Parkwood Holdings http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk Copyright 2006 Parkwood Holding Plc. Coblands Nurseries, growers of hardy nursery stock to the wholesale trade markets, is to create a new sales team to market its plants to the Retail Nursery and Garden Centre plant supply market. With 40 years experience as a wholesale grower of hardy stock, Coblands has the expertise and quality product suitable for the garden centre market. Cobland's plants will bear the ‘Home Grown’ label; an industry initiative promoted by the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) to promote home produced plants, as well as encouraging the adoption of a single national symbol. In this difficult economic climate it is more relevant than ever to promote locally grown plants. Coblands has adopted the Home Grown symbol on its plants which means that the retailer can also benefit from enhancing their own reputation with customers by: Supporting the UK economy Reducing the risk of imported pests and diseases Displaying stock that is grown locally which will be fresher, healthier and grown in local conditions Contributing to a better environment Coblands - Garden Centre Plants – will be selling to retail nurseries and garden centres, both independents and multiples in the London and South East areas. Coblands Managing Director, Richard Burton, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Coblands. We have undertaken a number of plant shows this year as well as having seen the retail website Best4Plants exceed our expectations in the first year of full trading. There is no doubt that our range of Home Grown plants has been a success with the retail customer and we believe we should be actively selling these to the wider garden centre market." For more information on current availability and latest offers, please log on to our website and follow the link to Garden Centre Plants: www.best4plants.co.uk/trade Notes to Editors: About Glendale Horticulture Limited Glendale Horticulture Limited sells hardy nursery stock to the trade and retail sectors through its trading companies Coblands Nurseries and Best4plants.   Glendale Horticulture Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Parkwood Holdings plc. For further information please contact Richard Burton, Managing Director on 01732 770999 or visit our website www.best4plants.co.uk. For further information on the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) and its 'Home Grown' label please visit the HDC website. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=45 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=45 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT The new Mountbatten Leisure Centre in Portsmouth is now open following a £25m investment. Facilities at the new site include a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool and a state of the art new gym and health suite. Richard Neale, Centre Manager, commented: “We're delighted with the new centre - it looks fantastic! It’s great that we are now able to provide first class sports and leisure facilities to the Portsmouth community and we hope that the new facilities will make health and fitness more accessible for everyone. The team here at the Mountbatten Centre have worked extremely hard and we look forward to welcoming all customers to the new centre”. Amongst the new facilities is a new state of the art 150 station gym. Fully air conditioned, the gym is fitted with top of the range equipment supplied by Precor, and offers customers the opportunity to work out in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Our great value membership rates include full use of the gym facilities, group fitness classes and the swimming pool during public sessions. The focal point of the new centre is undoubtedly the new 50m eight lane swimming pool. It features a submersible boom and a moveable floor, which allows the pool to be split so that a range of activities can take place at once. The pool will offer a range of activities, from Aquazone swimming lessons to fun sessions, lane swimming and club sessions. In a further boost, London 2012 have recognised the potential of the new centre and it will be included in the pre-games training camp guide for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. For further information on the new centre please drop in to see it for yourself, call 023 9269 0011, or visit www.leisurecentre.com to see timetables, price lists and more comprehensive information. We look forward to welcoming you at the centre soon! http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=44 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=44 Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 EDT On 1st April 2009 Parkwood Community Leisure commenced management of Wycombe Sports Centre, Court Garden Leisure Complex and Risborough Springs Swim & Fitness Centre on behalf of Wycombe District Council. In what promises to be exciting times for all three centres, the move heralds significant investment in health and fitness across Wycombe. As part of these exciting developments new equipment was delivered on 1st and 2nd April at Wycombe Sports Centre and Court Garden Leisure Complex, with the gym facilities at these centres re-opening on 3rd April 2009. Cllr Tony Green, Wycombe District Council's Cabinet Member for Younger and Older people with responsibility for leisure services, commented: "Parkwood Leisure will bring with them a wealth of experience in leisure centre management. We're really looking forward to working with them to improve the leisure facilities on offer to our residents and to ensure that they get a value for money service." Andrew Holt, Managing Director of Parkwood Leisure, added: "We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this high profile contract by Wycombe District Council, and we look forward to complementing the Council's strategic aim of increasing participation by local residents into the use of the authority's leisure facilities. There is an excellent team of staff here at Wycombe and we are pleased to welcome them to Parkwood Leisure." http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=43 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=43 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EDT Parkwood Holdings plc is pleased to announce that following an extensive audit by National Quality Assurance it has again upheld its ISO 14001 certification. Parkwood has upheld its ISO 14001 status since 2002, underlining its reputation as an environmentally conscious company which takes its responsibility towards the public, customers, suppliers, employees and the environment seriously. The ISO 14001 Standard is an internationally accepted specification for environmental management systems. It was created to help organisations minimise how their operations negatively affect the environment and comply with applicable laws, regulations and requirements. As part of the efforts to uphold this well-recognised certification, Parkwood has established and uses its own Environmental Management System (EMS) to ensure that the company's activities, products and services have minimal impact on or risk to the environment. Parkwood's EMS helps monitor and improve upon a number of areas that affect the environment, such as energy use and efficiency, fuel use, green waste production, waste management and chemical control. Jason Joy, Group Communications Manager, said: “Upholding our ISO 14001 certification is a great illustration of Parkwood’s current and future commitment to minimise environmental impact. By setting annual objectives we are continuously improving our environmental performance year on year. Combined with our sustainability action plans, this goes a long way to reducing our environmental impact and burden on future generations.” http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=42 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=42 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EDT Parkwood Holdings plc, the support services group, is pleased to announce its interim results for the 6 months ended 30 June 2008. Financial highlights: Revenues rose by 20.1% to £61.5m (2007: £51.2m) Operating profit increased by 70.1% to £2.33m (2007: £1.37m) Profits before tax rose by 15.2% to £1.21m (2007: £1.05m) Earnings per share increased to 4.7p, up 30.6% from last year (2007: 3.6p) Proposed dividend of 1.5p (2007: 1.3p) payable to shareholders on 3 October 2008 Group order book increased by 24% to £531m (2007: £429m) Operating highlights: New Leisure management contracts at Portsmouth and Cherwell under DBOM arrangements Preferred bidder status on Bristol City Council Leisure PFI Project LINk Contract awards for Parkwood Healthcare in Lewisham and Harrow   Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman of Parkwood Holdings, commented: “Our blue-chip order book and index-linked contracts, which account for in excess of 85% of revenue, provide a degree of certainty for the future performance of the Group”. The full statement release can be downloaded as a PDF document from here.   For further information, please contact: Tony Hewitt    Executive Chairman   01772 627111  Terry Bowman   Group Finance Director   07825 607358 Neil Baldwin    Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited 0113 241 0126 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=41 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=41 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EDT Bristol Active Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Parkwood Project Management Ltd (now trading as Parkwood Consultancy Services), is delighted to be selected as Bristol City Council's recommended preferred bidder for the Hengrove Leisure PFI scheme. Bristol Active Limited is a consortium of companies that joined together to bid for the Council’s Hengrove Leisure PFI project. The consortium is led by Parkwood Consultancy Services, and supported by sister company Parkwood Leisure (Leisure Operator), Carillion Regional Building (Builders), LA architects (Lead Designer) and nabCapital (Funder).  The project will deliver a state-of-the-art leisure centre that will provide a vibrant range of facilities offering everyone the opportunity to take part in sport and physical activity. The new leisure facility will include the following facilities: Main Pool 50m x 25m Learner Pool 20m x 10.5m Dual location Healthy Living Zone Sports Hall & Climbing wall 150 station Fitness Suite 2 Aerobics/Dance Studios and a Spinning Studio Spa Suite Information Point Café incorporating winter garden theme Crèche Jeremy Lightfoot, Managing Director of Parkwood Consultancy Services, and Director of Bristol Active, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to be a part of this exciting new leisure project. We are confident our scheme is robust and deliverable. It fulfils Bristol City Council’s aspirations to develop a flagship leisure facility and help improve health and physical activity in South Bristol. We look forward to working with Bristol City Council and our consortium partners to conclude negotiations as soon as possible, so that the new facility can be enjoyed by the whole community from autumn 2010." Notes : PFI: A private finance initiative (PFI) project provides a way for the public sector to fund major capital investments without immediate recourse to the public purse. Private consortia such as Parkwood Consultancy Services are contracted to design, build, and manage new projects on contracts which can typically last for 30 years, during which time the building is leased by the public authority. Parkwood Consultancy Services is a leading provider of a wide range of consultancy services to clients in the Built Environment. For more information about Parkwood Consultancy Services contact Dawn Dodgson on 01789 450085. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=40 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=40 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT The Merger of Glendale Environmental with Parkwood Project Management Ltd to form Parkwood Consultancy Services Strategic reviews of Glendale and Parkwood Project Management have led to an exciting opportunity to combine and further strengthen the Group’s consultancy services. As a result, Glendale Environmental merged with Parkwood Project Management on 1st July 2008. As the Group’s consultancy business, Parkwood Project Management has widened the scope of services it can offer and further expanded its client base. The incorporation of Glendale Environmental into Parkwood Project Management will enable the company to offer a greater mix of complimentary functions expected of a multi-disciplinary consultancy business. To reinforce the company’s multi-disciplinary intentions, the merger has been used to rebrand Parkwood Project Management Ltd as Parkwood Consultancy Services. Services Provided: Project Management Client Representative  Construction Monitoring  Contract Administration/Employers Agent Design Management  Independent Tester/Certifier Landlord and Tenant Negotiations (New) Risk and Value Management Strategic Programming  Project Management (NEC contracting) Troubleshooting Work Stream Programme Management Management Consulting Options Appraisals PFI/PPP/DBOM Bid Management Pre and Post Contract Technical Due Diligence Risk and Value Management Strategic Planning Operational Management Contract Compliance Landlord and Tenant Negotiations (Existing) Lifecycle Fund Management Performance Monitoring Risk and Value Management SPV Management Set-up and management of ISO 14001 and 9001 Troubleshooting Sustainability Sustainable Design Design Guidance and Assessment for BREEAM Display Energy Certificates Energy Performance Certificates Renewable/Low Carbon Technology Applications Sustainable Building Products Green Travel Plans Waste to Energy Landscape Architecture Full Design Service Contract Management Environmental Impact Assessments including Environmental Reports Ecology Protected Species Surveys European Protected Species Licensing Conservation Management Plans Arboriculture Pre-Development Tree Surveys to BS5837 Individual Tree Surveys with Recommendations Arboriculture Contract and Project Management http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=39 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=39 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT Verdia Plant Construction Underway Verdia Horticulture Limited (“Verdia”), the joint venture company established between Glendale Managed Services Limited (“Glendale”), the “green services” division of Parkwood Holdings plc, and The TEG Group Plc, has commenced construction of its first TEG Silo Cage plant at Hillbarton, Exeter.  The announcement follows confirmation of full planning approval for the development. The capacity of the TEG Silo Cage plant will be 14,000 tonnes per annum, producing approximately 8,000 tonnes per annum of compost.  The compost will be matured and blended to produce horticultural grade material for sale into the local horticultural sector.  The waste will be supplied from local authority green waste collections via the Glendale composting subsidiary Eco Sci, and from private sector contracts for food waste and food processing waste. Glendale will provide compost product expertise and knowledge of the horticultural product market, together with analytical and compost product services. The development is on a site leased by Glendale and will be a shared facility with Eco Sci who will carry out green waste composting in an adjacent operation.  The plant and equipment will be supplied by TEG.  The total cost of the development will be approximately £2.5m of which approximately £1m will be the cost of the building development and £1.5m the cost of the plant and equipment.  Funding of the building work is part of the lease arrangement with the overall site landlord.  Funding of the plant and equipment will be by finance lease through Barclays Asset Finance.  The site is scheduled to be operational by the end of Quarter 3 of this year. Commenting for Parkwood, Executive Chairman Tony Hewitt said: “Our joint venture with TEG is part of the Parkwood Group’s strategic plan to develop its diverse suite of green services to Local Authorities and the Commercial sectors.” “This new facility provides the opportunity to expand our recycling activities within the rapidly developing UK composting market and also provides the ideal location for Glendale’s Devon based ‘EcoSci’ green waste recycling operations.”  Commenting for TEG, Chief Executive Mick Fishwick said: “This is a further significant step in the development of TEG.  Our joint venture with Glendale offers us the opportunity to both develop a new revenue stream and also to gain a foothold in the higher value horticultural sector, and to work with an expert and market leader in that area.  Verdia has an exciting future and we hope this is the first of many such plants to be developed over the coming years. “ “The construction of yet another TEG Silo Cage plant is a further endorsement of our technology and capabilities and we look forward to opening the first TEG plant in the South West region.” For further information please contact: Parkwood Holdings plc    Tel: 01772 627111 Terry Bowman, Group Finance Director  The TEG Group Plc    Tel: 01772 314100 Michael Fishwick, Chief Executive http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=37 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=37 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT Acquisition of DPL Holdings Limited Group Parkwood Holdings plc (Parkwood) has expanded its operations in the South West of England with the acquisition on 2 November 2007 of DPL Holdings Limited (DPL) and its subsidiaries, Silvanus Services Limited (Silvanus) and Landscapes Southwest Limited (LSW). The companies will become part of Glendale, Parkwood’s “green services” division.  Consideration for the purchase is being settled in cash; with an initial £400,000 payable on completion and a maximum additional consideration of  £739,500 payable over the next 10 months dependent upon the performance of DPL. Silvanus and LSW have a very strong presence in the South West region together with a contract based in Nottingham. In the year ended 31 August 2007 DPL made a profit before tax of £296,000 on turnover of £4.9 million.  The gross assets acquired amounted to £2.53 million and the net assets to £208,000. Silvanus is a countryside, arboriculture, woodland and landscaping company, working for a wide range of local authority, corporate and private clients. LSW undertakes a number of long-term grounds maintenance contracts for local authorities and other clients in Devon and Cornwall and will now become a part of Glendale Grounds Management. The acquisition reinforces Glendale’s position as the UK’s number one green service provider. The move is set to strengthen Glendale’s position in the South West and within the arboriculture and countryside management sectors. The DPL shareholder-directors (David Adam and Peter Solly) will remain within the business. Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman, commented: “Silvanus and LSW together make a perfect strategic match for Glendale. These businesses operate in the same market as Glendale but have a strong presence in the South West of England where traditionally Glendale has not grown as quickly as in other regions.”   For further information, please contact: Parkwood Holdings plc: Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman   01772 627111 Terry Bowman, Group Finance Director   01772 627111 Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited: Neil Baldwin    0113 241 0126  Notes for Editors: Parkwood Holdings plc specialises in providing outsourced and support services, predominantly to the public sector across England and Wales (and now Scotland) under long term contracts.  Its four main areas of operation are as follows: Glendale Provides amenity horticulture, grass cutting, arboriculture and care of sports pitches, parks and open spaces.  The division also includes golf course management, green waste recycling, environmental consultancy and horticulture.  Parkwood Leisure Manages a diverse range of leisure facilities, including swimming pools, sports halls, gyms, health suites and catering operations. Parkwood Projects Undertakes PFI, PPP and similar bids on behalf of joint ventures and the Group.  Parkwood PFI is also responsible for project management of contracts and the management of other funds such as the lifecycle funds associated with the project agreement.  Healthcare A nursing agency and an ambulance and patient transport business, Parkwood Healthcare deals both with the NHS and the private sector. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=36 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=36 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST News Interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2007 - 11 Sep, 2007 by PARKWOOD HOLDINGS PLC INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2007 Parkwood Holdings plc, the public sector support services specialist, announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2007.  Financial highlights: Revenues rose by 12% to £51.2m (2006: £45.7m) Operating profit increased by 27% to £1.45m (2006: £1.14m) Profits before tax rose by 3% to £1.05m (2006: £1.03m) Earnings per share increased to 3.6p, up 9% from last year (2006: 3.3p) Proposed dividend of 1.3p (2006: 1.1p) payable to shareholders on 12 October 2007 Group order book increased by 12% to £429m (2006: £384m revised*) Operating highlights: Purchase of the remaining equity and subordinated debt in the SPC responsible for the MOD Defence Animal Centre at Melton Mowbray Refinancing of the Boxwood Leisure SPC was completed in early July generating cash of £2.1m Formation of Verdia Horticulture with the signing of a joint venture agreement with TEG Environmental plc * The June 2006 order book has been restated in line with the method used to calculate the position at the end of December 2006 and includes only contractual income on existing contracts to a ten-year horizon. Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman, commented: “Parkwood has had a successful six months in the period to 30 June 2007 with good progress in both the Glendale and Parkwood Leisure divisions."  “Parkwood’s performance remains in line with market expectations for the full year when revenues are expected to exceed £100 million for the first time.  Next year’s order book is already largely secured and this should result in almost double-digit sales growth in 2008.” The full statement release can be downloaded as a PDF document from here. For further information, please contact: Parkwood Holdings plc Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman   01772 627111 Terry Bowman, Group Finance Director   01772 627111 Neil Baldwin, Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited 0113 241 0126  Reg Hoare/Miranda Good,  Smithfield    020 7360 4900 Notes for Editors: Parkwood Holdings plc specialises in providing outsourced and support services, predominantly to the public sector across England and Wales under long term contracts.  Its four main areas of operation are as follows: Glendale Provides amenity horticulture, grass cutting, arboriculture and care of sports pitches, parks and open spaces.  The division also includes golf course management, green waste recycling, environmental consultancy and horticulture.  Parkwood Leisure Manages a diverse range of leisure facilities, including swimming pools, sports halls, gyms, health suites and catering operations. Parkwood Projects Undertakes PFI, PPP and similar bids on behalf of joint ventures and the Group.  Parkwood PFI is also responsible for project management of contracts and the management of other funds such as the lifecycle funds associated with the project agreement.  Healthcare A nursing agency and an ambulance and patient transport business, Parkwood Healthcare deals both with the NHS and the private sector. For more information please contact us. Back to Latest News http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=35 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=35 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT Parkwood Holdings plc, the support services business, through Glendale, its specialist green services division, has formed a new Joint Venture company with The TEG Group Plc (“TEG”), an AIM-listed company whose technology converts organic wastes into natural organic fertiliser. The Joint Venture, named Verdia Horticulture Limited (“Verdia”), will build and operate specialist Silo Cage In-Vessel Composting technology facilities that turn organic wastes into commercial horticultural compost products.  The products will be sold to Glendale and to regional horticultural markets. Each company will hold 50% of Verdia’s equity.  The JV agreement contains the normal change of control provisions should a third party take a 75% interest in either parent company. Verdia intends to build and operate between six to eight medium-scale organic waste conversion facilities of typically 10-15,000 tonnes feed per annum over the next two to three years.  It is anticipated that the facilities will be funded largely by bank debt.  According to 2005 DEFRA estimates, the amount of UK Biodegradable Municipal Waste requiring non-landfill disposal will approximately triple by 2020 to an estimated 28m tonnes. This equates to a potential total market for gate fees of £1.4billion per annum. The first two facilities are expected to be Claylands Corner in Somerset and Hill Barton in Exeter.  Both sites have planning consent in place for TEG Silo Cage technology. Construction at the sites is expected to commence in Quarter 3 of 2007.  TEG will supply TEG Silo Cage plants to Verdia and will provide technical expertise and support, as well as marketing services for waste supply to the plants.  Glendale will provide compost product expertise, knowledge of the horticultural product market and of course its reputation of successfully delivering to budget large multi-year local authority contracts.  Currently, Glendale has contracts with over 50 local authorities throughout the UK, including supplying composting services from subsidiary Eco Sci.  Verdia intends to bid for medium-scale Local Authority waste contracts and private sector contracts, sufficient to support the scale of facilities it will operate. It will establish a network of such sites across the UK from which the Company will distribute horticultural products to the grower and amenity markets. The total market for such products is estimated by the Horticultural Trades Association to be worth £250 million per annum. Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman of Parkwood Holdings, commented: “We have collaborated successfully with TEG for the last 16 months and it is clear that our product expertise and knowledge of the horticultural market fits naturally with TEG’s technology expertise.  By creating Verdia with TEG, we have a new and exciting opportunity to expand Glendale’s recycling activities within the rapidly developing UK composting market.  We are delighted to have signed this new Joint Venture.”  Nick Temple Heald, Managing Director of Glendale, added: “As the largest player in our market, we have strong contacts with the leading suppliers in amenity horticulture, including on the trade and retail sides.  With ever-increasing demand for non-peat based products and environmentally sustainable horticulture and of course rising Landfill taxes and heavy fines for those that go over their waste quotas, we believe this is a very large market opportunity and that we are ideally placed to address it.” For further information, please contact: Parkwood Holdings plc Tony Hewitt    Executive Chairman   01772 627 111 Terry Bowman   Financial Director    01772 627 111 Glendale Nick Temple Heald  Managing Director   01772 627 111 Smithfield Neil Boom/Miranda Good      020 7360 4900 Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited Neil Baldwin         0113 241 0126 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=34 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=34 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT Acquisition of Landscape Construction (Scotland) Limited Parkwood Holdings plc, the support service specialists, has made its first entry into the Scottish market through the acquisition of Landscape Construction (Scotland) Limited (“Landscape”). Landscape, which will become part of Glendale, Parkwood’s “green services” division, is based in Falkirk and operates in the ‘soft’ landscaping sector within the central belt of Scotland.  In the year to 31 March 2007, Landscape made a pre-tax profit of £30,000 on sales of £680,000. The consideration for the acquisition is payable in cash based on net assets at the date of completion, which Parkwood estimates to be in the region of £70,000. The sole director and shareholder of Landscape, Mr Steve Deas, will remain with the company, which will form the base for the Group’s move into the Scottish market. Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman, commented: “Having known Steve for a number of years, we are confident that the strong business he has grown will be a sound base to begin our first move into the Scottish market.”   For further information, please contact: Parkwood Holdings plc: Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman   01772 627111 Terry Bowman, Group Finance Director   01772 627111 Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited: Neil Baldwin    0113 241 0126  Gresham PR Ltd:  Neil Boom      0207 404 9000 Notes for Editors: Parkwood Holdings plc specialises in providing outsourced and support services, predominantly to the public sector across England and Wales under long term contracts.  Its four main areas of operation are as follows: Glendale Provides amenity horticulture, grass cutting, arboriculture and care of sports pitches, parks and open spaces.  The division also includes golf course management, green waste recycling, environmental consultancy and horticulture.  Parkwood Leisure Manages a diverse range of leisure facilities, including swimming pools, sports halls, gyms, health suites and catering operations. Parkwood Projects Undertakes PFI, PPP and similar bids on behalf of joint ventures and the Group.  Parkwood PFI is also responsible for project management of contracts and the management of other funds such as the lifecycle funds associated with the project agreement.  Healthcare A nursing agency and an ambulance and patient transport business, Parkwood Healthcare deals both with the NHS and the private sector. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=33 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=33 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT Acquisition of IMDAC Limited Parkwood Holdings plc the support services specialist, ("the Company"), is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Parkwood Project Management Limited ("Parkwood Projects"), has purchased the entire issued share capital of IMDAC Limited ("IMDAC") from Innisfree M&G PPP LP ("the Vendor"). As a result of this transaction the Company now controls 100% of the issued share capital of DAC Support Services Limited (DAC) and its 100% owned subsidiary Realm Services (DAC) Limited ("Realm"). Realm is a Special Purpose Vehicle formed in 2002 to finance, design, build, operate and maintain facilities at the Defence Animal Centre for the Ministry of Defence under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) agreement, which runs until November 2026. The Defence Animal Centre, based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, has gained a reputation as one of the world's leading training establishments for working military animals and their handlers. The consideration for the acquisition totalled £828,716, which was settled in cash on completion. In addition, a loan from the Vendor of £1,571,283 was repaid on completion. For the period from 2 March 2005 till 31 March 2006, the latest period for which IMDAC has produced audited accounts, IMDAC reported profits before tax of £280,008, and as at 31 March 2006 had net assets of £1. Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman, commented: "We are pleased to announce our 100% ownership of this successful and profitable PFI contract, which has enabled the Defence Animal Centre to become one of the world's leading military animals training facilities. "As well as earning potential dividends, each of our seven PFI/ PPP projects gives Parkwood the opportunity, at the right time, to realise further underlying value by refinancing the senior debt or by disposing of subordinated loans in the PFI/PPP secondary market." For further information, please contact: Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman   01772 627111 Terry Bowman, Group Finance Director   01772 627111 Norah Burns, Company Secretary   01772 627111 Neil Baldwin, Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited 0113 241 0126   Neil Boom, Gresham PR Limited    0207 404 9000 Notes for Editors: Parkwood Holdings plc specialises in providing outsourced and support services, predominantly to the public sector across England and Wales under long term contracts.  Its four main areas of operation are as follows: Glendale Provides amenity horticulture, grass cutting, arboriculture and care of sports pitches, parks and open spaces.  The division also includes golf course management, green waste recycling, environmental consultancy and horticulture.  Parkwood Leisure Manages a diverse range of leisure facilities, including swimming pools, sports halls, gyms, health suites and catering operations. Parkwood Projects Undertakes PFI, PPP and similar bids on behalf of joint ventures and the Group.  Parkwood PFI is also responsible for project management of contracts and the management of other funds such as the lifecycle funds associated with the project agreement.  Healthcare A nursing agency and an ambulance and patient transport business, Parkwood Healthcare deals both with the NHS and the private sector. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=32 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=32 Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT PARKWOOD HOLDINGS PLC PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2006 Parkwood Holdings plc, the public sector support services specialist, announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2006.  These results have been prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). Financial and Business Highlights: Group turnover increased by 16% to £92.7 million (2005: £79.8 million) Operating profits increased by 14% to £2.25 million (2005: £1.97 million) Profits before tax increased by 23% to £2.53 million (2005: £2.06 million) Earnings per share increased by 28% to 8.8 pence (2005: 6.9 pence) Proposed final dividend up 27% to 1.9 pence per share (2005: 1.5 pence).  Total amount paid and charged in the year 2.6 pence (2005: 2.3 pence) Group order book increased by 44% to £412 million as at 31 December 2006 (2005: £285 million (revised)) Acquisition of tree moving business by Glendale, the “green” services division, to diversify service offering Financial close on a leisure PFI with Solihull Council in March 2006 Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman, commented: “ This is another strong set of Parkwood results.  The Group's improved turnover, profitability and cashflow make Parkwood better placed to consider sensible acquisitions and implement other strategic initiatives that will supplement continuing organic growth.” The full statement release can be downloaded as a PDF document from here. For further information, please contact: Parkwood Holdings plc Tony Hewitt, Executive Chairman   01772 627111 Terry Bowman, Interim Finance Director   01772 627111 Neil Baldwin, Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited 0113 241 0126  Neil Boom, Gresham PR    0207 404 9000 Notes for Editors: Parkwood Holdings plc specialises in providing outsourced and support services, predominantly to the public sector across England and Wales under long term contracts.  Its four main areas of operation are as follows: Glendale Provides amenity horticulture, grass cutting, arboriculture and care of sports pitches, parks and open spaces.  The division also includes golf course management, green waste recycling, environmental consultancy and horticulture.  Parkwood Leisure Manages a diverse range of leisure facilities, including swimming pools, sports halls, gyms, health suites and catering operations. Parkwood Projects Undertakes PFI, PPP and similar bids on behalf of joint ventures and the Group.  Parkwood PFI is also responsible for project management of contracts and the management of other funds such as the lifecycle funds associated with the project agreement.  Healthcare A nursing agency and an ambulance and patient transport business, Parkwood Healthcare deals both with the NHS and the private sector. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=30 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=30 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EDT Parkwood Leisure  is in negotiations with West Berkshire Council with a view to becoming the preferred leisure supplier for the whole district. Parkwood was one of four companies that responded as part of the tendering process and the decision, taken at a recent meeting of the Council’s Executive, was passed unanimously. Parkwood currently manages the Northcroft Leisure Centre in Newbury and the Cotswold Sports Centre in Tilehurst and will take on Hungerford Leisure Centre, Kennet Leisure Centre in Thatcham and the Willink Leisure Centre in Burghfield Common on July 1st. Marcus Franks, West Berkshire’s Executive Councillor for Leisure said, “We are delighted to be expanding our partnership with Parkwood, they have an impressive track record which is already proven within West Berkshire.   He added,” The appointment of a single supplier for the district will serve to strengthen the existing leisure facilities and enable a programme of continuous improvement for these very important services.”   He also stressed that whatever the outcome it would be ‘business as usual’ at all West Berkshire leisure facilities.   Andrew Holt, Managing Director of Parkwood Leisure said, “We are very excited about the opportunity to bring investment to the West Berkshire district and to deliver integrated, consistent and high quality leisure services. We have enjoyed a successful partnership over the last three years and look forward to replicating and extending the success throughout the district. We have a passion for the leisure industry and take pride in helping as many people as possible achieve their health and fitness goals.” http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=29 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=29 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST Parkwood Leisure is delighted to be formally appointed the preferred bidder for the management of five leisure centres within Rushcliffe Borough Council. This contract will run for 10 years and increases Parkwood Leisure's presence within the Midlands region.  Subject to further negotiations, it is envisaged that the contract will start on 1st June 2007. Managing Director, Andrew Holt said, “Parkwood Leisure is delighted to have been selected as the preferred bidder for the management of this contract.  We look forward to meeting all of the staff, finalising the details of the management contract and commencing operation within the next few months”.  http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=28 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=28 Wed, 14 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST Cherwell Leisure Ltd, a consortium of Parkwood Project Management Ltd, Parkwood Leisure, Burke Rickhards Architects and Moss Construction, has been appointed as Preferred Bidder for Cherwell District Council's ambitious plans to modernise sports centres in Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington. Councillor Norman Bolster, Portfolio Holder for Recreation, announced the Preferred Bidder on Monday 12 February, saying: "Cherwell Leisure Ltd has submitted exciting proposal for the three sports centres and has met the criteria set by Cherwell District Council for designing, building and managing the centres for the next 25 years. The Council has worked over the last four months with two short-listed Bidders to evaluate the proposals they submitted in October. Both the Bidders came forward with excellent schemes that have been rigorously evaluated against the Council's legal, financial, technical and service requirements. Cherwell Leisure's proposals have been selected as best able to meet the Council's vision for its sports and leisure centres." The proposals will see an investment of over £24m in modernised, improved facilities at Kidlington and Gosford Sports Centre and Bicester and Ploughley Sports Centre and a completely new Spiceball Park Sports Centre in Banbury. Councillor Bolster added: "This is a key decision for the Council. It follows an exhaustive process since April 2004 when the Council's intentions to modernise sports and leisure facilities were announced. We have worked closely with both Bidders and external advisors to ensure that the Council's priorities are met, whilst working within strict financial limits that have been challenging to the Bidders and Council alike. The proposals that have been announced today achieve these requirements, provide exciting facility developments at all three centres as well as improvements in customer service and efficiency savings. The proposals will be further developed with Cherwell Leisure and key stakeholders over coming months as part of the detailed negotiating process prior to letting the contract." Jeremy Lightfoot, Managing Director of Parkwood Project Management Ltd said: ""We are delighted that the Cherwell Leisure consortium has been chosen as Preferred Bidder for this important leisure project. We look forward to working with Cherwell District Council and to encouraging all sectors of the community to take part in sporting activities. It's fantastic news. Our priority now is to conclude contractual negotiations with Cherwell District Council to ensure that we can commence the building work on the three leisure centres as soon as possible while minimising any disruption to the existing leisure centres. Our aim is to provide sports centres that the whole community can be proud of which will provide top quality facilities for every age group." "The residents of Cherwell will soon see the results of our efforts with one new state-of-the-art facility in Banbury and two refurbished centres in Bicester and Kidlington being completed by the summer of 2009. These facilities will be built by our construction partner Kier Moss and managed by our sister company Parkwood Leisure" Managing Director of Parkwood Leisure, Andrew Holt, said, “Parkwood Leisure is delighted to have been selected as the leisure operator for the preferred bidder contractor, Cherwell Leisure Limited.  We look forward to finalising the details of the management contract and commencing the operation of the Cherwell leisure facilities later this year”. Ian Davies, Head of Leisure Services said: "There is much work still to be done to complete detailed designs and ensure that customers are kept fully informed as the process develops. A level of disruption is inevitable in programmes of this scale and we will work with Cherwell Leisure Ltd to put in place plans to manage this and ensure effective communication with clubs and customers. Building work is not expected to start until early 2008 with contracts signed and new management in place from this autumn. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=27 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=27 Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST Parkwood Leisure in partnership with Bexley Resources Plus has created an innovative project attracting potential employment as Recreation Assistants. The 2012 Project is a unique programme aimed at introducing individuals into the Leisure Industry.  Initially via a ten-week work experience programme, the successful candidates will be trained in the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification and moved straight into full time employment on a one-year fixed term contract with Parkwood Leisure.  During the year, successful candidates enhance their skills by undertaking two additional qualifications in First Aid and the ASA Swimming Teachers Qualification. The scheme has already been endorsed by London Development Agency as a flagship programme for the forthcoming 2012 Olympics.  The success of the project within Bexley has attracted other outside interest across the Leisure Industry throughout local neighbouring Boroughs and throughout the United Kingdom. Darren Dash – Work Placement Officer at Bexley Resources Plus who was instrumental in this scheme commented that “This project is enabling people from different backgrounds to access the Leisure Industry and make an informed choice about their career path.  The success of this scheme is the close relationship between Parkwood Leisure and Bexley Resources Plus in identifying employee needs and customised training to fit their skill gaps”. For further information about the 2012 Project, please contact Bexley Resources Plus on 01322 356200. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=26 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=26 Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST Parkwood Leisure has been selected to manage leisure facilties on behalf of Kettering Borough Council.  The facilties included in the contract, which will run for 10 years, are the Kettering Swimming Pool, Desborough Leisure Centre, the Cornmarket Hall and Kettering Pitch and Track. Kettering Borough Council went through a robust and open procurement process before coming to the decision.  Councillor Alison Wiley (Portfolio holder for Leisure and Community) says: " A good service has been provided Kettering Community Leisure Limited over the last ten years but the tender from Parkwood Leisure was more innovative and beneficial to the Council,  current staff will transfer over to the new contractor and these are discussions that KCLL will need to have with Parkwood Leisure.  We now look forward to working with our new contractor." Parkwood Leisure's Business Development Manager, Kirsty Rose, has stated:  "Parkwood Leisure is delighted to have been selected for the management of Kettering 's leisure facilties.  We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Kettering Borough Council over the next ten years, delivering quality leisure services for the benefit of the whole community" The new arrangements should be in place for 1st April 2007 and the decision will be confirmed at the end of next week so that work can start to make sure there is a smooth handover for the benefit of staff and customers. http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=25 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=25 Fri, 19 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST Crook Log Leisure Centre is inviting local people to sign up for a healthy New Year challenge to support Marie Curie Cancer Care in the local area and register for Swimathon 2007 “Get In and Swim” to take on the challenge of a hearty 5K swim at the event 22-25 March 2007.  Nick McArdle from Crook Log Leisure Centre said: “Many people set themselves health goals in the new year.  Swimathon 2007 is the perfect opportunity for everyone in Bexley to fulfil new year’s resolutions whilst raising much needed funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care services in the local community.” Marie Curie Cancer Care provides high quality nursing, totally free, to give terminally ill people the choice of dying at home supported by their families. Swimathon 2007 will be bringing thousands of people together to make it the biggest swim fundraiser in the UK and to promote the health and fitness benefits of swimming. Largely considered as the best all round form of exercise, Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew, MBE who has supported Swimathon since its inception 21 years ago says: “Swimming is both the nation’s most popular participation sport and one of the government’s targeted sport to reduce obesity – Swimathon 2007 is making swimming accessible to everyone in Bexley and we want to challenge local people to help us break all records this year to make it the biggest Swimathon fundraiser ever!” Swimathon is open to everyone, inviting people to set their own personal challenge by accomplishing a distance of their choice – the ultimate 5K challenge, which requires at least six weeks of training; the 2.5K, perfectly challenging for the intermediate swimmer; and the 1.5K, for anyone who swims occasionally. For those interested in joining forces with friends, colleagues or family, the 5K challenge can also be completed as part of team of up to five people or if you prefer to do it all at your own pace, join the Simply Swim challenge, which allows you to cover any distance at any participating pool, any time. Swimathon will take place across 600 swimming pools nationwide, over four days - 22-25 March 2007.  Registration is open now at www.swimathon.org where you can also find more information about your local participating pools, fundraising, and training tips. Crook Log Leisure Centre will be holding Swimathon 2007 training sessions on the following dates Saturday 24th March 2007 between 6.30pm-9.30pm.  Get In and Swim! Register now at www.swimathon.org or call the Swimathon hotline on 0845 36 700 36. Standard registration is £8.50 (concessions £4.50). http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk/news.php?id=24 http://www.parkwood-holdings.co.uk.co.uk/news.php?id=24 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST