Picture: Eddie Blackmore, Managing Director Livingstone Surface Treatments Ltd receives his award from Jennie Pearson from Nuvia (sponsor) .and talking to host Kim Inglis.

The Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster Awards singled out Livingstone Surface Treatments Ltd as their member company making the most outstanding socio-economic commitment to West Cumbria.
Always a hotly contended Cluster Award, the judges singled out Livingstone Surface Treatments Ltd because they felt for a small company they made a big impact because their culture was embedded across the company. Other shortlisted businesses included large organisations like Doosan Babcock and National Nuclear Laboratory as well as the smaller, Derwent Recycling Services Ltd.
Livingstone Surface Treatments Ltd was started forty years ago by Mike and Barbara Livingstone, and they have always believed in looking after staff well and giving back to the community wherever possible.
Eddie Blackmore joined the business at an early age and worked his way up from the shop floor to become Managing Director. Eddie is the only ICATS (Industrial Coatings Applicators Training Scheme) External Trainer in the North West, and with the support of the Livingstone’s team, he has offered free course places, enabling those out of work and students to upskill and has also provided paid work placements to help them gain experience. Many offered the free places and work placement have found work as a result of this support.

Eddie Blackmore said “We’re a very small SME! SO to achieve greater impact in the community we need to work with partners, organisations and educational bodies to make a difference. If all SME’s in West Cumbria could take on just one apprentice – imagine the impact that could make. It’s been very humbling to hear some of the feedback we’ve had after winning this award, and hopefully it will inspire others to consider taking on trainees too.”

Jo Telfer, Head of Organisational Development for Sellafield Ltd is mentor to Eddie Blackmore. She said “I am proud to be an NDA SME Mentor and even more delighted to see Eddie do so well. It is extremely rewarding to mentor someone like Eddie who has so much commitment to the area as well as to his business and he thoroughly deserves the recognition.”

We aim to train, develop and support our staff and inspire others in West Cumbria to give more back to the community when succeeding.
At Livingstone’s, we are also committed to inspiring the wider West Cumbrian workforce, those that are currently unemployed or disengaged adults as well as the next generation of employees. To achieve this we have developed a growing network of school, college and organisation links.
Eddie Blackmore has worked his way up from the workshop and is now Manging Director and is a great example of working hard and achieving from the shop floor to the top. Eddie makes support, encouragement and enthusing young people part of his daily working life and works closely with partners to ensure the less academic students are supported to reach for dreams and jobs.
Jason Quirk is with us from Skills 4 You for 3 months. He’s done so well we wanted to do more for him, so our staff gave him supervised fork truck refresher training then Eddie Blackmore called in a favour and persuaded Lawson’s Training to waive his test fee.
Jason passed and now has his five year fork truck licence which appears on his CV. Armed with that and a new confidence, it will help him into work .
Skills 4 You work Lyn Osbaldeston, Skills 4 You at Cleator Moor –
“Livingstone’s had a vacancy for a person to help in the warehouse and offices with housekeeping and was keen to offer a 3 month paid work placement to Jason Quirk.
This is a brilliant example of supporting with socio-economic issues positively and pro-actively and also through giving an unemployed person a chance. It will also contribute to helping Skills 4 You to raise the profile of some talented people who have skills that many local employers could benefit from. Eddie and his team are inspirational, forward thinking people who want to make a difference through actions.”
Jason Quirk Skills 4 You beneficiary – “grateful for the opportunity”
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity and the whole team at Livingstone’s have made me feel very at ease. At first it was quite daunting, I was very shy and didn’t say much, but the guys have been great. My confidence has grown and it’s nice to feel part of a team. I’m much more positive and have something useful to add to my CV moving forward – I’d just like to say thanks for giving me a chance.”
Jason has since remarked “I have never worked anywhere like this, cream cakes on my birthday, no hassle, just explain what is required and let you work away at it, they really care don’t they.”

Livingstone Surface Treatments run ICATS (Industrial Coatings Applicator Training Scheme) courses in the North West. To support the Cumbria Flood Appeal we offered a place on the January ICATS course for the Flood Appeal Auction. The bidder for the place on the course was Allan Tyson (ex Duke of Lancs Regiment). He bid £350 for the place and 100% of the money goes to the Flood Appeal. Originally from Whitehaven, Allan now lives in Lancaster. Previously unemployed, he took part in the training and passed the course and is now set to start a new job in Heysham as a direct result of his course.

Eddie Blackmore, Managing Director at Livingstone Surface Treatments said “Our ICATS courses are very popular and are always full, so if we can help out the community and get someone back into work, we are more than happy. On this occasion Allan walked straight into a job and we are delighted. Allan was delighted to bid for the course at £350 when it normally costs £850. In this case, everyone is a winner and we are delighted.”