The words shop local are more than important in these testing times for local businesses. With the CONVID-19 lock down extended for another 3 weeks, many businesses who have not shut are having to adapt how they operate in the conditions that they are all abiding by.
Andover has a brilliant array of local businesses, and many have adapted to continue operating to provide their products and services to customers.
Here at Andover Radio and Love Andover we are passionate about our town and the many businesses, which is why on April 1st we showed our support to these businesses and announced that we would not be billing our current clients and offering FREE (Not discounted or special price) advertising on Andover Radio with online advertising too.
Every day we will highlight one business a day as part of our free advertising campaign in support for our local business community.
Today we focus on Forces Re-Engineered:
The company’s aim (www.forcesreengineered.com) is to give forces veterans the chance of apprenticeships .
When you enter the premises of Forces Re-Engineered in Andover, you wonder what is different. They service and repair cars and motorcycles as any other garage. The difference is made by the owner and founder, Stephan West, of the non-profit making community interest company.
People train as Fully qualified vehicle technicians whilst helping to deal with their suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and adjust back into civilian life. A chance they would otherwise have been denied, since the government subsidises apprenticeships only up to the age of twenty-three, making companies unwilling to offer the former.
The garage’s specialism is the Volkswagen Group. Stephan did his apprenticeship and Master Technician with Volkswagen in Germany, although the workshop services and repairs all makes of cars.
The premises allow the apprentices to have time out in a specially designed rest room. They have the full support from the local College, as well as from Combat Stress.
As mentioned before Forces Re-Engineered is a non-profit making community interest company (C.I.C., reg.no.: 1051064). This takes them out of the realm of full charity status and therefore relying entirely on their business to successfully fulfil their aim!
More business means more apprenticeships being offered, more equipment affordable, as well as courses for the apprentices and more qualified staff to help instruct the former.
Steph and his team are still open for all your vehicle repair and servicing needs, whilst maintaining the government guidelines with customer’s.
If you need your vehicle serviced or repaired then give Steph a call, they provide quality workmanship and excellent customer service, and you’ll be helping veterans.
