Author: Louise Parkes

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New Co-Branded Travel Cups with Brett Martin!

Our new co-branded travel cups in partnership with Brett Martin are here. With the colder months around the corner, we have the perfect solution for landscapers and builders wanting to keeping your favourite drinks warm while on-the-go.

Our new cups feature a unique design that showcases both the Collier & Catchpole and Brett Martin brands, a symbol of our strong partnership

Thanks to Brett Martin’s support, we are excited to offer our new travel cups free of charge to our customers, while stocks last. Simply visit us in-store to collect your cup.

cups
cups
brett martin cups

About Brett Martin

“Well-designed drainage products and layouts are known to have a massive impact in creating healthy and sustainable environments within which we all live, work and play.

Designed to last a lifetime our products help to create better environments for us all. Our underground drainage systems are designed to provide the installer with maximum choice, flexibility, ease of installation and long-term reliability.

Founded in 1958, we remain a family business dedicated to continued growth with our original values still core to everything we do. Our people are the force behind Brett Martin and their vast experience across every function in the business drives this team to meet the ever changing needs of our customers.

Driven by these values we are working together to develop new ideas, enhancing the products and services we offer to markets around the world”

Here’s to hot drinks on-the-go this winter with Collier & Catchpole and Brett Martin! Free coffee and Hot Chocolate available in-store, Colchester, Lawford and Ipswich ✨

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Guess the Eggs Easter Competition

Our latest in-store competition at Collier & Catchpole was all about guessing — and chocolate! We launched our “Guess the Eggs“ game, where customers had the chance to win a giant bespoke chocolate egg, one for each branch.

guess the eggs
guess the eggs

Guess The Eggs! The big reveal — there were exactly 70 mini eggs in the jar! We received a fantastic range of guesses, but a few lucky winners came closest to the mark and took home their bespoke chocolate egg.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and had a laugh making predictions.

Thanks again for your support, and enjoy your chocolate eggs, winners! Keep an eye on our socials and in-store for future challenges.

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Racing Ahead: An Exclusive Interview with Jessica Fitch-Hall

To commemorate a year since we first met Jessica Fitch-Hall, Female racing driver, British Kart Racing Driver, Formula Ford Race Driver for Fern GP, we took some time to reflect on her racing career, so far.

Jessica’s ambition and success remind us how important it is to support young talent within our communities, especially when they are breaking new ground. Growing up in a family passionate about motorbikes and cars, she was drawn not only to the high-speed excitement of racing but also to the technical aspects of the sport.

jessica fitch-hall

Being on the track, Jessica says, is all about the adrenaline. “It’s just you and the kart“. It’s a reminder that true success comes from inner drive—a message that resonates beyond the track.

When did you first become interested in motorsports?

I first became interested in competing in motorsport around the age of eight. I was fascinated by the idea of the fast-paced racing but also the mechanical side as well. From a young age, I was brought up around a family who had interests in both motorbikes and cars. 

What is your greatest achievement in your racing career so far?

Probably competing in the British Kart Championship and being a confirmed driver for Fern GP in their single seaters. It was a dream I had since I was eight watching others compete where I am now.

jessica collier & catchpole

What has been your biggest challenge?

Probably overcoming the explosion from our race van as we lost all of our equipment. The support from everyone was amazing, and we will never forget the help from everyone.

 What is your favourite thing about being on the track? 

The adrenaline overpowers everything when on track it’s just you and the kart.

What’s next?

I have my first test day in the formula Ford with Fern GP. It will be a huge step for me to adapt to, but I have an amazing support network to help me with all the new challenges.

Do you have a quote to live by?

“You can copy someone’s idea but not their energy. That’s why some will win regardless of others trying to replicate them. It doesn’t matter what others are doing it’s you vs. you.”

What are the next steps in your motorsport career?

I would like to achieve a seeded ( top 10) in the British Kart Championships. I would also like to test in a formula three car.

Supporting young talent like Jessica is essential for building future champions and breaking barriers, showing that anyone can thrive with the right passion and perseverance.

To find out more and to support Jessica Fitch-Hall, head over to her Instagram. 

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Celebrating 25 Years of Dedication: Mark Willis’ Work Anniversary

Our success is built on the hard work and dedication of our team, and few people embody this better than Mark Willis, who is celebrating 25 years with the company this month.

This remarkable milestone speaks volumes about the kind of workplace we strive to create—one where people not only feel valued but choose to stay and grow with us long term.

mark with the ipswich team

Mark was presented with a custom-made mantel clock featuring a special engraving to commemorate the occasion, and he also became the second person to officially receive a 25-year service celebration badge.

Reflecting on his time here, Mark says, “25 years, who would have thought it? Not me that’s for sure, not in 1999. However, 25 years is what it is, and I have a lovely clock and a long-service pin to prove it. I have generally enjoyed my time here at Collier & Catchpole, and with retirement not too far away, I look forward to the years to come.”

Mark clock
mark 25 year badge

Mark’s quarter-century journey with Collier & Catchpole began in 1999, and has become an integral part of the team. His dedication is a testament to our commitment to fostering a positive, supportive working environment.

We pride ourselves on being a company where employees feel empowered, valued, and motivated to build long-term careers. Mark’s milestone reminds us of the importance of nurturing these relationships, 40 years is a significant amount of time, and we’re proud to have him as part of the team.

With long-serving, passionate employees like Mark, you can trust that Collier & Catchpole is built on expertise, experience, and a strong sense of community. Here’s to another 25 years, Mark—thank you for being part of our journey!

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Custom Badges To Celebrate Employee Milestones

We’re excited to unveil a collection of five bespoke pin badges, designed in-house by our very own Jasper Smathers. Each badge represents a different service milestone: 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years.

“Recognising our employees is not just about awards and bonuses. It’s about celebrating the dedication and hard work that make Collier & Catchpole a great place to work. Thank you to every member of our team for your contributions” says Tim Rowbottom.

Custom enamel badges and a thank you card will be awarded on the date of employee milestones, in honour of their dedication and commitment. With many of our employees having been with us for more than a decade, and our longest-serving member completing an impressive 41 years, recognising their loyalty is important to us.

In a world where job-hopping is common place, our efforts to create a supportive and rewarding work environment are paying off.

Over 50% of our team has been with us for five years or more, and we’re proud to have 22 employees with over five years of service, 11 over 10 years, eight with over 15 years, and four with over 20 years service at Collier & Catchpole. These milestones are a testament to the positive work environment we strive to maintain.

As we work hard to consistently improve and develop our service and product offering — our focus remains on building a supportive and appreciative workplace.

5 badges
10 badges
15 badges
20 badges
25 badges

Explore our range of high-quality building materials available for delivery and collection in Colchester, Ipswich, and Lawford, and see why our employees choose to stay and grow with us.

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Collier & Catchpole Wins NBG Award for Most Engaged Partner

We are thrilled to announce that Collier & Catchpole has been awarded “Supplier Voted Most Engaged NBG Partner (1-9 Branches)” at the National Buying Group (NBG) Gala Dinner in Liverpool.

NBG Award

This award is a huge achievement for us, as it highlights the importance of working in partnership and collaborating with suppliers to ensure that we deliver the very best products and services to our customers. We have always believed that successful relationships are the key to success in the merchanting industry, and this recognition proves just that.

NBG Award Tour Ipswich

Our win at the NBG Conference is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, but also to the suppliers who have supported us throughout the year.

NBG Award Tour Colchester

We are also incredibly grateful to our customers who continue to support us and share their feedback. The comments we receive on Trustpilot highlight the high level of service and quality that we strive to maintain. We’re proud of our excellent reviews and work every day to ensure we meet and exceed expectations.

NBG award tour Lawford

Well done to everyone at Collier & Catchpole, and a special thank you to our suppliers and customers for your continued partnership and trust. Here’s to more success in the future.

For more information on our products and services, or to read more reviews from our satisfied customers, visit our Trustpilot page or head to our website to browse our extensive range of building materials, all available for delivery or collection.

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The Three Wood Bears: A Masterpiece from Collier & Catchpole

We’re always proud of the effort from our dedicated team, and the lengths they will go to showcase a product range. Today we want to give a special shoutout to Jason Wood, Ciaran Wood, and Callum Wood (plus Gary!) — for their latest masterpiece of a TikTok video showcasing our Ipswich branch timber range.

wood
wood

The boys understood the assignment, not only highlighting our selection of timber products, but also their charismatic personalities — Be sure to check out the full video on our social media channels: TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Whether you’re after sawn timber, planed timber, chipboard flooring, or MDF skirting, we have you covered. Additionally, we stock timber mouldings, architrave, door frames, and door liners for a variety of construction and finishing projects. Perfect for both professional builders and DIY enthusiasts, our sheet materials and decking options ensure you’ll find the right timber solution for any job.

Explore our range of fence panels, fence posts, decking, and sleepers, ideal for creating stylish and durable garden structures. With a wide variety of timber products, you can build everything from garden fences to outdoor decking with ease and reliability.

Check out our full timber range and experience the quality and service we’re known for! (Wood family not for sale!)

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Guess How Many Teabags in the Jar Competition

Throughout November, customers took part in a fun in-store challenge, all for a chance to win one of 70 top-tier prizes.

The competition has us all scratching our heads, we had over 350 guesses throughout the month and the lucky winners have now been notified. Thank you to everyone who participated, and a big congratulations to our winners!

teabags

The correct number of teabags in the jar was 346. It was a tight competition, but here’s how the top guesses stacked up:
🥇 1st Place: Darren Wilkins, guessed 350, just 4 teabags off! He walked away with the grand prize of a Makita cordless kettle with two spare batteries.
🥈 2nd Place: Craig Ellis, guessed 337, securing his spot and winning a selection of high-quality workwear and tools.
🥉 3rd Place: Helen Kemp, guessed 358 and won an assortment of tools and some new TuffStuff work boots.

We gave away over 70 prizes in total, including workwear, boots, tools, and, of course, the grand prize of the Makita cordless kettle — perfect for making a brew on site.

teabags

We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who took part in-store. Your guesses, enthusiasm, and support made this competition a fantastic experience for all involved. We hope you enjoyed participating as much as we did.

Big thank you to everyone who had a guess in-store and a bigger thank you to Collier & Catchpole, TuffStuff Workwear, Azpects Ltd, ACO Group, TIMCO and Keystone Lintels for sponsoring.

Stay tuned for more in-store challenges and fun competitions coming soon — and don’t forget to pop into Collier & Catchpole for all your building, landscaping, and workwear needs.

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Gary Takes on Movember: Raising Awareness for Men’s Health

We are putting the spotlight on Gary today — who is spreading awareness and raising funds for Movember this month by sporting a 10/10 moustache and sharing his story. Watch the full TikTok video here 🙌

“Movember is a leading charity changing the face of men’s health. We know what works for men – and what doesn’t..”

Since 2003, Movember has been inspiring millions of people to join the movement and make a difference by growing a moustache, getting active, or hosting events — all with the aim of shining a light on important issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health.

movember

“I am taking part in support of men’s health, such a worthy cause. I have had issues with mental health in the past and appreciate how isolating it feels to suffer in silence and how difficult it can be to finally open up about troubles, even to loved ones.

For me, this resulted in having a blackout at the wheel suffering physical injuries but more so emotional damage which took me a long while to fully recover from.

My wife was my absolute rock during this time and she is. She stood strong through it all and got me through basically. So, my “MOtivation” is all linked to this time in my life” – Gary Bloomfield

Click here to support Gary 🙏

movember

For all the dads, brothers, sons and mates in our lives. Let’s join forces to support men’s health this Movember.

There are many ways to join the Movember movement

  • Grow a Mo: The traditional way to participate is by growing a moustache and raising awareness
  • Move for Movember: The Order of Mo remembers the 60 men lost to suicide globally, every hour. To take part, all you have to do is run or walk 60km. Cover the distance in one go or over the month.
  • Host an Event: Get your community together to raise funds for Movember
  • Donate: Even if you can’t participate, you can always make a donation to support Movember‘s life-changing work

For more information on Movember and how you can get involved, visit Movember UK.

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Jasper’s Hedgehog Highway! Building Wildlife-Friendly Gardens

“The Adventures of Sheriff Prickles 🦔”

We’re thrilled to share the inspiring efforts of our Purchasing Manager, Jasper Smathers, who has transformed his garden into a haven for local wildlife. He has built a selection of safe-houses and tunnels from extra building materials, and used a Diamond Core Drill to create a custom hedgehog highway through the brickwork.

Hedgehog hut

“We are good at building boundaries to protect our homes and land but don’t spend enough time thinking about the impact this has on our rapidly diminishing local flora and fauna.” – James Park

core drill Hedgehog highway
hedgehog tunnel

Jaspers commitment to keeping hedgehogs (and friends) well-fed with “safe snacks” has earned admiration from us all. The star resident? None other than Mr Sheriff Prickles, a charming hedgehog who has made Jasper’s garden his home.

hedgehog
Hedgehog GIF

Here are a few simple ways to make your garden more wildlife-friendly:

  • Build a Hedgehog Highway: Hedgehogs are struggling to survive due to habitat loss and barriers like fences and walls. By creating small gaps at the base of fences (around 13cm x 13cm), you can help them roam freely between gardens.
  • Add Shelters and Tunnels: Hedgehogs, frogs, and other creatures love to hide in cozy, dark places. You can use timber, bricks, pipe and products like paving slabs to create tunnels and shelters where wildlife can hide from predators or rest during the day.
  • Install Wildlife-Friendly Ponds: Adding a small pond can attract frogs and insects. Use landscaping materials, stone aggregates, and paving to safely build a pond with gradual slopes for climbing in and out.
  • Create Wildflower Areas: Wildflowers are essential for pollinators like bees and butterflies. With topsoil, mulch, and decorative aggregates, you can build a wildflower patch that provides food and shelter.
  • Build a Bug Hotel: A bug hotel is an easy, affordable, and a fantastic way to reuse old building products while supporting your local ecosystem by creating a safe haven for insects.
hedgehog

Support declining wild animal populations within our built environment:

  • Bat Boxes: Three standard brick courses high and half a brick course in width, so is easy to build in to a wall during construction. Available to pre-order.
  • Nest Boxes: Designed to provide a sheltered nesting refuge for small birds, specifically blue tits. Available to pre-order.
  • Wildlife Gully Ladders: Helps amphibians, reptiles and other small creatures to escape from drainage gullies. Available to pre-order.
  • Wildlife Kerbs: Designed to allow amphibians to bypass gully grating. Available to pre-order.
  • Wildlife Refuge: The five ACO Wildlife Refuges have been designed to provide shelter and sanctuary for various types of small animal. Available to pre-order.
frog ladders
wildlife highway
bird house

Start your own Sheriff Prickles adventure and turn your home and garden into a wildlife haven today.

For more inspiration and to explore our range of garden materials, visit our website or pop into one of our branches in Colchester, Ipswich, or Lawford. Let’s help local wildlife thrive, one garden at a time.