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Yee Group, an award-winning electrical contractor based in Burton Trent, has been a trusted partner of Katharine House Hospice in Stafford for several years. Throughout this partnership, Yee Group has supported the hospice’s electrical and maintenance needs across multiple locations, including the hospice itself, charity shops, and warehouses.
Fred Austin Health and Safety/Facilities Manager
Katharine House Hospice, a vital charity in Mid-Staffordshire, offers specialist care for individuals with terminal illnesses and provides essential support to their families. Since opening its first daycare unit in 1993, the hospice has significantly expanded its services, acquiring additional premises such as shops, a business centre, and other essential facilities. As their estate grew, so did the need for high-quality electrical and security installations, along with ongoing maintenance to ensure safety, energy efficiency, and compliance across all sites.
Yee Group has been instrumental in maintaining and enhancing Katharine House Hospice’s facilities, ensuring they are secure, well-maintained, and compliant with electrical regulations. With the charity’s premises varying in size and layout, Yee Group’s team of engineers adapt their approach to meet the unique challenges of each site. Drawing on years of experience, Yee Group has carried out a wide range of projects, including:
Intruder and Fire Alarm Installations: New installations and upgrades to existing systems, including extending the range of fire alarm sounders to meet the latest regulations.
LED Lighting Conversion: Replacing traditional lighting with energy-efficient LED systems, reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs.
Access Control Systems: Enhancing security and ensuring authorized access to various facilities.
Electrical Compliance: Conducting Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) to ensure that electrical circuits comply with current safety standards and bringing any non-compliant systems up to British Standards.
As a charity that depends on the generosity of the local community for approximately two-thirds of its funding, Katharine House Hospice is mindful of its costs. Yee Group ensures that all installations are designed to be future-proof, energy-efficient, and cost-effective. Given that many of the hospice’s charity shops must remain operational during installations, Yee Group works around business hours to minimise disruption, ensuring that the charity’s activities continue without delay.
Charity retail shares many of the same health and safety risks as commercial shops, including customer access and fire safety. However, there are key differences that set charity shops apart. One of the main distinctions is that charity shops are often run primarily by volunteers, many of whom work for just a few hours each week. This can affect volunteer availability and pose challenges when it comes to areas like training and effective communication of safety procedures.
The safety systems that Yee Group install like Emergency Lighting, Fire / Intruder Alarms and Fire Extinguishers have to be compliant, reliable and easy to use by volunteers. Consequently, the Yee Group project managers work closely with the team at Katherine House Hospice to select the correct systems to meet the latest regulations and offer free training and ongoing support for users of the equipment.
For example, when Yee Group installed a fire alarm, intruder alarm and improved the emergency lighting at the Superstore at St Albans Road in Stafford, Yee Group staged extensive training for all the volunteers on the new systems.
Fred Austin, Health and Safety/Facilities Manager at Katharine House Hospice, shared his appreciation for Yee Group’s dedication:
“It’s fantastic to work with an experienced contractor that offers a broad range of services from a single point of contact. It means we can focus on expanding our estate, knowing we have a dependable partner who will undertake and complete each project diligently and as quoted.”
He continued, “Yee Group’s surveys are comprehensive and thorough, so we can budget for works knowing there will be no surprises or hidden costs. They are genuinely supportive of our charity and always deliver on time.”
Yee Group’s involvement with Katharine House Hospice goes beyond electrical installations and maintenance. The company also participates in fundraising activities and has contributed to the hospice’s festive atmosphere by installing Christmas lights at the facility for the last 2 years
Dan Banford, Project Manager at Yee Group, commented, “Families and workers at the hospice find the Christmas lights so welcoming and attractive that they are reluctant to take them down again.”
Through this ongoing partnership, Yee Group has helped Katharine House Hospice create safe, efficient, and welcoming spaces that enable the charity to continue its important work in the community. Whether through essential maintenance projects or festive initiatives that bring joy to patients and staff, Yee Group’s contributions have made a lasting impact on the hospice and those it serves.
Yee Group’s partnership with Katharine House Hospice is a testament to the power of collaboration. By providing expert services and heartfelt community support, Yee Group has proven to be more than just a contractor—it is a valued partner in the hospice’s mission to provide compassionate care to those in need.
This case study highlights how Yee Group has combined its expertise in energy saving and electrical compliance with a genuine commitment to supporting a vital local charity.
