Categories: General

Serving the Services – NAAFI – our national treasure »

Over 40 businesses are based here at Lingfield Point, all providing an excellent service standard but one stands out from a global perspective – NAAFI!

NAAFI, based at Lingfield and a British institution will commemorate the 550 staff that died in service since its formation in 1920 in a year of events with a special event on 6th December here at Lingfield Point to celebrate its 90th anniversary.  The year will also recognise the service of its current staff on deployment in Afghanistan and across the globe, wherever the Armed Forces are serving.

Serving the Services - NAAFI celebrates

The not for profit organisation, whose patron is HM The Queen, has been dedicated to serving the Armed Forces since its formation in 1920. In that time many NAAFI personnel have been awarded campaign medals for their outstanding commitment to supporting our British servicemen and women.

189,000 British servicemen and women on duty around the globe still take time out for a NAAFI Break today – a chance to take a few minutes to unwind over a cup of tea and a bun; time to think of home, catch up with friends or take a glance at the daily paper. A vital link to the familiarity of everything British, a ‘NAAFI Break’ is so much more than just a tea break, it’s a real, heart warming, taste of home.

Earlier this year, and to start the year of commemoration, NAAFI have recreated one of the most iconic images from its history after tracking down an original 1940’s NAAFI mobile canteen wagon and recruiting members of EFI (Expeditionary Force Institutes) 148 Squadron, the deployable military arm of NAAFI, to stand in line for their ‘char and wad’ at the wagon, just as their counterparts have for the last 90 years.

NAAFI’s 90th anniversary gives us the perfect opportunity to rediscover and recognise some of our most heroic NAAFI staff over the years, such as George Cross recipient Tommy Brown – a NAAFI canteen assistant who risked his life during World War II to retrieve documents which provided the vital codes needed to break the German ‘Enigma’ system.”

We’re proud to be associated with such a inspiring service standard and a successful global force and we’ll be bringing you more news on the event on 6th December with a visit of the NAAFI girls and our very special tea break!

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  • Author: Sara Williams
  • Posted: November 26, 2010
  • Threads:

Categories: General

Getting into the Christmas spirit! »

As a base for over 1500+ people and 40+ businesses, we work hard to keep everyone entertained and motivated to give that little bit more!

We organise a great many business briefings, conferences and seminars to ensure businesses keep ahead of the game.  Just as important though, is the motivation of our friends and colleagues, which is why we’re so keen on our events, promotions and keeping the fun factor close at hand.

Our latest event, ‘All IWant For Christmas’ Gift & Craft Fair organised in conjunction with Darlington Borough Council’s business engagement team took place on Tuesday night.  We welcomed over 500 people – families, friends and colleagues all turned up to enjoy the start of our festivities this year. The event was held in Meadow – the UK’s largest single floorplate at 47,000sqft +

Families wandered around the 60+ local, specialist craft and gift providers sampling tasty treats from our Christmas café provided by our very own Canteen – by Alexander MacMurray.

Councillor Bryan Thistlethwaite, Lord Mayor of Darlington and Eddie checks out the gifts on display

The Christmas craft fair provided plenty of ideas and inspiration for this year’s celebration and among the visitors was The Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Bryan Thistlewaite.  Over £300 was raised on the night through entry donation will be presented to the Mayor’s chosen charities, Diabetes UK (Darlington branch), CLIC Sargent (Caring for Children with Cancer) and the RNLI.

So as a business or even as a friend, keep in touch with us and follow us online to see what other festive fun we’re organising.

Ps…. Watch out for The Christmas Cracker Carol Concert on 18 December with

St Teresa’s Hospice.

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  • Author: Lingfield Point
  • Posted: November 23, 2010
  • Threads: Sustainability

Categories: General

Are green residential developments attracting environmentally savvy homeowners? »

“Green communities are designed to conserve natural resources, but whether residents have the knowledge and motivation to independently maintain a sustainable development is not well understood.”

That statement appeared in Landscape and Urban Planning* earlier this year. The article was the result of a survey of new homeowners in both ‘green’ and conventional master-planned communities in Florida.

The survey organisers wanted to find out if there were any differences in the homeowners’ environmental knowledge, their attitudes and their behaviors.

Their report suggests that residents moving into new ‘green’ communities are not equipped with enough knowledge or the appropriate behaviour and attitudes to make those green communities function as sustainable developments.

In fact the authors (Mark Hostetler and Krystal Noiseux) go so far as to suggest that post-construction management and educational programs may be needed to put that right.

As we plan to build about 1,300 new ‘green’ homes at Lingfield Point as part of our sustainable mixed community it made for interesting reading.

Wild flower meadow and wet land area.

It also conflicts with our experience so far of our commercial customers, including the Student Loans Company, who were thrilled to re-use the former wool factory and were attracted by its potential. From the very beginning they have understood and supported our vision for the site.

So we are left wondering… will it be so different with homeowners?

Can the environment we create do enough to promote behavioural sustainability?

* Landscape and Urban Planning, Volume 94: Issues 3-4.

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Categories: General

A helping hand for ‘a good old yarn’ »

Having such a fascinating history and a very exciting future, we’re often asked to show interested parties around our 107 acre business park.  Students, residents, old friends – and new -  are always welcome to pop in and witness some of the changes we’ve put in place over the last 10 years or so.

As a destination rich in art, culture and design, we often enjoy touring with thought-provoking university students but one recently stood out as just a little bit different.

Viven McKeown, studying at Teesside University for her BA Interior Design Degree chose Lingfield Point and the changing face of Paton & Baldwins as the subject of her Design Dissertation.  Her study revolves around life as a woollen mill; the business park of today and of course its future plans for one of UK’s largest sustainable locations.

The dissertation is a well written, easy to read summary of our approach and celebrates our strengths – if you’re a newcomer to the area and want to know what all the fuss is about – start with this one – it’s a perfect start and you can link through below.

Anyway, back to Vivien herself.  Having witnessed her meticulous research, her clever approach to simplifying facts  but also her strong design skills – this document is a testament to her dedication and commitment to her art.  Vivien approached this subject with vigour and creativity and we’ve been delighted to learn that she achieved a first class honours degree but also awarded the Design Dissertation Prize for the most outstanding dissertation in the field of design. And if that wasn’t enough, she was also awarded the DKS Architects Prize for the most outstanding work in Interior Design.

We’ve been delighted to be involved in such an interesting profile and its great to see hard work rewarded. Well done Viv!

A Good Old Yarn – a great way of getting to know our approach

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  • Author: Lingfield Point
  • Posted: November 9, 2010
  • Threads: Regeneration

Categories: General

The Buildings – Part Two »

The next building to receive treatment was the Beehive – a beautiful double height performance space complete with stage.

Beehive holds a special place in people’s hearts and mention its name to the people of Darlington and they’ll smile and tell you about the great parties and dances held there.

It was important that any renovation of Beehive had to be carried out with extra special care and attention. We value the memories that are contained within its walls – the laughs, the chatter, the friendships, the slow dances… need we go on?

After much thought we created six split-level contemporary office suites from the main auditorium.

We left the stage in place and it provides a fantastic talking point.

The space was quickly occupied and we were able to create a second phase of Beehive in the original Paton & Baldwins kitchens.

The paint was barely dry before contracts were being exchanged on that space too.

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