Staff at a Fleet hotel, nursery and IT firm get gold star care from bosses

A hotel, nursery and IT firm in Fleet are among five local employers striking gold thanks to the way they care for the health of their staff.

They've won gold in this year's Hart Healthy Workplace awards, and were presented with their accolades by chairman of Hart District Council, Cllr John Kennett.

He said: "Our district is independently acknowledged to be on of the best places to live in the entire country. One of the measures of this is the physical and mental health of the workforce.

"People here are happier and suffer less accidents at work than in the rest of the nation.

"The council applauds all those employers who make the effort to make their workplaces as safe and free from undue stress as possible and is proud to sponsor these awards. They are a way of recognising excellence and are very justly deserved."

Gold Awards

The Monsoon restaurant at Hartley Wintney provides healthy breakfasts free of charge to staff as well as talking to them about dieting and giving up smoking. It organises football, badminton and cricket matches as well as training and encourages staff to go for walks.

Pumpkin Patch Nursery in Fleet has a wellbeing programme in place, has secure storage for staff bicycles, provides advice on stress and has a 'Let's Get Fit' exercise schedule. It also provides healthy menus for staff and children alike.

The Four Seasons Hotel has a hotel nurse to provide personalised advice on diet and nutrition. It encourages use of site facilities such as tennis courts, gym and bicycles. Each year the staff organises a 10k charity run.  Other health benefits include balanced and healthy meals, annual eye testing for VDU operators, confidential stress counselling and encouraging employees to use the hotel grounds for running and cycling.

Datanet.Co.UK of Ancells Business Park, Fleet, has fresh fruit and healthy drinks available in its office. The firm provides granary bread, decaffeinated tea bags, coffee, green leaf tea and sweeteners. It also pays for staff eye tests and has monthly meetings with staff to discuss work life.

Silver

A silver award goes to C.V.Library Ltd, of Waterfront Business Park in Fleet. It provides free fresh fruit and squash for staff.

It offers reduced price membership to a gym, free blood pressure checks and help and advice on stress and quitting smoking.

Bronze

BMW Group Financial Services of Hook runs a health promotion programme and senior management cycle to work in order to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles. The programme has sessions on a number of health factors as well as screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure and other health risks.