Cycle Completed

The journey is complete

Our MD, Davie Gowans, has just completed his charity cycle in Malawi! Although Davie doesn't have access to the internet at the moment he has been in touch and given an update on the group's progress. Everyone involved agreed that the trip was an amazing experience and they are all now relaxing with cold beer prior to a special dinner tonight to celebrate their achievements.

The scenery was out of this world at Mulanje Mountain and is something that will live long in the memory of Davie and the others. Tomorrow the group will visit a local school before a long transfer back to Lilongwe where they will stay overnight before flying to Nairobi on Sunday for the return flight to Heathrow.

Today and tomorrow's official itinerary are as follows:

Friday 22 July - Blantyre to Mulanje
The final day of cycling!!

• Cycling east towards Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve, a vast isolated granite massif rising sharply above the plains. The last 2km are steep uphill!
• Known as the ‘Island in the Sky’, it consists of numerous plateaus, peaks & basins interspersed with deep ravines.
• Overnight stay at Kara O Mula Lodge. This evening we will enjoy a special meal to celebrate our achievements.

Saturday 23 July - Mulanje School Project Visit

• This morning we visit Thawale Primary School, a school that LINK is working with in Mulanje and you will have the opportunity to see a community School Performance Appraisal Meeting in action.
• In the afternoon we transfer back to Lilongwe where we will overnight in our hotel.

Davie will be updating his blog with more details when he and his beloved iPad are reconnected with the internet.

Congratulations to Davie and the rest of the group from IQA for completing this cycle for a great cause!!

Greetings from Malawi

I am now in Malawi and am having a brilliant time. On the second day we covered approx. 100 kms and yesterday we did 70 kms to the Zomba Plateau which is a mountain higher than Ben Nevis. My friend Paul and I dressed up as Batman and Robin for the cycle yesterday which was a great laugh but very warm, it amused the Malawian people greatly too.

I am feeling really good, cycling with a good bunch of people and enjoying the beautiful scenery and the Malawi people are amazing and very friendly. We visited one school where we met lots of children and if we pass them on the road they always wave to us.

Every morning we wake up at 6am, enjoy a buffet breakfast and prepare for the cycle ahead by completing a warm up before we leave at 8am. We arrive at our overnight stops between 4pm-5pm where we eat dinner together and are briefed for the next day’s cycle.

We are now heading south to Blantyre and I have taken lots of photos and videos however, you’ll probably have to wait till I get back before you can see them as the internet connection is very poor out here.

Hope you are all keeping well.

Davie

Davie's Cafe Malawi

On Monday 11th July David Gowans, MD of IQA turned tea boy for the morning. He set up a table in reception serving pain au chocolate, croissants, sweets and hot drinks for a donation which went directly to LINK Community Development. This was not only a great treat for the staff on a Monday morning, but he managed to raise over £60.

A big thanks to everyone for your support.

Less than two weeks...

With less than 2 weeks to go until the Malawi cycle, there was a lot more training at the weekend. It was also very nice to get some sunshine for a change in Glasgow! I was out both days at the weekend with the highlight being Sunday’s cycle to Loch Lomond and back. Another highlight was the pint of Cider in the sunshine at Balloch! In terms of fitness, I’m feeling great and ready for the 370km challenge. More training is arranged this week before more of a rest in the final days before I leave.

Practice Run to Falkirk Wheel

On Saturday 25th I had another great training session for the build-up to Malawi. I cycled just under 50 miles from Glasgow to the Falkirk Wheel, and back again. It was a great run along the canal path and a decent day for it. The way back was a bit tougher and yet again in good old Scottish fashion, the rain came on! Still, it was good training and not too difficult. It’s now under 3 weeks until I fly to Malawi and the excitement is building up. It’s going to be a great feeling knowing that the money raised is helping the communities and schools in Malawi. 

Edinburgh to St Andrews

Saturday 18th June

This has got to be the most difficult cycling event I have ever endured. It was the longest at 68 miles but it was the weather that made it a lot worse than any other. I joined fellow participants of the forthcoming Malawi trip in Edinburgh where we set off at 8:45am. There was over a thousand riders and we started at the back as we only just arrived on time. The first part if the trip was through the busy roads in Edinburgh as we headed to South Queensferry.

One of the most iconic parts was our journey over the Forth road bridge before travelling through Fife. The route didn’t take us up the scenic coastal road, but instead through the countryside. This is where the weather turned worse with heavy rainfall. There was also a difficult climb up some large hills into some dense woodlands. It looked great but felt cold and wet, and we were greeted by the most bizarre scene of an ice cream van parked up there in the wilderness. It didn’t stop a few of us grabbing a 99-er cone to celebrate our achievement thus far! There was a good downhill from here and then we had a proper rest stop at Kinross where the organisers had set up a community hall with food and hot drinks.

The weather then turned better as we travelled through the beautiful Fife countryside and things felt better. There were some excellent climbs along the way which were good from a training perspective, although it didn’t feel like that at the time! We travelled another 20 miles before the final stop and had a cup of tea and cake from the local Kirk. The last 20 miles to St Andrews was fun. Rain, wind, hills, more rain, stronger wind, and a sore knee. It was a great test of mental attitude and will power. It was after 5pm that I arrived at the beach road in St Andrews and it was a great feeling. Soaked, tired and sore but still with a smile on the face as I entered the pub for a well deserved pint!

The Last Stretch

Friday 17th June

With only 4 weeks until the Malawi trip, training has not been as intense as it should be. However, tomorrow I am taking part in my biggest cycling challenge so far, by joining the charity ride from Edinburgh to St Andrews. All 68 miles of it. The weather forecast is cloudy with scattered showers so hopefully the rain and wind stays away! I will be joined by several other participants who are going on the Malawi trip, and a big thank you to Evans Halshaw who have donated a minibus for the weekend to get us to Edinburgh and back. I’ll write more on Monday and tell you about the trip.

Wish me luck!

Davie

IQA Group Awarded a merit Pass for International Safety Awards

April 2011

IQA Group has been awarded a merit pass for the International Safety Awards 2011. The Company are one of only a few organisations to have reached this level of achievement and are aiming for a distinction next year.

IQA has received this award for the last couple of years and this is the highest rating yet which demonstrates the Company’s dedication to continuous improvement and corporate responsibility. It is also recognition of the focus that all of our staff brings to Health & Safety and we plan to continue improving so that next year we get the distinction.

Newspaper Article

Monday 30th May

The Paisley Daily Express kindly ran an article on me and the Malawi bike ride. The link below shows the online version, and the story has its usual journalistic slant. It’s still a very good article and raises more awareness of the charity event.

http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/paisley-news/2011/05/28/brave-david-aims-to-stay-clear-of-hungry-hippos-87085-28775925/

Falkirk Wheel

Sunday 29th May

A group of the Malawi participants had arranged to meet at the Falkirk Wheel, some travelling from Edinburgh and others from Glasgow. I met up with Pat and Lucia just after 9am as we were all leaving from Glasgow. It was a wet and windy morning and lying in bed would have been an easier option, but the training needs to be done! We took the canal route all the way and the rain eased off which was helpful. There was a charity cycle group travelling from Anniesland to Ratho so we met loads of other cyclists along the route. It’s a great ride with nice scenery and an easy flat route.

There were high winds today and they were blowing along the canal route which was great on the way to Falkirk which we did in just over 2 hours. The Falkirk Wheel has a good visitors centre so we stopped there for a while and got some lunch. Unfortunately we didn’t meet up with the group from Edinburgh as we were too early and they were hit by strong winds and rain, so we decided to head back to Glasgow. This is when the fun began.

It was tough going back towards Glasgow as the winds were very high and at some points you could hardly pedal due to the wind. It was a long 25 miles back and it took about 4 hours to complete. We did stop a couple of times for a well required rest. Today’s cycle certainly was a test of our resolve but it was good for the training aspect. We don’t anticipate any wind in Malawi so thankfully we won’t need to endure that sort of journey again! Well worth it though.

Good old Scottish Summer

Tuesday 24th May

My training over the last few days has been limited to a couple of sessions at the gym. I managed to get my bike repaired and must say that I was pleased with the service that Halfords provided. I bought the bike there in August and they treated the repair as maintenance and did it free of charge.

The only problem now is the high winds and rain that Glasgow has been hit with. I’ve not ventured out yet this week as if I can fall off my bike whilst stationary, then what will I be like with gale force winds?!! Still, a couple of good sessions at the gym has kept the fitness level up. I also had some treatment on my knee and it is feeling great again.

Sponsorship is going great and I am well underway to getting over the current £4,000 target that I have set. Some more sponsorship from IQA suppliers and also from friends. As always, it is very much appreciated.

A NIGHT TO FORGET

Thursday 19th May

Planned a 3 hour cycle with my friend Bill, and the bad luck started straight away when Bill turned up with a puncture. We got everything set up just before 7pm and headed down Byres Rd towards the River. Now I use toe straps/buckles on my pedals for extra grip, and keep one foot slacker in case I need to stop quickly. Usually it's the right but on this occasion I loosened my left foot. Bad choice- I reached the lights on Byres Rd and undertook a few cars, and stopped on the Red. Went to put my right foot down and realised I couldn't as it was strapped in - so I fell to my right onto the ground! Right in front of a row of cars and onlookers which was very embarrassing especially when the lights turned to green and I was trying to untie my foot! Not a great start.

The fall also had an effect on my bike as a couple of the gears were slipping but I continued anyway. We headed West and ended up in Erskine where we travelled over the Erskine Bridge which was very windy. From there we cycled across nice country roads to Bridge of Weir and eventually to Lochwinnoch. At one point when going up a steep hill, my gears popped out and I was peddling but started moving backwards! You can guess what happened next, yes, I fell off! This fall was a bit worse as I landed awkwardly and have the bruises to prove it! Still soldiered on and the best part of the day was the long downhill stretch to Lochwinnoch, which was just as well as it was getting dark.

We celebrated a hard cycle with a pint in the Brown Bull pub and Bill checked the train times. We then realised the last train was in 8 minutes and we were a mile from the station! Had to leave the pint and dash to the train station where we just made the train!

A short cycle back to the west end and I was home (at 22:40) safe in the knowledge that I will never need to use those bloody toe straps again! Entertaining night, and a really good workout :-)

Ben Lawers- Practice Run for Malawi

Saturday 14th May

Today’s challenge is to complete a 60 mile cycle to finish at the top of Ben Lawers in Perthshire! This is a big challenge for me and I am determined to finish it. I attempted to complete the same course last month with a couple of friends however, I only managed to make it up a third of the mountain when my I badly injured my knee and had to turn back, which was extremely disappointing.

I set off in the car from Glasgow at 8am and picked up fellow IQA colleague Brian Ward and friend Bill French. We arrived in Kenmore at the end of Loch Tay and got the bikes set up. It was a mild day but with a lot of wind and a little drizzle.



Ben Lawers stands at almost 4000ft above sea level and is the 10th highest peak in the UK. Our base start at Kenmore is around 1000ft so we had a fair height to cycle (albeit our road doesn’t go to the very top). The scenery was amazing and the cycle was tough but very rewarding. The weather was fine but we hit some high winds as we climbed up towards Glenlyon, at the foot of Ben Lawers. An hour and 17 miles later we eventually got to Glen Lyon and had a quick rest before setting off up the mountain.

The incline was steady and we meandered up the single track road, which was surrounded by beautiful hills and countryside, plus the odd sheep and lambs. You could only really cycle in the lowest gear and if you stopped pedalling you would have moved backwards. It was tough! It probably took over an hour to cycle the 4 miles and what a rewarding feeling when we reached the top. We walked the last few metres to the viewpoint at the top and were greeted by amazing views.

Even better was the way down! I must have travelled almost 3 miles without pedalling which was a lot of fun, although at this point there was a strong rainstorm so it got a bit slippy. The best part of the day was arriving back in Glenlyon at the foot of the mountain, and visiting the Glenlyon Post Office and Tea Room. South African owner Becky looked after us and we had a fantastic lunch followed by the famous Scones.

This fuelled us up for the 17 miles back, and for some reason we really pushed it for a while and had a very fast run. I must have overdone it though as I hurt my knee once more and had to take it a lot easier on the final few miles. Luckily I had a knee support and that helped a lot. We celebrated our achievement with a pint in the Kenmore hotel before heading back on the 2 hour journey to Glasgow. A fantastic day and well worth it!

Managing Director is set to cycle around Malawi in July to raise money for charity

David Gowans is venturing to Malawi to take part in an organised cycle to raise money to help improve the education of children there. Link Community Development, based in Edinburgh, have organised the bike run and Davie will be joining 40 other people who are taking part in this challenge.

By improving the education in Malawi, some of the things they hope to do is increase the numbers of teaching staff and equipment to schools, shorten the distances children have to travel to school and offer improved support services to young people for some of the family and social pressures that they face.

Davie is keeping a blog of his travels where you will get regular updates and pictures from his adventure. If you would like to follow the build up to the trip or pledge your support then please do so by visiting:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiserweb/fundraiser/showfundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=DGowans

http//www.facebook.com/pages/David-Gowans-Cycles-Malawi

IQA Growth

Ashley Richardson, HR Advisor

IQA has celebrated the five years service of a further three employees, showing their dedication to the Company and helping in its growth. 2011 has seen the Company grow at a tremendous rate with 27 people joining us since January and a further nine employees join us on Monday 18th April, bringing the total number of employees to 141! Despite this fast growth, we strive to keep the family atmosphere at IQA making it a happy and enjoyable place to work.

More Successful Projects for IQA

Brian Ward, Operations Manager (Scotland)

Glenfinnan Rd, Glasgow
IQA has successfully completed four more MSF projects: 60, 61, 80, and 110 Glenfinnan Road, Glasgow. Each block consisted of 56 domestic dwellings and commenced in 2010 with an approximate duration of 3 months per block. The changeovers were completed over a four day period with one block completed each day, totaling 224 renewed supplies. IQA liaised with the Cube Housing Association and concierge to ensure our customer’s requirements and considerations were met throughout the projects.

Drygate, Glasgow
A further two MSF projects have been successfully completed at 24 and 36 Drygate, Glasgow. These blocks had 72 and 84 domestic dwellings respectively and each project was completed in approximately 5 months. The changeovers were completed over a two day period with one block completed each day, giving a total 156 renewed supplies. IQA liaised with GHA and the concierge to ensure our customer’s requirements and considerations were met throughout the projects.

Quality System Auditor

IQA Group has recently recruited a Quality System Auditor, who will assist with our project to gain accreditation to the internationally recognised quality standard, ISO9001:2008. The Company will be driving forward with this ambitious goal throughout 2011, and expects to gain accreditation in March 2012.

"The Towers" Changeover

Carl Rugen, Electrical Operations Manager (North West)

IQA’s Liverpool Office completed its first changeover of 41 flats at “ The Towers” multi storey block in Birkenhead. The successful changeover was completed in close consultation with ScottishPower and Wirral Housing Partnership who were both in attendance on the day. ScottishPower Engineer Billy Jones said “excellent bunch of guys who worked hard and professionally to make the changeover go so smoothly. Well done to all involved”.

IQA Property

Property Updates

Our property website has recently been updated to show the availability of several properties. If you are on the look out for a property to rent or buy please visit http://www.iqaproperty.co.uk/ for more information.

Training Report

David McKinlay

Training and Compliance Manager

A total of 33 personnel, including 2 new members of staff, passed through the instruction rooms in Paisley and Liverpool in January 2011.

The topics covered were refresher, final interview and authorisation preparation as well as reporting procedures and metering instruction.

On 14^th January a total of 6 operatives successfully completed their OP3 refresher course while one of our jointing resources successfully passed his LV live working refresher training on 25^th January. 6 operatives all attended and successfully completed the M0008 five day course between 24^th-28^th January with their final OP3 interviews being passed. A further 2 operatives successfully completed their WI1 initial safety induction course on 31 January and will now work towards their W1 final interview with SP Compliance.

Another Successful Project ahead of schedule

Edgefauld Rd, Springburn, Glasgow
Brian Ward, Electrical Operations Manager (Scotland)


IQA has completed the first multi story flat project of 2011, modernising the supply to 100 customers on Scottish Power’s Internal Mains Network. The duration of this project was 4 months beginning in October 2010. All 100 customers had their electricity supplies successfully changed over a 2 day period, with 50 properties being completed each day.

New Contract Award

An 18 month contract has been awarded to IQA by Scottish Power for the Provision of Internal Mains and Services.

The contract, covering both SP Scotland and SP Manweb, commences on 6^th January 2011 and continues until 30^th June 2012, at which point a potential 30 month contract extension may be agreed.

This very positive news for IQA is a great start to 2011 and allows the Company to grow and support our future strategic plans.

Happy New Year

Our offices are now open again with the usual opening hours of 8am - 5pm.

IQA would like to wish all of our clients and suppliers all the best for this year and hope to work closely with you all again to ensure our level of service remains as best it can be.