In March 2015, the highly acclaimed artist Stephen Wiltshire was commissioned by Head Teacher, Jude Ragan OBE, Queensmill School, to draw their new building.

Stephen Wiltshire is an artist who draws and paints detailed cityscapes and was awarded an MBE for services to the art world in 2006. Aged three, he was diagnosed as autistic and from the age of five attended Queensmill School on its previous site, where it was noticed that the only pastime he enjoyed was drawing.

Queensmill school provides outstanding provision for children and young people with autism, as rated by Ofsted in October 2014.

The school was designed by 3BM’s Lead Architect Nick Rogers, ARB,RIBA. 3BM were appointed to design and project manage the delivery of the new purpose-built specialist autistic school and respite centre, from inception through to completion.

Stephen presented the original drawing to Jude, where it hangs with pride of place in the reception.

Public Service Mutual of the Year Award is endorsed by the Cabinet Office, and is to celebrate the most impressive groups of employees to have ‘spun out’ of the public sector into an employee-led mutual organisation, and who are showing progress in transforming the service to improve outcomes for their users. We are delighted to have been awarded Highly Commended in this key category.

The Philip Baxendale Awards are the UK’s only dedicated celebration of excellence in employee ownership and are now in their eighth year. Named after Philip Baxendale, a pioneer for the employee-owned movement, the awards provide a platform for celebrating what is increasingly recognised as a better way of doing business. The seven award categories cover the positive outcomes often seen in mutual ownership including employee engagement, innovation and productivity, and are relevant to organisations in the private sector, and those which have “spun out” of the public sector.
3BM have been short-listed (again), in the Public Service Mutual of the Year Award. This award, endorsed by the Cabinet Office, is to celebrate the most impressive group of employees to have spun out of the public sector into an employee-led mutual organisation, and who are showing progress in transforming the service to improve outcomes for their users.

3BM today took part in the annual Coffee Morning. We held a bake off, ran a tuck shop and held two sweep stakes. A fun morning was had by all and we raised in excess of £430.00. The event was so well received that we have registered to take part again next year.

See our photos of the event:

I first started at 3BM over a year ago on September 23rd 2013. In that short amount of time I have learnt so many new things and gained so much experience. 3BM have enabled me to attend Word and Excel courses to help me improve my skills. I have also been able to do SIMS core and personnel training which has then enabled me to work in a different department and even visiting some schools we support to input data.

All of this has helped me build my confidence. As well as SIMS I have also had the opportunity to work in the 3BM Finance Team which has given me experience in invoicing and payments.

I have been able to work alongside the Managing Director which has taught me lots of new things about businesses and working. My Manager is Head of Marketing and therefore I have learnt new things about that and have been able to help on some projects and exhibitions. All of this has enabled me to learn new things every day.

The Apprenticeship Programme

When I first started in September 2013, I was originally doing an NVQ Level 2 in Business and Administration, but with the help and encouragement of my Line Manager, I progressed to a Level 3 Diploma, which I passed in January 2015. All of the experience working here has helped me with the coursework and units such as minute taking, ordering and organising business travel.

I came to 3BM via the Apprenticeship scheme at Middleton Murray and am very happy that in December 2014, I was awarded Apprentice of the Month.
Overall

Overall I believe an apprenticeship programme was the best option for me. It has been a learning curve and I have learnt so many new things here. My confidence and experience have all improved since working here. I have been very lucky to start my career in an environment which has allowed me to explore all working teams and to work closely with my manager who has helped and supported the journey through the apprenticeship programme. I definitely don’t think I would have been able to learn this much had I not been working for 3BM.

Following the success of my apprenticeship, I am now a full time, permanent Partner within 3BM.

Michelle Dawson
3BM’s first Apprentice

3BM and EPIC, came together for a joint ‘practice sharing’ breakfast event to mark the second Annual Employee Owners Day.

For more information about Employee Ownership see:

http://employeeownership.co.uk/news/events/4714-eo-day-2014/

3BM have been shortlisted in the Workforce Transformation category at the 2014 MJ Achievement Awards.

The Workforce Transformation award recognises an engaged workforce which has been through a major service transformation and delivered improved services for customers.

The Awards will take place on 19 June at the Park Lane Hilton, London.

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, highlighted our progress at the Robert Oakeshotte Memorial lecture last week.  He talked about a number of successful mutual’s that had set up over the last year.

“Spinouts are winning new business – and winning new business fast. …3BM in London increased their business by over 25% in their first year as a mutual”.

http://mutuals.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/what-support-available

The Head of the Civil Service, Department for Communities and Local Government, Sir Bob Kerslake, visited 3BM as part of his research into the Government’s Mutuals Programme.  He concluded: “Perhaps the key benefit of the mutual model is that it enables entrepreneurial public sector staff to combine their passion for public service with more scope to improve delivery. It was fascinating to learn more about the Programme first-hand from the people who work on the front-line – four days later and I still feel buoyed by their optimism.”

See Sir Bob Kerslake’s blog for further information: https://bobkerslake.blog.gov.uk/

Patrick Lewis, Director of Partnership Services for John Lewis, has been appointed as the Non-Executive Chair of Trustees for 3BM, the first mutual joint venture to spin out of local Government, which provides a range of services to schools and strategic services to Local Authorities.

3BM, officially launched in April this year at Hammersmith Town Hall by Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, was created by staff from three London boroughs, Hammersmith & Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and City of Westminster. All 3BM employees are shareholders, along with Prospects, the education, employment and training company. Prospects, which has been employee owned since 2011 and is one of the largest public service mutual companies, was chosen in a competitive dialogue process.

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