I enjoy writing this monthly article as it’s a great reminder of just how much the SPRA team do for members and the wider industry on a daily basis… look at what we’ve been doing in January (and what you are missing if you aren’t part of the SPRA community-want to join us?).
• Membership subscriptions and audits – January is when the majority of subscriptions are due and is heavy on the admin. We made members aware that certificates would only be issued when fees are paid and annual audit returned, so if you are still waiting for a certificate, do get in touch as we may still be waiting for your audit. Email the lovely Sheryle on membership@spra.co.uk
• Member comms and updating our content management system – it’s quite a task keeping up to speed with who’s who and so we have just sent out a request for members to complete a Contact Database Update request. This is so that we can make sure we have the right people in member companies tagged to receive the right information. This is very important so we don’t waste your time, and we get the right information to the right people. Not sure if you’ve returned the form, or know of staff changes at work? Simply complete the form and send it back to us. https://spra.co.uk/member-contact-data-request/
• Held a SPRA Team Workshop – we all work in different parts of the UK so we had a meeting in London to go through office systems, procedure, membership projects, PR & events planning, training activity and industry involvement and of course to brainstorm some ideas to look at how we can further enhance your membership. We believe you already get excellent value for money of course, but we are always open to suggestions from membership too, so don’t be shy about getting in touch if you have some ideas on this! membership@spra.co.uk
• Collaborative Member Industry Workshop – Organised and will deliver a major industry workshop in collaboration with the LRWA and BBA. Well over 60 delegates from LRWA and SPRA membership are booked to attend this event, and next week’s news will feature the outcome. It takes a lot of organising, but we hope to repeat this type of activity with our sister federations on those important industry issues that affect us all. Working together is what it’s all about. Got suggestions for future workshop subjects? Email technical@spra.co.uk or training@spra.co.uk depending on the subject.
• Next apprenticeship course started – Our SAP10 started on the 20th of the month, and of course, there is a lot of preparation that goes into this training. Administration, funding, materials transport, training centre prep etc all needs to be done, but we are pleased that six new trainees have started their apprenticeship journey. We will have another course starting later this year – have you got any suitable trainees? Any age, CITB funding. Email training@spra.co.uk
• SPRA Conference programme development and Awards – More research and refinement of the conference content and development of sponsorship (would you like to sponsors SPRA this year?) , PR and marketing activity. Just updating the website with all the information takes a big effort! Did you know that we are now taking bookings for Conference and Awards dinner and that early bird prices will be available until end Feb. Open to ALL! So book now and bring your colleagues and clients. We’ve got a great line up of speakers already booked to talk to you about important topics all under the banner of ‘Confidence through competence’. You need to know what’s happening as it will affect us all.
• Awards – Once again, as the specialist trade association, we’ve been asked to judge the shortlist for the Single Ply Category of the UK Roofing Awards (thank you NFRC) and we’ve been promoting the SPRA Awards of course (have you entered yet???-SPRA members only)
• Membership criteria and audit development – continued work to develop new membership criteria
• Design Guide review – the work has started to review our Design Guide so that it is up to date and includes the latest windload, concrete deck and pull-out test guidance. We would like members to help with the review, and would ask that they submit any comments, typos, mistakes or broken links to the SPRA team so that we can ensure they are addressed. Email any information on the Design Guide to technical@spra.co.uk -your help is greatly appreciated as this is a big task
• New Windload training – work has begun to create a one day windload training course. We are hoping to deliver the first courses in March. Interested? Please email training@spra.co.uk to express your interest.
• General stuff – writing this Weekly News, updating the website, dealing with membership and external enquiries, membership updates re employees, new membership application processing, industry meetings and engagement with the CPA, CITB, RIA, supporting assessors and managing training funding and trying to stay hydrated through it all!.
Source: Cathie Clarke, CEO, SPRA