Business First talked to Stephen Kane, Managing Director of Solv Group, about doing business in East Belfast and the company’s support as a sponsor of the Eastside Awards.
Tell us about Solv Group Stephen
We have been based in East Belfast for over 30 years and we carry out building maintenance activities to both commercial and residential properties. Our services include: gas boiler servicing, plumbing and heating, electrical services as well as building fabric repairs. We have over 30 staff and offer a 24/7/365 service to our contracted customers. All staff are fully trained and fully up to speed with current health and safety accreditations. We carry the following trade accreditations: OFTEC, Gas Safe, Safe Contractor, SNIPEF, NICIEC, Phoenix Natural Gas.
Why do you do business in East Belfast?
We offer a provincewide service and find East Belfast to be a good central location to access these markets.
How have you navigated your business through 2020?
2020 has been a tough year for all businesses trying to navigate themselves through COVID-19. In normal trading times we would deal with approximately 200 calls per day into our office, this dropped to zero calls at the start of the pandemic, thankfully we are back to normal trading again and October has been our busiest month ever.
Why is Solv Group sponsoring Eastside Awards?
We have been involved both as a sponsor and a board member since the awards started five years ago and we believe these awards celebrate all the good things that happen in East Belfast.
Finally Stephen, what are you hoping ‘East Belfast – Our Story 2020’ will achieve?
We hope we are able to tell the story of how local people rose to the challenge of COVID-19 and went the extra mile to help their friends and neighbours through the Pandemic.
This year’s Eastside Awards is taking on a new format. People are being asked to contribute to ‘East Belfast – Our Story 2020’, a film which will be broadcast in early 2021 celebrating those who have been an inspiration in the local East Belfast community this year. The organisers want to hear powerful stories from education, sport, the arts, business, health and social care, stories of how children were nurtured during lockdown, extraordinary stories about community spirit and innovative stories about business survival. If you would like to share the story of how your business responded to the pandemic or a story about someone you know who displayed about human kindness, if you know a teacher who has gone the extra mile, if you have an exceptional neighbour, if your community group risked their health to help others during lockdown or you know of a volunteer who should be recognised, send your story via video to [email protected] or visit www.eastsidewards.org for further information.
The organisers want to hear powerful stories from education, sport, the arts, business, health and social care, stories of how children were nurtured during lockdown, extraordinary stories about community spirit and innovative stories about business survival. If you would like to share the story of how your business responded to the pandemic or a story about someone you know who displayed about human kindness, if you know a teacher who has gone the extra mile, if you have an exceptional neighbour, if your community group risked their health to help others during lockdown or you know of a volunteer who should be recognised, send your story via video to [email protected] or visit www.eastsidewards.org for further information.
East Belfast – Our Story 2020 has been made possible by George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour, East Belfast Enterprise, East Belfast Mission, EastSide Partnership, Fleet Financial, Kainos, Millar McCall Wylie, The Open University, Phoenix Natural Gas, Solv Group, The Urban Villages Initiative, We’reSure Insurance Services, Wolseley Plumb and Parts Center and media partner, Belfast Live.
Closing date for story submissions is 5.00pm on Friday 18 December.
#EastBelfastStory2020
