At Rollalong we’re committed to supporting the armed forces community wherever we can, which is why we’re pleased to say that we’ve secured the Bronze Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
The MoD scheme encourages businesses and other organisations to support the defence sector and inspire others to do the same.
It offers Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards to organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation which ensures that those who serve, or have served, in the Armed Forces and their families are treated fairly.
“As a business located in the South West, where the UK armed forces have deep and long established roots in the community, we’re committed to supporting the defence sector and both current and former serving personnel,” said Rollalong Managing Director Steve Chivers.
“We are a major supplier of Single Living Accommodation for the MoD and we have signed up for this scheme in order to emphasise our support for the armed forces generally and former personnel in particular.”
As Bronze Award holders Rollalong has made the following commitments:
- we’ve pledged to support the armed forces, including existing or prospective employees who are members of the community
- we’ve signed the Armed Forces Covenant
- we’re armed forces-friendly and open to employing reservists, veterans (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructors and military spouses or partners
We recently completed a full turnkey installation of a storage and training facility for the Army Sailing Association (ASA) in Gosport.
The ASA had to establish a new Offshore Sailing Centre after relocating to a different area of Fort Blockhouse in Gosport.
While the ASA undertook a refurbishment of a former derelict and historic police barracks building, the team contracted Rollalong to build an additional training room for sea survival, communications, first aid, marine engineering and boat equipment stores.
We manufactured and installed six modules as part of this development. The structural frame of the building was manufactured from our Xpand system with a steel floor frame and timber wall studs designed for heavy wear.
The ASA had previously worked with Rollalong on another project, so we were the perfect choice for this development.
Miles Wade CBE, Project Officer at ASA, said: “Rollalong overcame the technical challenges of providing a modular construction in a historic environment, requiring sensitive foundations, over-craning and construction, with great skill and flexibility.
“The result is a world-class offshore sail training centre which will enable soldiers, veterans and their families to embark on sailing exhibitions and challenges. This will inspire and develop young men and women of the armed forces as individuals and team members.”
We have a proven track record of outstanding, high-quality permanent buildings for the armed forces, so please get in touch to find out how our modular buildings can work for you.
Our photo shows our Contracts Manager Sonny Rodrigues with Miles Wade CBE, Project Officer for the Army Sailing Association Development Project, and Brad Delaney, Manager of the Army Offshore Sailing Centre.
20th April 2021
We’re honoured and delighted in equal measure to be featured in this new commemorative book which has been published by Aspire Defence Capital Works.
The book is a permanent record of the work carried out under the 2016-2020 Army Basing Programme across the Salisbury Plain Training Area and Aldershot, and we’re pleased to be featured as one of ADCW’s key partners.
We’ve worked with Aspire Defence on the ABP project since 2016, during which time we’ve manufactured and installed 1,599 modules, comprising 52 individual Single Living Accommodation buildings. These now provide over 2,400 en suite single rooms for soldiers based at Tidworth, Larkhill, Perham Down, Bulford and Aldershot.
We’re extremely proud of the quality of work we’ve achieved in a relatively short time frame.
Well done to everyone in the team who’s been involved and thanks to all at Aspire Defence!
26th January 2021
We’ve used the latest offsite techniques to provide a new café for students and staff at the Royal School of Artillery in Larkhill Garrison on Salisbury Plain.
The café is the latest building we’ve delivered at Larkhill Garrison on behalf of Aspire Defence Services.
Located in the centre of the Royal School of Artillery, the café will deliver a much-needed additional learning space while providing an opportunity for students and permanent staff to engage with their personal development in a relaxed and unique atmosphere.
“We were approached by Aspire Defence Services Ltd to assist them with the design and build of a new café which had to be linked to an existing building and used as an interactive learning hub,” said Wayne Cheshire, Contract Manager for Special Works.
“This has been a challenging venture but thanks to everyone’s hard work and commitment a high-quality project has been successfully delivered that the client will be proud to use.”
Our MD Steve Chivers added: “We have a close and very positive working relationship with Aspire Defence and we’re proud of all the buildings we have delivered for the Army across Salisbury Plain and Aldershot as part of the recent Army Basing Programme (ABP) and the original Project Allenby Connaught PFI contract with the MoD.
“We undertake a lot of work for the armed forces because our modular single living accommodation (SLA) buildings are constructed to exacting standards that satisfy the Army and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO’s) requirements.”
In 2018 we won the Best Offsite Project of the Year award at the Constructing Excellence South West Built Environment Awards for the modular single living accommodation we built for British Army personnel at Larkhill under the Army Basing Programme.
Pictured above are our Site Manager Philip Morris (left) outside the Larkhill café with Wayne Cheshire, Contract Manager at Rollalong.
22nd November 2019
This month we celebrated the delivery and installation of the final module in the £100m Army Basing Programme in partnership with Aspire Defence, which will provide housing for British Army personnel returning to the UK from Germany.
The contract, to manufacture 2,427 en suite bedrooms within 38 Junior Ranks Single Living Accommodation (JRSLA) and 13 Officer Single Living Accommodation (OSLA) buildings, was awarded in December 2015 and work began on the initial design concepts in January the following year.
The programme, which is due to be complete in June 2020, will result in 52 new housing blocks made up of 1,521 Rollalong-made modules at garrisons across Aldershot and Salisbury Plain including: Bulford, Larkhill, Perham Down and Tidworth.
We are particularly proud of this achievement, as we were appointed sole supplier of the single living accommodation (SLA) element and we were able to call upon many years’ experience of MOD projects to help us successfully deliver this prestigious contract.
Rollalong Managing Director, Steve Chivers, said: “We are very proud to have played a key role in the Army Basing Programme.
“Our success is recognition of the tremendous work that the entire team puts into delivering the best service to our clients, to ensure programmes like this stay on track and deliver the high standard of accommodation that soldiers need and deserve.”
The modules vary in size, but a typical bedroom module comprising two-bedrooms, an
en-suite and connecting corridor, is around 12.5 metres by 3.8 metres by 3.0 metres.
Bedrooms include fixed wardrobes, drawers, cupboards and a desk, while low-energy LED lighting illuminates the space and heating is provided via a wet central heating system.
All mechanical and electrical services have been installed in the factory during construction, and once delivered to site, the modules are connected to the main plantroom once they are in-situ.
The main panels of our building have been independently fire tested to demonstrate compliance with building regulations and are specifically designed for the MOD to be CTM compliant.
Paul Dempster, Managing Director of Aspire Defence Capital Works, added: “I am delighted that we have reached this significant milestone in the delivery of our construction.
“The excellent working relationship we have with Rollalong, both on and off-site, is benefitting the local economy and has ensured that we were able to deliver the high-quality, purpose-built accommodation required to support military capability and make soldiers’ lives better.”
The programme has already started winning awards, taking the trophy for Best Offsite Project of the Year at the Constructing Excellence South West Built Environment Awards in 2018 for the outstanding work carried out on Salisbury Plain.
In December 2018, the final offsite construction building was finished our our Dorset-based factory specialising in manufacturing modular accommodation. The single living accommodation bedroom module for the Army Basing Programme (ABP) was manufactured ahead of soldiers relocating to Wiltshire this summer under the ABP. A member of the British Army and our client Aspire Defence Capital Works (ADCW) were in attendance to witness the module be prepared at Rollalong, ready for transportation to its final location at Tidworth Garrison and on Thursday 21st March this module was installed. Over £1.1 billion is being invested to create new accommodation and additional facilities across Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) and at Aldershot. This investment will support the needs of the modern Armed Forces of around 4,000 Service personnel due to return from Germany.Offsite Construction For Bedroom Module
Since offsite construction began in 2016, there has been major investment in modern, en suite single living accommodation (SLA), to ensure that soldiers live in the best possible environments. Rollalong have supported the project by simplifying the manufacturing and installation process to create repeatable and identical buildings which were erected in our factory in excess of 20 modules per week. Rollalong modular buildings stack, and the buildings provided for the ABP are 3 storeys high with a pitched roof – effectively an apartment block. Bedroom module’s provided, included fixed furniture: wardrobe, drawers, cupboards and a desk. Lighting is provided by low-energy LED lighting and heating is via a wet central heating system. The provision of SLA is a critical construction activity within the overall ABP programme for SPTA. Around 2,400 bed spaces have been delivered by ADCW, contracting to Rollalong. Off-site modular accommodation is efficient, cost-effective and involves high-spec methods of technical construction. The SLA manufacturing process for ABP has required a staggering 6.3 million nails, 37,000 sheets of steel and 192,000 sheets of plasterboard. On completion, each module has been transported fifty miles by lorry to Army garrisons in Wiltshire and Hampshire, where they are installed on site by Rollalong’s expert team working with ADCW. Steve Chivers, Managing Director of Rollalong, added: “We are very proud to have played a key role in the ABP programme. Our success is recognition of the tremendous work that the entire team at Rollalong puts in to deliver the best service to our clients, to ensure the programme stays on track and to deliver the high standard of accommodation that soldiers need and deserve. Significant Milestone Mark Duddy, Army Basing Programme Director, said: “It is fantastic to see this final module take its place in the last block of new single living accommodation at Tidworth Garrison. It is testament to the excellent working partnerships at all levels of this project that the required bed space provision has been delivered on time, ready for soldiers rebasing from Germany and within the UK in just a few months’ time.” Paul Dempster, Managing Director, ADCW, said: “I am delighted that we have reached this significant milestone in the delivery of our construction for the Army Basing Programme. The excellent working relationships we have with Rollalong and all members of our supply chain, both on and off site, are benefitting the local economy and will ensure that we deliver the high-quality, purpose-built accommodation required to support military capability and make soldiers’ lives better.” The ABP was set up to deliver Army 2020 as part of the Government’s 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) commitments. The ABP construction programme is scheduled for completion by 2020, enabling all British Army units based in Germany to return to the UK by then, saving up to £240 million per year by 2022/23. More information on December’s last bedroom module manufacturing event: https://www.rollalong.co.uk/armed-forces-tv-filming-at-rollalong/Our event on 10th December 2018 at the Rollalong factory celebrated the completion of the final soldiers bedroom with Aspire Defence Capital Works for the Army Basing Programme (ABP) and it was captured by Armed Forces TV, and the film footage is available here: https://www.forces.net/news/factory-ramps-supply-rooms-rebasing-british-forces-germany-soldiers
Paul Dempster, Managing Director ADCW, who also attended the event, said:
“I am delighted that we have reached this significant milestone in the delivery of the Army Basing Programme, which would not have been possible without the successful partnership we have developed with the team at Rollalong, whose commitment to deliver right first time has to be commended. The excellent working relationships we have with all members of our supply chain, both on and off site, are benefiting the local economy and ensure that we deliver the high-quality, purpose-built accommodation required to support military capability and make soldiers’ lives better.”
Around 2,400 single bed spaces have now been created for soldiers relocating under the ABP to garrisons across Salisbury Plain Training Area in summer 2019. The Programme has resulted in the creation of an extra 112 jobs at Rollalong, where staff have worked more than 300,000 factory hours to manufacture the modular units required to cater for troops relocating next year.
Off-site modular accommodation is efficient, cost effective and involves high-spec methods of technical construction. The manufacturing process over the past three years has required a staggering 6.3 million nails, alongside 74,000 sheets of Oriented Strand Board, 37,000 sheets of steel and 192,000 sheets of plasterboard. On completion, each module has been transported fifty miles by lorry to the garrisons, where they are installed on site by Rollalong’s expert team working with ADCW.
Steve Chivers, Managing Director of Rollalong, said:
“We are very proud to have played a key role in the ABP, to ensure we deliver the high-quality accommodation soldiers need and deserve. Every project we deliver is a team effort and our success is recognition to the tremendous work that the entire team at Rollalong puts in to deliver the best service to our clients. It is also testament to the excellent collaborative working partnership between Rollalong and Aspire, which helps us ensure that our products are designed and manufactured to meet the specific requirements of the MOD and soldiers, and that the delivery programme stays on track.”
Well here it is… the final Rollalong module to be installed at Larkhill Garrison for our client Aspire Defence Capital Works as part of the Army Basing Programme (ABP). Around 2,400 single en suite bed spaces have now been created for soldiers relocating under the ABP to garrisons across Salisbury Plain Training Area in summer 2019.
Rollalong are extremely proud to be part of the supply chain on this fantastic project and this delivery marks a very significant milestone, the Project’s success is a huge testament to the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders and we should all be very proud to be making a huge difference in the daily living for our Soldiers.
Rollalongs’ very own Bruce Dunford, Head of Rollalong Army Basing Program 2020, has filmed footage for our clients Aspire Defence discussing the stable and collaborative work ethics between Rollalong and Aspire Defence over the last 3 years.
Bruce highlights the key point of ensuring cost, quality and time plans meet the project, procurement and manufacturing strategy within Aspire’s timescale and expectations of their offsite construction process.
Over the years, we have worked together to ensure the end product is exactly what the end user wants, with the needs of the British Army taken into account.
Our business is split between our factory and delivering on site, which has seen very stable employment for circa 250 people.
View the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQvl6yJktUY&feature=youtu.be
The Rollalong Installation Team have recently started the installation of the first of four offsite built accommodation blocks for British Army officers and senior non-commissioned officers (NCOs) at Larkhill, Wiltshire. The circa 275 bedrooms are due for completion in summer 2019.
In support of our client Aspire Defence, our installation team, as always, have been dedicated to ensure that the interfaces of the complex ‘L’ shaped buildings are aligned with each other to allow the modules to be bolted together correctly; this involved a late night of working where we managed to capture the rather stunning photo of the sunset over the construction installation.
This individual building shown in the photos comprises 46 modules and will provide 66 bedrooms.
Aspire Defence is contracted by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation under Project Allenby/Connaught, to deliver new and improved single living and working accommodation at garrisons across Salisbury Plain Training Area and at Aldershot, in support of the Army Basing Programme.