Matthew Hancock speaks of “symbol of hope and the future” following BES visit
On Thursday 12th March, Energy Minister and Minister for Business & Enterprise, Matthew Hancock, paid a visit to BES Utilities and Fleetwood Town Football Club, accompanied by MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, Eric Ollerenshaw.Mr Hancock is currently visiting one hundred businesses in 100 days in the run up to the election, and he took time out whilst in the North West to visit the Fleetwood based BES Group, meeting Directors Andy Pilley and Michelle Davidson, as well as taking time out speak to staff from BES and the club.
The Minister and Mr Ollerenshaw posed for photographs on the pitch at Fleetwood Town with apprentices from the youth team and also apprentice groundsman, Ash Roach, who earlier in the day attended an event hosted by the Prime Minister to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week.
In his role as Energy Minister, Mr Hancock was keen to learn about the challenges faced by BES as a smaller, independent gas and electricity supplier as they continue to take the fight to the ‘big 6’ suppliers, and he was especially interested in how the group of companies has grown and flourished over recent years.
Speaking after a tour of the BES offices and Football Club, Mr Hancock said:
“The Government is trying to encourage new energy suppliers and more competition, and here you’ve got a combination of a meteoric rise in a football club but also the rapid growth of an energy supplier, so it’s got a lot of good things going for it.
“You can see how an innovative, interesting business, which is helping customers and growing, fits with the growth of the football club. I met some apprentices – both footballers and ground staff – and you can see why Eric Ollerenshaw is so passionate about it. It’s a part of the town and a symbol of hope and the future, creating jobs right here in the heart of Fleetwood”.
BES Managing Director and Chairman of Fleetwood Town Football Club, Andy Pilley, was honoured to host the visit, saying:
“It’s a measure of the progress that’s been made, both on and off the pitch, that a Minister would come to Fleetwood, and we’re deeply honoured and grateful that Matthew and Eric have taken time out of their schedule to see first-hand all the fantastic things that are going on.”
The BES Group is one of the largest employers on the Fylde coast and recently recruited for a further 50 new roles in the local area.