PlymouthBrethren businesses would typically be considered good corporate citizens. Pinnacle EU appears to be a fund raiser for OneSchoolGlobal, though their website only goes back to 2015 under the Focus School banner. New to Byline Times? Dont miss a story! She was awesome, wore power suits, had short hair and took no nonsense. Nicholas Walker is listed as a director of the company with an Antrim address. - providing lunch to staff but they themselves dont sit at the table - women will wear skirts and dresses (not too revealing or short) as opposed to jeans etc. Workagile Ltd as an ex director of the company incorporated in 2020, with his brother in law's Charles & Glyn Hathorn of Pineapple Furniture being the other directors of this dormant company. There would also appear to be family connections to Brymec Ltd, Brymec are located in the adjacent unit to Bryson Products in Coulsden. Even the small ones, like having a peruse on social media, listening to music, reading the news, zoning out in front of Netflix, growing a beard or tying your hair up You get to wake up day after day and make that choice. No sleeping under the same roof as a non-comm (detached homes only & no hotels. On April 18th 2019, there was a buzz around the office. A second company linked to the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church - a fundamentalist Christian sect known as the Exclusive Brethren - won more than $100 million in federal government contracts to supply Covid tests, The New Daily can reveal. Our findings have also found the incredible wealth that is being built by the members of the church. Youre not allowed to have your say. In the 3rd part of Profit or Prophet we delve in to a further 8 companies owned by members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. For many, leaving their family simply isnt a choice. During my stint here, a non-comm HR lady started. Andrew Cookson is a company director and is listed as the regional principal at The Focus School York, according to its prospectus. At Open and Candid part of our investigation looked at how could an office design company become involved in PPE on such a scale? Global Consortium Ltd - Other transactions - Stadir Limited, Reviewing the shareholders above shows many are listed as employees of Blueleaf, have further Ltd companies and connections to other Brethren member companies that were awarded Covid contracts. The employees of Unispace have moved to other brethren companies following the sale, many have moved to Sante. Pop your email address in the field below to receive my monthly newsletter. Opponents slam 'horrific' idea of a Starbucks in Ashburton. Ascot Signs Ltd are based in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. CEO Approval. Agile Medical based in Grimsby won DHSC contract worth 233,000 for the supply of ventilator consumables, they also won a much larger contract worth 18.4 million to supply ventilators to Guys & St Thomas hospital trust. The Hereford based hook & loop business is owned by the Haughton family. Castle Industrial Supplies of Carnforth are a packaging company owned by the James family. Sam Blackledge of Arrow County Supplies is listed as a director of the "Catering for Crisis" business Rapid Relief Team (RRT), other directors of RRT include brothers of contract winners Andy Turner brother of Ben Turner of Toffeln and Murray Robertson brother of Luke & Ross Robertson of Medco Solutions. 47 036 078 343. Glen Reiner has worked for both companies. He was curious by nature. Part 1 - Profit or Prophet Unispace/Sante, Part 2 - Profit or Prophet Medco Solutions. working for companies owned by plymouth brethren working for companies owned by plymouth brethren. WPC Club P.O. Figuratively speaking of course. He did business training with UBT and, before that, attended Wilton Park School in Salisbury, which was part of the Brethren network. No support, no previous experience in the wider world. Oakdene are another Antrim based business, they are a commercial printing and branded merchandise supplier. The UK business comes under Global Design Concepts UK and is headed up by the Gray family based in Dublin. Behind the Exclusive Brethren: Politics Persuasion and Persecution is a non-fiction book by journalist and author Michael Bachelard about the group Exclusive Brethren, focusing on the sect in Australia.It was published in 2008 by Scribe Publications Pty Ltd. Bachelard first became interested in the organisation while a journalist for The Age, after finding out that prior to the 2007 Australian . Ross Robertson is a share holder in Sante Trading Co, formerly Unispace Health. It is true that as a rule the PlymouthBrethren generally have been cautious in embracing new technologies brought about through the digital age. Brethren must only work for Brethren run businesses. Find out more about us. It was awarded a 416,000 contract to supply PPE to Leeds City Council. Some of the more hardline Brethren groups even reportedly refuse to eat among non-members or strangers. Glenn Haughton a current director is also an ex director of Vendimia Ltd alongside Gerard Simmonds of Safpro Industrial Supplies. Kingsbury Press Ltd is a micro business owned by the Layton family and showing 16k worth of assets. Plymouth Brethren is described as a conservative, nonconformist, evangelical sect of the Christian faith and was first practiced in Dublin before quickly relocating to Plymouth. Accounts show at the end of 2020 that the P&L account had increased from 1.9 million to 28.2 million! The company is owned by the Blackledge family and the business was awarded a number of contracts during the pandemic. He spoke of a desire to live the city life in a skyscraper and wanted to see the world, but knew he never would. Cyril Parsons had resigned as a director at the start of 2013 and his 50% shareholding was switched to Anthony Hazell. Women mustnt wear trousers or make-up. The majority are small to medium sized enterprises with typical annual revenue ranges between $5m-$20m. The Brethren has around 20,000 UK members and includes a number of businesses and non-profit groups under its umbrella, charitable organisations such as the Rapid Relief Team, business consultancy UBT, and OneSchool Global (OSG). Its likely the women youd have noticed with their long hair and a head covering usually a scarf. Alex Nunn listed as a director of Ureka is also a former director of Novus Trading. Director Andrew Walker is an ex director of Causeway Vision Ltd.Causeway Vision also includes Garth White as a current director & Dermott McMullan & Dale Paterson as ex directors. In 2017, after an extensive lobbying campaign, the Plymouth Brethren struck a deal with the charities watchdog, the Charity Commission, to overturn an earlier decision to refuse the group charitable status in a test case. If we go back, one of the many questions is how and why the contracts were awarded? Bronze Architecture based in Rackheath, Norwich. "Slipping some clothes into a rucksack, my heart thumped. Yet the Brethren are very focused on having it all together and if you show the least sign of brokeness or sin, you get booted out." Jacomb was so terrified of having her doubts exposed that she . Director of Meraki Global Investments with Dean Hales the cousin of Gareth & Charles Hales (owners of Sante Global LLP & formerly Unispace Global), Director of Meraki Global Investments with Lee Hazell the brother of Anthony Hazell (director of Unispace Global & named in some of the Sante companies), Director of Meraki Global Investments with Myles Woodcock the son of Garth Woodcock (co founder of Unispace Global), Agile Group Holdings Ltd alongside Anita Glass, Receptek Ltd alongside Anita Glass incorporated back in 2006. They ban technology. To get away from the sectarianism of dissenters, people in the movement wanted simply to meet together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ without reference to denominational differences. In 2012, the Exclusive Brethren became known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Annual Return Filed view. Traxx Tyres also shares registered company address with Sante Global LLP. Tower Supplies are based in Poole, Dorset where they specialise in safety & PPE supplies. In addition to the 177 million in contracts above, two contracts worth more than 107 million were awarded to Clandeboye Agencies Ltd to supply PPE to the DHSC. Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (Exclusive Brethren) 2015. Something went wrong, please try again later. In addition, Oska Care Ltd was awarded a 338,000 contract to supply manual ward beds and mattresses to SEC Hospital in March. The Brethren are no strangers to controversy, condemned for a tendency to harshly excommunicate and isolate those who fall foul of its practices and beliefs . If you were to research Ross & Luke Robertson, looking at their profiles on Linkedin, you will find that their career history would not show Unispace, Snaffle or Office Principles. Promise. This is everything you could possibly want to know and more about one of the worlds strictest forms of Christianity. TV and radio are not used, except in an educational setting at school, due to the fact that it is very difficult to filter out content. Nepotism was prevalent within the business. Director Consent Form view. All Rights Reserved. It doesnt sound like a bad life. Well, heres where it gets tricky. There is no opposition. For decades he has written letters to the Brethren leadership urging them to cease the practice of severing families. One Australian supplier, 2San Pty Ltd, lists Simon Whiley as a director, and a company owned by Dean Hales as a shareholder, was awarded $26 million by the Department of Health to provide medical equipment and accessories. Further to the prohibition of donning a pair of leggings and tying their hair up, Brethren women are inhibited from so many choices most of us take for granted. This is the only business where the Penson's are directors. Formally known as the Exclusive Brethren. There are only distance links to any other Brethren members. He previously said: "Since Pomphlett Methodist Church is nearby the cemetery may belong to them, or it could be a Plymouth Brethren cemetery as there was also a Plymouth Brethren chapel in Plymstock in the 19th century.". In 2015, Brethren members followed Charity Commission officials during a dispute over the Preston Down Trust. Bruce Hales was a paunchy office furniture salesman from Sydney. The first meeting in England was held in December 1831 in Plymouth. This video explores the relationships between non-Brethren Employees and Plymouth Brethren Business Owners.For more information or to speak to us, visit http. The first meeting in England was held in December 1831 in Plymouth. JMA Trading shows Jonathan Mark Andrews as a current director, he is also a director of Blueleaf. There are approximately 20,000 members in the UK and many of these are volunteers for the Rapid Relief Team which is a global charity supporting communities in times of need. Their cousin Estelle is the sister in law of Chris Glass of Agile Medical. Charles Allen Campbell is a trustee at The Bloomhill Trust, another OSG member. Dick Blackledge is also a former director of UBT (EU) and was a director at the same time as Charles Hathorn & Garth Christie. They dont care about non community only themselves actually think they are the opposite to good but pure evil. At Open & Candid we have previously highlighted that Blueleaf were awarded a contract to supply face masks to the DHSC worth 4,000,000, the oddity about this contract is that when cross referenced with payments over 25,000 published by the DHSC each month, that the payments appear to add up to well over 30,000,000. Lindum Packaging director Bernard Sellars is also a director of Edutrade Humber along with Tim Pocock, Graham Hazell (cousin of Anthony Hazell) & Ralph Green (Gloves4U & Nexom SCM group). They are sometimes permitted (supposedly by the Elders) to go visit family that live abroad, but this is pending approval. We all pay tax just like anyone else! Farr is yet another listed as an ex director of Novus Trading. Garth Parsons is a former director of Larchcroft Trading alongside Christopher Napthine. Children must continue to live with their parents until they are married. Together these businesses employ more than 55,000 employees, with a fairly even split of half being PBCC members and non-PBCC members. He would sometimes sneak off to places, ensuring he was back the same day so nobody had to know. The children attend the local schools until about 9yr old when they move on to their own faith school. Work pressure can be high at times. Whilst he embraced his lifestyle and made the most of it, open conversations with Aidan often left me feeling upset for him. Many big brands are intensely religious, even though consumers may not realize it. Today, the PBCC have even more technology to contend with so the rules also extend to no internet & no social media. The Magee brothers who are directors of the company are Paul, Marcus & Alan. Graham Whitbourn a Beaver Healthcare director is also still listed as a current director of Jesmond Construction. Blackledge is also a current director of the Universal Business Team, other directors include Andrew Critchley formerly a director of Oska Care, Timothy Barter father of Michael Barter a director of Techniclean. The accounts published by the parent company of Blueleaf show a large increase in turnover, which would suggest again that the contract was worth much more than stated on the government UK contracts website. Here former Plymouth Herald writer Alex Wood shines a light on a world that still to this day boasts influence, power and buckets full of goodwill for communities the length and breadth of the planet. 3130 VIC. I could never accept how the women were treated. I remember thinking a lot about the fact that if I wasnt allowed to do anything recreational, I might have done the same. It was my first offer put on the table much sooner than I had anticipated. The Exclusive Brethren is a subset of a Christian group, often described as Plymouth Brethren in the UK. Companies House lists former ATC Enterprises director Samuel Purdom as a current director of the company. Meanwhile, a Ross Robertson is the director and shareholder at Medco Solutions, which was awarded more than 10 million in two contracts to supply face masks and garments for biological protection. I googled Brethren but getting mixed results, so was wondering if anyone knows or has experience in working in such environments. He cared deeply for his family and did all he could to help them out financially (even though he was in his very early 20s). Over the last 18 months more contracts have been published and more Plymouth Brethren member companies have been awarded contracts. Or was the Draconian code enforced to make people comply by limiting free thinking? If there are any close links between the brethren member companies and the hardest question of all was there any connection to the UK government? Directors include Ryan & Garth Parsons. I Worked for what sounds like the same company about 7 years ago. There are a number of links to other Brethren businesses including Ocura Healthcare Furniture director Christopher Doughty whose linkedin profile includes an endorsement for management from Joel Doughty. Lovair are a commercial bathroom & washroom company based in Stockport and now under the name The Splash Lab, the business is owned by Fraser & Justin Lovell. One contract was concluded on 24 April this year, the other ended just a day later. Another contract with Liverpool council was awarded worth 106,000,000 to seven suppliers including Arrow County Supplies and another brethren member business Streamline Corporate. The company provide workwear and lists three directors Gerard & Richard Simmonds and Roy Jones. These 8 companies all have close contacts to either Unispace Global/Sante Global LLP or Medco Solutions. The Exclusive Brethren is an evangelical Christian movement which is part of a wider movement known as the Plymouth Brethren. Croydon based Giftfinder is a family business of the Purdom's, supplying bespoke branded merchandise. I think perhaps there was a level of shame to being signed off which probably did nothing to ease the stress and pressure he must have been under. At the start of 2020 just prior to the pandemic, two brothers Ross Robertson and Luke Robertson founded a new business that would turnover hundreds of millions in the first 2 years. Secondly, the church doesnt make it all that easy to leave. With regards to mobile phones, they are purchased through their own suppliers and are restricted to block social media apps, amongst others. The Turner family business lists seven directors including Stephen & Craig Turner, Craig is also a current director & Stephen an ex director of Nexus Team Ltd. Stephen was also a director of the now dissolved Breckland Park School Ltd along with David Temple of Eastpoint. Treated a million times better than your average employer? Company director Samuel Drake holds the same role at OneBus Ltd, which is partly controlled by the Focus Learning Trust, which is a precursor to the OSG. No music (unless performed by fellow Brethren). Ive worked for 2 brethrens people, both of them looked after me very well Id have no quibles in saying they are just great. they are generally lovely, kind generous, happy people. The directors of the company are Anthony Drake & his sons Tim, Sam, Laurie & Nick. They believe only those formally recognised as part of that or an equivalent assembly should break bread. In the United States and Sweden, Brethren political activism has . The sect, whose members are subject to strict disciplinary practices, enjoys tax reliefs and rebates reportedly worth as much as 11 million a year. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Nathan Whitbourn is also listed as director of a number of businesses including Beaver Healthcare along with other members of the Whitbourn family and Christopher Doughty. Ex directors include Timothy Browning and ex Zest Trading director Charles Ker. Barter is linked to Tim Browning, a director at both Techniclean companies, who sits on a number of schools and trusts run by the Brethren network, including OSG. The company concerned being owned by supposedly God-fearing # . Any comments much appreciated and have a lovely day. Since 2003 an Exclusive Brethren trust has set up 15 year 7-12 schools here, teaching about 1000 children. Orka is a family business ran by the Rabey family including director Paul Rabey who is also a director of Jesmond Construction. PLYMOUTH BRETHREN CHRISTIAN CHURCH LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity . None of our meeting halls have been used since 17th March owing to the current covid situation. Sterilab Services was a Harrogate based company owned by the Frizelle family. They recognise and follow through on their responsibility to provide for their families financially by earning an honest living. A specialist healthcare equipment provider they follow a similar pattern for the Bristol based brethren businesses, in that Kevin Smallridge is listed as a director and he is also a former director of Novus Trading. The interviewees politely asked if I could spare some time to speak to a non-comm member of staff before I left, to help me get an idea of what it was like to work there. There is one worship centre situated in Brest Road, Derriford, and another in Lower Compton Road, Compton. 56 808 920 147. All businesses owned by Plymouth Brethren operate independently of the Church and do not fund the Church. Owned by the McMullan family. Whilst the duty of church meetings called at 6PM daily and people were generally out of the door by 5, people would arrive at the office incredibly early. Directors of CID include Alfred Soulsby through his family business Equitable Fortitude Ltd. Alfred is also a director of ACAD Trading. I felt awful that the culture was not to admit or talk about this kind of thing. [26] GPH Society [ edit] Mr Whiley was previously a director of the UK Plymouth Brethren Christian Church Limited. Sante Trading Co. Ltd Shareholders (part 1). The prime concern has been how to use thesetechnologieswithout any harm to the user. The origins of the Brethren are usually traced to Dublin, Ireland, where several groups of Christians met informally to celebrate the Lords Supper together in 18278. Unispace links to Oska Care, Orcagel, Ocura Healthcare Furniture & Archer Marketing which all operate in the North East of Scotland. I see it all the time when I get lost in comments threads, which I often do. They list just one director Nathan Whitbourn, he is also an ex director of Jesmond Construction where we find Doug Cowie of Orcagel as a director. We also introduce new voices of colour in Our Lives Matter. And no, Im not just talking about moving into her own place, although that too because, rules are rules (unless youre a man at the top of the hierarchy). Supplying workwear and safety products to industry is the core of a business, which includes former Zapp UK Trading director Blake Prisgrove as Managing Director. The community follow a stringent set of rules, most of which were imposed in the late 60s by their then leader, Jim Taylor Jr. Whilst across the pond Charles Manson was brainwashing his followers using LSD and The Beatles, Jim Taylor Jr was instilling the fear of God into his. They also have an office in Colchester. Oska Care won two contracts with NHS Scotland for the supply of beds & mattresses. This business was based out of the same premises as another brethren PPE contract winning company Lovair Property. As we reported earlier this contract is interesting for the fact that it can only be supplier searched by entering Sterilab. Recommend. Lion Safety are a PPE supplier based in Grangemouth and owned by Lewis family. Plymouth Brethren members are also involved in the import and resale of hardware for industry, such as welding equipment. The two current directors are Anthony Hazell of Unispace and Gregory Hales another son of Plymouth Brethren Church leader Bruce Hales. My personal beliefs are atheistic but i certainly respect other peoples beliefs to the extent they dont infringe on my own. Inivos work closely with Unispace and on the webinar section of their website you can find a webinar that is brought to you. it was the one who came from a humbler background, who went to the ends of the earth to do a good job. Yewdale Corporation owned by the Parsons family, based in Wickford, Essex, are a commercial shading & screening company. Fri 1 Jun 2007 19.06 EDT. The more I learned, the more uncomfortable I felt. And, just like in any office, there were those eager to please and those happy to drift by fulfilling the bare minimum. Belonging to the Church does not providespecial exemptions, privileges, concessions, tax breaks, etc. Another company called Tower Supplies, based in Dorset, appears to have been awarded more than 40 million in two contracts to supply PPE. We wanted to find out, were they suitable companies in terms of expertise? The Bushnell family business lists four current directors Julian, Karl, Shaun & Vaughan Bushnell. They are cousins of Unispace co founders Garth Woodcock & Cyril Parsons, they are also cousins of Roger Parsons of Ascot Signs. They are based in Peterhead, with a London based showroom sharing the same address as Oska Care, Orcagel also has an Irish based distributor called GC group in Derry. Receive our monthly print edition and help to support fearless, independent journalism. Its important for me that, you the reader, understand that prior to accepting this role, I had never heard of the Brethren and that the interview process did nothing to deter me. The directors of the company are Tim Pocock, his son Joseph Pocock and Keith Wade. Graham is also a former director of Plymouth Brethren Church ran businesses Allerbrook & Scribefort. The Next day I wore black smart trousers with a smart jacket . On a Sunday, they attend church up to three times. Byline Times has attempted to contact every company, gospel hall and school to confirm the associations of the individuals named above but, as it has discovered with previous procurement contracts, many of these businesses appear to exist on paper only. Charlie Aris is the CEO at Tower Supplies, according to his Linkedin profile. Wellingborough based Total Protection UK is a dissolved business, the business merged with Baca Workwear & Safety of Northampton, a Health & Safety Equipment supplier in 2017. The network began in Australia and now we have more than 23 campuses across the country. He would miss meetings and return to the office with his hair freshly cut. Its clear that the Brethren world is a mans world, but was the quality of life really better for the Brethren men? and our Mark Reiner is a trustee of Benhill Gospel Hall Trust alongside Neil Hardwick a director of UBT (EU) Ltd. Mark's sister Lois is the Auntie of Anthony Hazell ex Unispace/Sante Global. The company owned by the Reiner family, was awarded a contract for PPE by the DHSC totalling 3,940,000 to supply facemasks. Globally, Brethren businesses generate a combined turnover of $22bn. All three businesses link to other Brethren members. Privacy Policy. Youve been brought up your whole life believing that your little sect is right and the rest of the world is wrong & going to hell. Springfield Supplies & Projects is a furniture supplier in Bristol ran by the Baker family. In fact, Im sure I know a few women who would aspire for that life. Youd be alone for the first time in your life. If youre wondering where visiting family might take you, the majority are in Australia and Canada, but conveniently theres a settlement in the Bahamas. In terms of PPE supply and gloves, one company jumped out straightaway, a company called Gloves4u Ltd. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. This also allows them to serve the community by communicating with and distributing to those in need, as well as contributing to the Church. Companies House lists Alex Michael Nunn as one of the directors of Ureka - the same, full name as a trustee listed at the Brethren-supporting Cardiff Gospel Hall Trust. Walking away from the people you love, who will never understand your decision. Specialist Door Solutions based in Farnham are a manufacturer of specialist doorsets. Linkedins strapline needs updating. Things became difficult for me after this pand I left a few weeks later. Belonging to the Church does not provide special exemptions, privileges, concessions, tax breaks, etc. This is why pro environmentalists cant agree on anything with climate deniers. A high proportion of Plymouth Brethren members operate family businesses. When we launched Open & Candid back in 2020, one of the first stories we covered was the remarkable number of covid contracts that had been won by members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. It just seemed, well, non-optional. Current directors are Andrew, Graeme & Roger Paterson. Two other companies with links to the OSG network include Denka UK Ltd. The Australian company Unispace Global PTY Ltd was owned by brothers Gareth & Charles Hales, both sons of 'the man of god' Bruce Hales. By our reckoning contracts have been awarded to 54 companies and now total well over 2.2 Billion, that is correct over 2.2 Billion! Companies House show an allotment of shares at the end of 2013 and lists in September 2014 the shareholding, the largest shareholder was now the Australian registered company Unispace Global PTY Ltd, holding a 51% share, Garth Woodcock & Anthony Hazell owned 19.5% each, Dale Woodcock & Sebastian Parsons holding the remaining 10%, each with 5%. Given considerable concern about the billions spent on PPE contracts during the Coronavirus crisis without competitive tendering much of which appears to have gone to Conservative friends and donors this new revelation suggests an ever narrower sectional interest when it comes to public funds. The Exclusive Brethren is a Christian sect that split from the Church of England in the early 1800s and has established itself in rural communities across Australia and the world. A GoFundMe page has been set up by a friend with the permission from Alfies family to support them with funeral planning. After returning from a year of backpacking, I arrived home to England full of lifelong memories but also lacking in direction, money and about to turn 30. Great company to work for, great team that motivate and care for all involved, employees, customers and suppliers. Minimal sleep was inspirational and not discouraged. But, holidays or time off just dont exist in Brethren life. Leaving is fairly non-optional for the Brethrens. They cook, clean their ginormous homes & bring up their children. Vista 4 also lists Richard Farrant as a director, along with ex director Mark Barter. They were regularly in contact with former Prime Minister John Howard, donate secretly to the Liberal Party, and have lobbied for and supported conservative causes.