising campaign designed to show the expertise of a Dulux Select Decorator that will run across two main areas, home improvement magazines and the Internet.

Magazine Advertising
We know that people are more likely to purchase home and design magazines when they are considering having work done on their own home (or doing work on their own home). We want to be able to represent Select Decorators as trustworthy experts who will do the best job on a clients home.
Some of the magazines we are going to be marketing in are Ideal Home (which goes out to 320,000 people in the UK) and House Beautiful. People that read these are interested in high end spaces and décor and are more likely to hire a professional than attempt DIY.


Digital Ads
Digital ads are the best way to target people very closely, who are likely to hire a decorator. We can target specifically towards people who are looking for painters, or who are having home improvement work done. We do this by targeting key words they have searched for, or by looking at the types of websites they may be visiting. It also means we can link them DIRECTLY to the Dulux Select Decorator website where they can find a Select Decorator near them, rather than another website where they may get a less experienced decorator.
This is one example of marketing that you may not see, because you aren’t looking for a decorator. It means that every single pound spent goes directly to finding people who are more likely to hire a decorator. This may not seem as exciting as, for example, an ad in the Guardian, but will go a lot further to driving your business.

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National Mental Health Awarness Week This week (18-25th May) is Mental Health Awareness week, the theme this year is Kindness. During this uncertain time its important to remember that everyone is being affected, in different ways, so any act of kindness can make a big difference. https://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/scheme-news/national-mental-health-awareness-week/ http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/43398.aspx Wed, 20 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT MHAW Kindness Launch WEB BANNER V2 2

This week (18-25th May) is Mental Health Awareness week, the theme this year is Kindness. During this uncertain time its important to remember that everyone is being affected, in different ways, so any act of kindness can make a big difference.

Research from the Dulux Academy last year revealed that decorators are amongst the least open trade profession when it comes to discussing mental health, despite 1 in 2 admitting to having been affected at some point in the past 5 years.

 In the survey with 1,000 trade professionals, builders topped the table as most likely to suffer with mental health issues, despite being the most likely to ask for help. In contrast, almost half (45 per cent) of professional painters and decorators wouldn’t be open to asking for support.

Overall, professionals highlighted the rise of mental health issues as a challenge in the industry, with a staggering 84 per cent having experienced the impact of mental health struggles in the job, and 75 per cent admitting to having personally battled with mental health conditions.

That’s why this year we have trained 15 Select Decorators as Mental Health First Aiders, and have now partnered with the Rainy Day Trust to provide support where needed for our members. These initiatives, along with the great community vibe of Select will help us all come out stronger than ever.

Dulux Select Decorators show their #TrueColours by helping communities in lockdown

On a positive note, we are amazed to see how our Dulux Select Decorators are supporting communities across the country through lockdown by lending a helping hand where it’s needed most.

These acts of kindness range from delivering food to the hungry to supporting those with special educational needs.

It’s part of the #TrueColours social movement which celebrates those who are adding colour to people’s lives, especially in times of darkness.

They include Dulux Select Decorator Tony McCawley from the East Midlands. He’s transformed his van into a mobile food truck - delivering supplies to vulnerable members of the community for local charity FareShare.

And there’s Dulux Select Decorator Sean Kelly from Watford. He’s been backing the local OneVision initiative by using his van to ensure those who are vulnerable or isolating don’t go without hot meals.

Meanwhile, in Hull the Dulux Decorator Centre has been supporting local Dulux Select Decorator Glen Wilds. His customer's son Kieron is a devoted Dulux fan who has special educational needs. The staff at the Dulux Decorator Centre have provided him with a host of items including Dulux Decorator Centre t-shirts and a toy Dulux Dog to help him through lockdown.

Vickie Mather said: “We could not be prouder of our Dulux Select Decorators at the moment.

“The Coronavirus outbreak has caused widespread uncertainty and worry across the industry at a time when many have struggled with the effects of mental health problems.

“That’s why it’s so heartwarming to see the efforts of our decorators who are doing all they can to offer support to their communities during this difficult time.”

We’d love to hear more of your stories, share them with us in the Select group or join the #TrueColours Facebook Group to share them with our partners across the industry.

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Congratulations to Des Cass our 2019 Grand Winner! The Grand Winner of the 2019 Dulux Select Decorators Awards has been announced as Des Cass.The Dulux Select Decorators Awards 2019 were held on Tuesday 26th November during the National Painting and Decorating Show celebrating Select Decorators around the UK.Des was revealed as the Grand Winner of… https://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/scheme-news/congratulations-to-des-cass-our-2019-grand-winner/ http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/42490.aspx Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT D Cass

The Grand Winner of the 2019 Dulux Select Decorators Awards has been announced as Des Cass.
The Dulux Select Decorators Awards 2019 were held on Tuesday 26th November during the National Painting and Decorating Show celebrating Select Decorators around the UK.
Des was revealed as the Grand Winner of the awards in recognition of his professional expertise and commitment to continuously exceeding customer expectations with the quality of his work, as well as his dedication to the trade and Select Decorator scheme.
Twelve category winners were also recognised at a new-look gala dinner following the first day of the two-day Painting and Decorating Show.
Decorators packed the venue for drinks, dinner and live entertainment, before Dulux Select Decorators Lead Vickie Mather, and judges Dulux Academy Skills Development Consultants Mark Rigby and Tony Pearson-Young, as well as Dulux Creative Director Marianne Shillingford, took to the stage to announce the winners.
The category winners were announced as:
● Best Newcomer: Jason Whitehead
● Adding Colour to People's Lives: Glen Wilds
● Use of Dulux Colour of the Year: Carl Lesh
● Interior Project under £2,500: Richard Reece
● Interior Project over £2,500: Des Cass
● Sprayed Finish: Aaron Davidson
● Exterior Project: Steph Howles and Rose Morris
● Restoration Project: Jake Neal
● Wallpaper under £1,500: Steph Howles
● Wallpaper over £1,500: Simon Medlin
● Apprentice Mentor: Martin Connor (Highly Commended: Tony McCawley, Steph Howles and Rose Morris)
● Scheme Supporter: Sean Kelly (Highly Commended: Georgie Baker, Peter Clark, Nick Dodge, Steph Howles and Rose Morris)
Overall champion Des, said: “After more than 40 years in the trade, it’s wonderful to be named as this year's grand winner. It was a complete surprise as all the Dulux Select Decorators are incredibly talented, to have my work recognised after decades of dedication and commitment to doing this job to the best of my abilities is the cherry on the cake after a great year for my business.
It’s fantastic to be part of this scheme and having a network of such great peers has been a game changer for me.”
Vickie Mather, Dulux Select Decorator Lead, said: “A huge congratulations to all our winners, they have gone above and beyond for their customers and the Dulux Select Decorators scheme in the last 12 months.
“I was honoured to award our Grand Winner Des, who has been a Dulux Select Decorator for many years. His professional skills combined with his eagerness to get involved with the scheme make him a brilliant ambassador for Dulux Select Decorators.
“We know that being a decorator can quite often be a lonely trade - and there is so much going on behind the scenes running a business that never even gets recognised. The Dulux Select Decorators scheme is all about bringing expert professionals together so that they can lean on each other and learn from one another.
“We decided this year to celebrate the Dulux Select Decorators with a new-look gala awards evening so we could really show our appreciation for all of our decorators, who continually prove that there is an exceptional amount of expertise in the decorating trade.
“It was fantastic to just take a moment to reflect on the hard work and dedication these people give the painting and decorating trade - as well as recognising those that go above and beyond in providing exceptional craftsmanship.
‘’It was also great to share the evening with our trusted suppliers, who’s generosity allowed us to raise over £1,000 for charity.”

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2019 Annual Awards Gala Dinner 26th November - Legends Lounge, Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Join us and other Dulux Select Decorators, their guests, members of the AkzoNobel team and our trusted supplier partners for an evening to celebrate our 2019 Awards. Tickets £35 and available now. https://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/blog/scheme-news/2019-annual-awards-gala-dinner/ http://www.duluxselectdecorators.co.uk/41215.aspx Wed, 23 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT Dulux Select Decorators Awards 2019 Horizontal

It's been a busy year and what better way to end it than a Gala Dinner to celebrate the winners of the Dulux Select Decorators 2019 Annual Awards.

 

We’ve updated the categories including some new areas, upweighted the prizes and are currently planning to celebrate the achievements of those shortlisted in style!

 

In order to upweight and attract as many Dulux Select members as possible we are hosting our 2019 Dulux Select Awards in the Legends Lounge at the Ricoh Arena on the evening of the 26th November to coincide with the Painting & Decorating Show.

 

We've extended our invites to include some of our trusted supplier partners who have all supported the scheme over the year and who have donated prizes for a charity raffle on the night.

 

Members who have entered this years awards will receive a complementary ticket.

 

Tickets are £35 for you and any guests you wish to bring along. Tickets include pre-dinner drinks, 3-course meal, drinks tokens and entertainment.

 

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