Company News

MODEL WAY TO SOLVE ENGINEERING PROBLEM

BUDDING YOUNG ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN PUTTING their ideas to the test in the Junior Engineers K'nex challenge.

The young engineers, aged between seven and 11 and working in pairs, had an hour to solve an engineering problem and create a model out of K'nex, a creative construction toy. They then had to give a short presentation to explain their design.

Local school children competing were invited into Simpsons SKODA showroom to test their engineering mettle…under the watchful eye of Howard Clayton, Simpsons SKODA'S Sales Manager.

It was the first time the children had taken part in the K'nex Challenge and they are looking forward to the Norfolk final. Norfolk's eventual winner and runner-up, out of an entry of 126 teams representing 63 schools, will take part in the eastern region final at Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, on July 3. The eastern region winner will go forward to the national final at Duxford on July 15.

The Exchange (Norfolk Education Business Partnership) runs the Junior Engineers K'nex Challenge in Norfolk. The challenge is promoted nationally by Youth Engineers - www.youngeng.org - and Hasbro and is aimed at school pupils aged seven to 11.

Howard Clayton, Sales Manager at Simpsons, said: "We were really pleased to be involved in the K'nex Challenge and offer the showroom for a great after-school activity. The children's designs were incredible and the winners were particularly impressive."

Anita Cullen, of The Exchange, said: "Each team worked very hard and solved a lot of problems during the hour that they had to create their model. I would like to thank Howard and the team at Simpsons for hosting the Junior Engineers Challenge heat."

FOR INFORMATION on The Exchange visit www.norfolk-exchange.org.uk

Our photographs shows Howard with local heat winners from Great Yarmouth.

SAD LOSS OF OUR CHARISMATIC CHAIRMAN, SIMON WOODGREAVES

It is with the deepest regret, that I have to announce the sad and sudden loss of Simpsons’ Motor Group Chairman, Simon Woodgreaves in December, 2007.

Simon developed mylodisplacer, a debilitating cancer which attacks and destroys the body’s defence mechanism. His wife Pauline and family, and all his colleagues and friends in the motor caravan and motor industries would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and messages of condolence.

His funeral was held on the 2nd January, 2008.

Simon Woodgreaves was literally a larger than life, charismatic character in the automotive industry and one who is irreplaceable in terms of his knowledge, expertise, enthusiasm, energy and motivation. He was an icon in the East Anglian motor trade, having built up a working relationship with the Volkswagen  Group which stretched back over 50 years.

Simon’s beloved fascination with military history and European battlefields regularly took him and Pauline to commemorative celebrations in Normandy, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

Everyone who met and knew Simon could not help but be affected by his immense enthusiasm for anything he involved himself with, whether it was in the motor industry, new vehicle franchises, motor caravans, after-sales support, or any of his other business interests or hobbies.

As one of my own close advisers once told me, “They don’t make ’em like Simon Woodgreaves any more….It is people like him that made this country great.”

I personally have so much to thank him for insofar as he gave me the chance – at 15 – to leave school and serve a dedicated mechanics’ apprenticeship with the Simpsons Garage Group. I even wrote to him while still at school to ask if I could attend a work experience programme with his reputable dealership. In his inimitable style, Simon welcomed my enthusiasm, took me under his wing and guided my career path into eventually becoming Group Managing Director, where I proudly stand today.

Across East Anglia, Great Britain and even in Europe there are scores of talented business executives whose automotive careers gained both momentum and experience by their fortunate encounters with Simon Woodgreaves.

He was both one of their senior mentor advisors as well as my own. I can proudly say he made a not inconsiderable contribution to my career success and to many, many others.

Everyone within the Group, and suppliers and customers too will be delighted to know that it will be ‘business as usual’ for Simpsons.

It’s what Simon wanted with the family remaining very active in all trading activities: his daughter Belinda and son-in-law Brinley Crick, who both have key roles in the Motor Caravan Centre, have been devastated by Simon’s sudden departure, but they know dad was so proud of his family’s motivation in driving the Group to even better levels of customer service in 2008, and beyond.

Simon’s business acumen and foresight was legendary: with over 40 years of leading from the front he emulated many of the military generals he greatly admired. He had been the proud recipient of numerous awards and plaudits from the Motor Caravan and Automotive Industries.

As Simon so regularly said as he saluted soldiers who had fought so hard for their country and paid with the ultimate sacrifice…. “We will remember them.”

Not withstanding this tragic loss for so many people who cherished his sense of humour, banter and business motivation…. “We will always remember him…a great motivator, a great friend and an immense contributor to the modern motor industry.” 

Andrew Aldis, Group Managing Director

Garry's master class

Steve Bunn, Skoda Regional Operations Manager presenting Gary Howes of Simpson's SKODA, Great Yarmouth, with his acclaimed Skoda Master Technician Certificate.

Congratulations to Great Yarmouth's Simpsons SKODA technician, Gary Howes, on recently passing his Master Technician's examination.

Managing Director of Simpsons SKODA, Andrew Aldis said, "We're delighted Gary has won this top Master Technician Certificate after two years of intensive training and rigorous assessment. His concerted effort deserves SKODA'S top international technician status award."