@Ford162 - March 2016

FordNews
Monthly magazine for Ford people in the UK
Back on track
Reduced price ticket offer to see the
new Ford GT in action at Silverstone
March 2016
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Find out how you can get a brand new Ford for less on the next page.
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Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Car range: urban 27.2-100.9 (10.4-2.8), extra urban
43.5-94.2 (6.5-3.0), combined 35.8-88.3 (7.9-3.2). Official CO2 emissions 180-82g/km.
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Editorial
FordNews
Editor
Kelvin Brown
[email protected]
01277 252102
Sub-editor
Julian Kirk
[email protected]
01277 254195
Bridgend Robin
Roberts vr.oom@
btinternet.com
01446 742905
Dagenham / Dunton
Matt Robinson
[email protected]
07712 837517
Ford of Britain chairman and managing director
Andy Barratt shares his news and views
The EU referendum has been much in the news over recent weeks, and the
issue is likely to continue to be high on the news agenda through to June.
A member survey published in March by the Society of Motor Manufacturers
and Traders (SMMT) examined members’ views of the UK’s relationship with
the European Union.
The survey, conducted by independent pollster ComRes, found that an
overwhelming majority (77%) of SMMT members stated that the UK remaining
in the EU was the best option for their business. This sentiment was shared
across the industry with 88% of large firms and 73% of small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in favour of remaining.
These are conclusions that Ford Motor Company shares, and this is why we
signed a letter, along with BMW and Jaguar Land Rover, supporting the UK’s
continued membership of a reformed European Union.
Our reasons for signing the letter were entirely commercial. Access to the
Single Market is important to Ford’s business and large employee base in the
UK, allowing the free flow of components, engines, vehicles, and also our
employees, between the UK and the rest of the EU.
Brexit would risk that free flow, and could have a serious and negative impact
on our business. We have shared this view with our employees because we
want you to understand why Ford has taken this view in the debate.
March began for us with the launch at the Geneva Motor Show of our extended Vignale range, which gives us the ability to compete with premium
brands.
Public reaction to the S-MAX Vignale, Edge Vignale, a five-door Mondeo
Vignale and Kuga Vignale concept was overwhelmingly positive.
We have had a similar reaction from the first UK Focus RS customers to the
news that their new cars are about to be delivered – the first from a UK order
book approaching 3,000 cars.
Lastly, March is a vitally important sales month, and we are chasing 85,000
sales, which means selling a vehicle in Britain every 32 seconds through the
month – a big ask for Ford and its dealer partners, but one I am confident we
can achieve.
Daventry
Peter Watt
[email protected]
07712 874714
Classified adverts
Guy Willers
[email protected]
01277 252487
Ford News, 1/466, Ford Motor
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Brentwood, Essex, CM13 3BW
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Ford News March 2016
3
Voluntary separation
programme details
The voluntary separation programme announced in early
February by Ford of Europe supports a significant reduction
in administrative and selling costs to reach industry
benchmark levels of efficiency.
Through this programme, Ford of Europe expects to
save about $200 million a year on an on-going basis. The
voluntary separation programme affects salaried employees in administrative and sales roles.
Going forward, Ford of Europe will continue to drive
improvements in its manufacturing operations, targeting
efficiencies of greater than seven per cent year-over-year,
and will improve manufacturing capacity utilisation.
After returning to profit in 2015, Ford of Europe is
accelerating its plan to deliver a vibrant and sustainably
profitable business targeting higher profit and pre-tax
operating margin in 2016 and six to eight per cent
operating margin in the longer term.
The Company is reducing costs in all areas to lower
breakeven, help offset rising regulatory costs and invest in
Ford Smart Mobility.
It will launch seven new or freshened vehicles in 2016,
including Focus RS and new Kuga and Edge SUVs, and will
add new vehicles and derivatives in segments with the
highest growth and profit potential.
“We are creating a far more lean and efficient business
that can deliver healthy returns and earn full investment,”
said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice-president Europe,
Middle East and Africa.
“Our job is to make our vehicles as efficiently as
possible, spending every dollar in a way that serves
customers’ needs and desires, and creating a truly
sustainable, customer-focused business.”
Paul ‘comes home’
to take over at DEP
Paul Neighbour had been working at
Ford as an apprentice for a year when
he first stepped on to the shop floor at
Dagenham Engine Plant (DEP) back in
1978 – and now, 38 years later, he has
taken over the top job at just the right
time.
Paul is the new plant manager,
officially starting in the role from 1
January, taking over from out-going
boss Martin Everitt.
And local man Paul, who started
work in 1977 at Ford’s Harold Wood
training centre, says it is great to be
back in Dagenham on a permanent
basis.
He said: “I spent a good portion of
my career working in Dagenham in the
mid-to-late 1990s, and despite being
born in London I have lived for most of
my life in Essex.
“Prior to the plant manager’s role, I
was the manufacturing vice-president
for Getrag-Ford based in Cologne,
although I was on a split assignment
for family reasons. That meant I
frequently flew back and forth to
Germany, often coming in to land at
London City and flying right over DEP
in the process.
“But coming back to Dagenham is
like coming home for me and I am very
pleased to be joining DEP at this
exciting time.”
With production of the new 2.0-litre
diesel engine starting towards the end
of 2015, Paul is excited about the
engine plant’s future: “It’s an absolutely excellent place to work, with a
superb team of people here.
“Since starting in January, everyone
has helped me to settle in and I am
meeting a lot of new faces, as well as
some familiar ones, too.
“The key thing for DEP going
forward is launching this new engine.
It’s essential that we get that right as
it’s a great product, so, from a manufacturing point of view, we’ve got to
make sure the quality is right and that
we’re keeping our customers happy.”
It’s also a very different place to the
one Paul knew as an apprentice:
“Since I first walked into DEP in 1978,
it has changed beyond recognition. I
was amazed that you can now see
from one end of the building to the
other – it wasn’t always possible in the
old days with the oil and fumes in the
atmosphere.
“But the DEP of today is a truly
world-class manufacturing facility and
it’s a great time to start as plant
manager.”
Bridgend prepares for
production milestone
In the next few months, Bridgend Engine Plant will pass a
production landmark of assembling 20 million engines.
It started production in 1980 with four cylinder engines
and a decade later JLR V8/V6 units were rolling off the
lines, shortly joined by the straight six-cylinder engines for
Volvo.
As Ford’s power units evolve with the latest low
emission and higher economy designs, the four-cylinder
families have changed too.
The autumn 2015 announcement of the new engine
coming to the plant in 2018 means a lot of preparation has
to be done.
Room created by the cessation of SI6 production has
helped make room for the new engine lines in the AJ33
building but it has also meant other pieces of plant have to
be relocated.
The disruption will be kept to a minimum and BEP
intends to keep making JLR V8/V6 and Sigma units at the
same time to meet strong order books.
Plant launch manager Andrew Price, said: “The new
engine is an important development to secure the future of
the plant, a lot of planning is going into installation and
commissioning throughout 2016/2017 to ensure its
successfully achieves Job 1.”
Dagenham Engine Plant’s new manager, Paul Neighbour
6
Ford News February 2016
Transit Custom and
Transit are the UK’s
best-selling CVs
Ford builds on momentum
with a strong start to 2016
Ford, the UK’s market leader, increased
sales and share across all market sectors
last month, compared with February 2015,
recording a 16.1 per cent total vehicle
market share, up from 14.5 per cent in
February 2015.
Highlights of the February sales figures
issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) include:
n Ford sales and share increased across
all sectors.
n Ford CV sales were close to triple those
of its nearest rival.
n Fiesta was the UK best seller; Transit
Custom and Transit were 1st and 2nd in
CVs.
n Ford led all market sectors: total vehicle,
cars and commercial vehicles (CVs).
n Combined Transit range sales ranked a
clear 2nd in UK total vehicle sales.
Ford of Britain chairman and managing
director, Andy Barratt, said: “Ford’s strong
sales start to 2016 has resulted in our
highest February total vehicle sales since
2007.
“This is the result of our continued
investment in exciting products and industry-leading technologies that has provided
the foundation for our ‘Unlearn’ marketing
campaign that challenges consumers to
take a fresh look at the brand, using the
Mustang, Edge and GT as prime examples
of bold and surprising new models.”
Fiesta remains the UK’s best-selling car
According to the official SMMT figures,
February car sales in the UK were up 8.4
per cent at 83,395 registrations, compared
with February 2015.
Ford sold 11,513 cars in February, up
16.8 per cent, compared with February
2015. Ford’s car sales lead over its nearest
rival was 3,645.
Ford remains the clear leader in retail car
sales, which most accurately reflect the
preferences of private buyers.
At 17.4 per cent, Ford’s February retail
car sales share was its highest since January 2009 and 8.7 percentage points ahead
of its nearest rival.
The Ford Fiesta has been the UK bestseller for seven years and it maintained that
position by a significant margin with 4,507
sales and a 5.4 per cent market share in
February, 1,933 sales and 2.3 percentage
points of market share ahead of its nearest
competitor. Fiesta also led UK retail sales
with 3,666 registrations, 2,235 ahead of its
nearest rival.
The strength and breadth of the Ford
model range is demonstrated by Fiesta
(1st), B-MAX (3rd), Focus (2nd), C-MAX
(2nd), EcoSport (3rd), Kuga (3rd), Mondeo
(4th), Galaxy (1st) and Mustang (6th) all
featuring near, or at, the top of their segments in February.
UK commercial vehicle sales in February
were up 2.0 per cent at 16,718, compared
with February 2015. Sales of Ford CVs
were up 20.1 per cent at 4,598, compared
with February 2015.
Ford’s CV market share in February was
27.5 per cent, up from 23.4 per cent in
February 2015.
Ford is in its 51st year of UK CV market
leadership and it has been confirmed that in
2015 it was also the most popular CV brand
in Europe.
Ford’s fresh and extended CV range is
delivering record levels of CV sales with CV
registrations close to triple those of its
nearest rival in February.
Fiesta Van, Transit Courier, Transit
Custom, Transit and Ranger are all first in
their respective market segments.
Ford News March 2016
7
MP Sir Eric gives the all-new
Mustang his seal of approval
Brentwood and Ongar MP Sir Eric Pickles spent a
weekend on the roads of East Anglia in a 5.0-litre
V8 Ford Mustang convertible – and loved every
minute of it. With the hood down, and heating up,
Sir Eric discovered that, even on the last weekend
in February, top-down motoring can be fun. This is
what Sir Eric thought of it...
“Do you think I can get to Moscow and back in a
weekend?” I asked a cheerfully smiling Ford representative as I took possession of a bright Liberal Democrat Yellow Mustang. “It would be interesting to see if
you come back,” was the droll response.
Instead of visiting Mr Putin, I chose Norfolk and the
joys of bird watching. But first, I visited a constituent
just beyond Ongar, complete with staff (all ladies of a
certain age), the heating up and the hood down; they
quickly got in touch with their inner Stockard Channing, playing Betty Rizzo in Grease. It is that kind of
car.
There is a feeling of raw power: just point it and it
will go. But after a while you realise that this is a
comfortable, refined car capable of putting other cars
twice or three times its price back in their pretentious
place. A muscle car comfortable in its own skin.
The most surprising thing about the Mustang was
how well it was received by the public. Everywhere I
went, from bird reserve to filling station, people wanted
to talk to me about the car. What was it like? Is it like a
real American car to drive?
After a while, I understood there is a deep affection
among the British to this quintessential American icon.
So “….Roll down the window, put down the top
Crank up the Beach Boys, baby
Don’t let the music stop…..”
Even if you are in Cromer and not in LA.
(Lyrics from ‘I Love LA’, by Randy Newman).
TrustFord award
TrustFord, the world’s largest dedicated Ford
dealer group, is one of Britain’s best big
companies to work for, according to an
important industry survey.
The dealer group, which is wholly owned
by Ford Motor Company, has won a top 25
ranking in the Sunday Times Best Big
Companies To Work For survey.
“It is a fantastic result and, with a few
other great businesses, we are showing a
new and exciting view of what it is like to
work in the automotive industry in the 21st
century,” said TrustFord chairman and CEO
Steve Hood.
TrustFord, which has 65 UK dealerships
employing more than 3,000 people, was
formerly Ford Retail, with five dealer groups
– Polar Ford, Dagenham Motors, Lindsay Ford,
Brunel Ford and Heartlands Ford.
8
Ford News March 2016
Sir Eric with Ford of Britain governmental affairs director Madeleine Hallward
and the Ford Mustang before setting out on his weekend drive
Mustang in the UK market
The new Mustang offers outstanding power options and a sophisticated new chassis. It is
available with a 5.0-litre V8 engine delivering 416PS and reaching 62 mph in 4.8sec, or the
more fuel-efficient 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine delivering 317PS and reaching 62mph in
5.8sec.
These high performance engines are supported by a standard Performance Pack in Europe
that delivers uprated brakes and cooling.Two-thirds of UK orders for the Mustang are for the
V8 engine, and a third for the EcoBoost unit, with manual transmission accounting for 54 per
cent of orders and automatic 46 per cent. A little over 80 per cent of orders are for the
fastback bodystyle and 20 per cent for the stylish Mustang convertible. The most popular
colour is Race Red.
Employee drive events
Ford employees will have the opportunity to sample the exciting new Mustang, together with
EcoSport, Edge and Ranger at a series of employee drive events this summer.
The test drives at Warley, Dunton, Dagenham, Daventry and Bridgend in late June and early
July will give employees the opportunity to both drive the vehicles and to learn more about
them from Ford’s event team.
Booking details and dates will be published as soon as they are confirmed.
Positive response to new Edge
An all-new upscale Ford Edge Sport took
centre stage at TrustFord’s FordStore on
Edgware Road in London which was
hosting the latest What Car? magazine
customer clinic.
Six customers were encouraged to
inspect the car and provide honest feedback to What Car?. Overall, the response to
the car was extremely positive, with the
What Car? journalist saying that he was
struggling to hear any negative comments.
Public comments from the day:
n “I really like the way it looks – less
American-looking in the flesh than in the
pictures. Perhaps the black grille helps here,
though.”
n “The size and space is excellent – finally
something from Ford which looks good and
has more space than a Kuga.”
n “The styling is really smart – I can really
see it looking good on the road in the UK.
Sport is the one to have for me.”
n “You get a lot of ‘bang for your buck’
with this new Edge – I think it’ll do well. I’m
going to replace my Kuga with one.”
Edge arrives in Ford dealerships this
summer. It offers class-leading space for up
to five passengers, segment-first technologies and refinement to rival premium
competitors.
Available in Zetec, Titanium and Sport
series, the Edge is well-equipped as standard, offering Ford intelligent All-Wheel Drive,
Technology
Active Noise Control, Pedestrian Detection,
Ford DAB audio with SYNC 2 connectivity
system, privacy glass and 19-inch alloys.
The interior uses high-quality materials
throughout, including soft-touch trims on
the dashboard and centre console, highgloss piano black surrounds on the switch
bezels and a satin silver metal finish for the
door handles, air vent bezels, glovebox trim
and steering wheel detailing. The spacious
Edge is also offered with heated and cooled
front seats and heated rear seats from the
Titanium series.
It will be offered in the UK with a choice
of 180PS 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine with
six-speed manual transmission, or 210PS
bi-turbo 2.0litre TDCi diesel with six-speed
PowerShift automatic transmission. Both
powertrains will aim to deliver 48.7mpg and
149g/km CO2 supported by Auto-Start-Stop
technology.
All-new Edge will offer new Ford technologies,
including Adaptive Steering, which automatically optimises the steering response
according to vehicle speed, making it easy to
manoeuvre at low speeds, while remaining
precise and intuitive at higher speeds; and
Front Wide View Camera, which makes
restricted visibility junctions or parking spaces
easier to negotiate.
Edge debuts segment-first Pre-Collision
Assist with Pedestrian Detection, a cameraand radar-based system that can operate at
speeds from 5mph to 110mph to detect
vehicles and people in the road ahead, and
can automatically apply the brakes if a
potential collision is detected and the driver
does not respond to warnings.
Outstanding refinement is achieved with
acoustic windscreen glass and laminated
glass for both front door windows, minimising
the intrusion of wind noise. Underbody panels
and wheel-arch liners further minimise road
and wind noise. All Edge models are also
equipped with Ford’s Active Noise Control
technology that detects unwanted engine
noise in the cabin and cancels it out with
opposing sound waves fed through the
integrated sound system.
Ford News March 2016
9
‘We nev
More tech, more refinement
in the new Ford Kuga SUV
The new Ford Kuga, coming later this year, offers a more technologically advanced,
refined and sportier redesign of one of Europe’s favourite sport utility vehicles. The launch of the new Kuga and the larger Edge SUV follow the introduction of an
updated EcoSport last year. Ford is bolstering its SUV line-up just as it has been predicted that sales in the SUV segment are poised to increase to 27 per cent of all vehicle
sales in Europe by 2020. New Kuga and Edge are among five all-new or redesigned Ford
vehicles that will compete in the SUV and crossover space in the next three years.
The sophisticated new Kuga will offer technologies and updates to make driving
simpler, safer, more enjoyable and more affordable. These include Ford’s new SYNC 3
communications and entertainment system, innovative driver assistance technologies,
an ergonomic and comfortable
interior and a new 120PS 1.5litre TDCi diesel engine.
The new Kuga also will offer
Ford’s Perpendicular Parking
technology that helps drivers
park handsfree in spaces alongside other cars; an enhanced
version of the Active City Stop
collision avoidance system
which now operates at speeds of
up to 31mph, increased from
19mph; and Ford’s Adaptive
Front Lighting System for
optimised visibility in low light.
Further sophisticated technologies include Hands-Free Tailgate and Ford Intelligent All Wheel Drive.
The new Kuga will allow drivers to control audio, navigation, and climate functions
plus connected smartphones using simple, more conversational voice commands, with
Ford’s new SYNC 3 connectivity system. Ford has drawn on more than 22,000 comments, and insights gained from research clinics and surveys to ensure the new version
is the most customer-centric system to date.
SYNC 3 delivers faster performance, simplified commands, and supports five additional languages. Simply by pushing a button and saying “I need a coffee,” “I need
petrol,” and “I need to park,” drivers can locate nearby cafés, petrol stations or car
parks, and find train stations, airports, and hotels.
Kuga drivers can operate SYNC 3’s 8-inch touchscreen in the same way that they use
their smartphones. A new interface features larger, easier to operate buttons and enables pinch and swipe gestures for the first time. iPhone users can activate Apple
CarPlay, while Android users can activate Android Auto. SYNC 3 also delivers SYNC
AppLink for customers, enabling voice-activation from the driver’s seat of a range of
smartphone apps that for the first time now includes HearMeOut and AccuWeather.
10
Ford News March 2016
A few years ago, Ford of Europe faced a
huge challenge with significant losses, sales
at a 20-year low, the new car market weak
and too many plants building too few cars.
“So we had to make a choice,” said Jim
Farley, “either sit back and hope for things
to turn around, or take control of our own
fate by doing what we have always done
through Ford’s history – pull ourselves up
and make a bold commitment.
“We said we would return to profitability
by 2015 and deliver healthy returns on our
investments in the longer term.”
But there were obstacles: a weak economy, slow market growth and increased
regulation, he told the 1,200 Ford employees who attended three ‘town hall’ sessions
in Dunton. Many doubted that Ford could
overcome the obstacles, “but we never
stopped believing in ourselves,” he said.
Ford has returned to profit in Europe after
tough choices and hard work, “and I am so
proud and honoured to share this moment
with you today,” said Jim.
“Our success in getting to this point is a
testament to the hard work, smart thinking
and dedication throughout every level of our
great team.”
He talked about opportunities and
challenges, and about commitments: to
become a brand people love, delivering
products people want, finding more ways to
cut unnecessary costs and evolving into an
auto and mobility company that is a vibrant
organisation. He concluded: “In the years to
come ahead, we are going to accomplish
some amazing things.”
ver stopped believing’
Ford of Europe chairman and CEO
Jim Farley addresses UK town hall
meetings as Company bounces
back in style from global recession
Left and above: Jim Farley at Dunton
Below: Everyone wanted to have a look at the new Ford Focus RS
on display
Ford News March 2016
11
Fiesta: the small car
As the Fiesta marks its 40th birthday, we look back through the photo
archives and pick out key moments in the model's illustrious history
The Ford Fiesta was the No.1 selling small
car in Europe again last year, making it the
top-selling small car in Europe for the fourth
year running; and this year, as it enters its
40th year, it is still topping the sales charts.
Customers bought 314,432 Fiestas in
Europe in 2015, compared with 309,120 the
previous year (an increase of 2 per cent)
after Ford introduced a series of significant
upgrades.
The UK is the biggest single market, with
133,434 Fiesta sales last year – up from
131,254 in 2014 – making it the UK‘s best
seller by a significant margin, 41,357 sales
and 1.6 percentage points of market share
ahead of its nearest competitor.
“Small-car customers will find what
they’re looking for in Fiesta, whether it’s the
fuel efficiency of the the 82 g/km CO2 Fiesta
Econetic or the award-winning performance
of the Fiesta ST,” said Ford of Europe
vice-president, marketing, sales & service,
Roelant de Waard.
The Fiesta started life as the ‘Bobcat’
project, and Henry Ford II said in 1973: “I
reckon overall it’s the most important
project in the history of the automobile,
certainly in the western world.”
Ford invested over a billion dollars in
‘Bobcat’ – its biggest ever outlay, on the
smallest car it had ever produced. Development work was shared between Dunton and
Cologne
The Fiesta went in to production in 1976,
with a £1,856 price tag on the base model;
in the 40 years since, more than four million
James Bond, Roger Moore, with one of the first Fiestas, on the
set of ‘Live and Let Die’ in 1976
A design rendering from 1976
1990’s Fiesta Calypso
12
Ford News March 2016
have been sold in Europe, and it is now in
its seventh generation.
It is the UK’s best-selling car ever, and
has been UK top seller overall every year
since 2009.
Around two-thirds of UK sales today are
Fiesta Zetec, two-thirds are five-door
models and the most popular colour is
black.
The Fiesta has come a very long way
since 1976 in a great many ways. For
instance, it would take 80 modern-day
Fiestas to produce the same emissions as
one 1976 model.
And the 1.0-litre 140PS version of Ford’s
multi-award-winning EcoBoost engine
developed in Dunton and Dagenham has
more power-per-litre than a Bugatti Veyron.
An LX model from 1995
A Zetec S from 2006
r with a big presence
Fiesta ST200: the
next hot-hatch hero
Then and now: the 2016 range, above, and the line-up from 1981, below
The latest in a long line of Fiesta rally cars, an M-Sport Fiesta World
Rally Car, attracted plenty of attention at a motorsport day in Dunton in
February. The Fiesta WRC is powered by a Ford EcoBoost 1.6-litre
engine developing 300bhp at 6000rpm, which is delivered through a
six-speed sequential gearbox and permanent four-wheel drive.
Ford has topped 40 years of Fiesta production with a new ST200
model that delivers 10 per cent more power and 20 per cent more
torque, with 200 PS and 290 Nm from a specially calibrated
1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine.
The most powerful production Fiesta ever, the Fiesta ST200 will
sprint from 0-62 mph in 6.7 seconds, and will feature an exclusive
specification including unique Solid Silver Grey exterior, distinctive
machined matt black alloy wheels and special interior detailing.
Production begins in June with first deliveries to customers
expected soon after.
In addition to the exclusive exterior colour and 17-inch alloy
wheel specification, Fiesta ST200 models also will feature red
painted brake callipers and an enhanced interior with unique
partial leather charcoal Recaro front seats and contrasting silver
stitching, alongside illuminated scuff plates and seatbelts with
silver detailing.
The Fiesta ST200’s 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine can deliver an
additional 15 PS and 30 Nm of torque for up to 15 seconds using
transient overboost. A 4.06 ratio final drive – shortened from 3.82
in the Fiesta ST – further enhances in-gear acceleration for
improved drivability and an even more fun to drive experience. Top
speed is 140 mph.
Like the Fiesta ST, the ST200 delivers optimised cornering and
agility using:
n Enhanced Torque Vectoring Control and 3-mode Electronic
Stability Control
n A specially modified front steering knuckle
n An adapted rear twist-beam with increased roll-stiffness
n Unique front and rear spring and damper settings with a
15 mm lower centre of gravity
n Sharper 13.69:1 steering ratio and shortened steering arm
n Enhanced braking system with a larger tandem brake master
cylinder and rear disc brakes.
The Fiesta ST launched in 2013, delivering 182 PS and 240 Nm
of torque from a 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine and 0-62 mph acceleration in 6.9 seconds – quickly establishing itself as Europe’s leading
compact performance hatchback and earning more than 20
awards around the world within its first year on sale. Ford has
since sold 30,000 Fiesta STs in Europe.
Ford News March 2016
13
Ford backs findings of report
into STEM skills ‘disconnect’
Ford has endorsed the findings in a report
which reveals that the low levels of awareness among educators and parents about
job prospects for maths and science
subjects unintentionally results in young
people not understanding the skills needed
for success in the workplace.
A significant knowledge gap on the vital
and widespread application of maths and
science skills risks damaging the UK’s
future, according to the “Tough Choices”
report developed by global management
consulting firm A. T. Kearney in partnership
with the industry-led and government-supported Your Life campaign, which aims to
show the dynamic career opportunities
unlocked by studying science and maths.
The report reveals that currently 45 per
cent of young people claim to choose
A-Levels based on future career aspirations
but just 43 per cent say that they have had
any formal careers guidance.
Tough Choices also found that this lack
of informed advice leads to only a quarter of
A-Level students taking up two or more
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering
and Maths) subjects and only one in eleven
studying maths and physics.
The report demonstrates how society is
influencing young people’s decisions at
every touch point: schools accountability is
geared to reward grades over subject
choice, meaning that teachers often recom-
mend “harder” maths and science subjects
only to the “ultra bright”. This is sometimes
reinforced by parents, leading to a bias
against STEM subjects for children who
perceive them as “too hard”.
Young people also cited that maths and
science subjects seem too theoretical,
making it even harder for them to understand how the skills relate to their career
prospects – further deterring them from
studying the subjects at A-Level.
The report found that the current education approach to double and triple science
choices at GCSE also has a big impact on
whether students continue with the subject
at A-Level.
Students who take double science are
two to three times less likely than triple
science students to continue to go on and
study the subjects.
Tough Choices reveals that the levels of
engagement with vital STEM skills decline
with every year of secondary education. For
girls, interest in maths and science declines
by 74 per cent during their secondary
school years, with boys’ engagement in
these subjects declining by 56 per cent over
the same period.
The report advises that, without significant change, the current STEM worker
shortfall of 40,000 each year will continue,
causing the UK economy to fall further
behind other nations.
As a result of the report, eight leading
corporations supporting the Your Life
campaign, including Ford, have pledged to
step up their current commitment to help
tackle these problems.
They aim to increase engagement between business and schools to promote
STEM education and help to safeguard the
UK’s economic growth.
The Your Life campaign is calling for
more businesses and institutions to join in
improving the connection between the
curriculum and careers advice. Businesses
must play a more active role in bringing the
workplace to the classroom to help educators bring maths and physics subjects to life
for students.
Ford of Europe’s chief operating officer,
Barb Samardzich, said: “We are pleased to
endorse this new research from the Your
Life campaign and back the call for more
businesses and institutions to join us in
improving the connection between the
curriculum and careers advice.”
Building close ties with Elutec college
Ford is working closely with Elutec, a new design and
engineering college for 14- to 19-year-olds that specialises in engineering, design, science, technology and
maths, which is recruiting new students.
Located close to Dagenham Engine Plant, Elutec’s
focus “is on educating and preparing young people for
work,” said principal Ruth Umerah. “Our curriculum is
designed in collaboration with industrial partners and
sponsors and this enables us to deliver the skills and
qualifications that are required by industry and top
universities.”
Ford is one of those sponsors, and Mrs Umerah
added: “All of our sponsors have worked to realise our
dream of creating an innovative, inspirational school
which will support, stretch and challenge young people
to be the best they can be.”
Elutec is keen to accept applications from those
currently in years 9 and 11 who want to include a
greater level of engineering, science and maths in their
learning. Anyone interested in seeing what Elutec has
to offer can attend an open day on Saturday, 19 March,
from 11am to 3pm.
n To find out more about the college, see Elutec’s
website at www.elutec.co.uk
14
Ford News March 2016
n Dagenham Engine Plant’s
close ties with Elutec has
allowed the V6 diesel
assembly team to donate an
engine to the college.
Launch supervisor Barry
Milton White attended Elutec
for an open day with his son
and, a few months later, he
asked V6 assembly manager
Paul Walker if an old display
engine could be donated. Paul
agreed, and now the students
V6 assembly manager Paul Walker (centre, left)
have a current engine from
and launch supervisor Barry Milton White, centre
Ford’s manufacturing facility on
right, donating the old Lion display engine. Ford’s
which to practise their engineer- Phil Beadle (third from left) also attended
ing skills.
Barry and Paul, alongside
Ford’s Phil Beadle, a prototype product specialist, and Sheila Lucey, of customer return and
salvage control, visited Elutec to donate the engine and Paul said: “This is a fantastic
example of One Ford. Barry showed initiative and, as a result, the students have a first-class
engine to develop their skills on and Ford has reinforced its ties in the community.”
Bridgend forest flourishes
Bridgend Engine Plant manager Ian
Pearson found himself looking after a
different plant last month - a new forest
which is springing up.
After last autumn’s inaugural planting of
Coedtir Yspryd Y Llynfi or Spirit of Llynfi
Woodland, BEP and Natural Resources
Wales have added a second section.
This time BEP manager Ian volunteered
to do his bit to transform the open hillside
into a forest park, and he was joined by
some of the engine plant’s office staff and
managers.
The site covers 30 hectares above the
Lynfi Valley overlooking the engine plant at
Bridgend and one-in-six employees live in
the catchment area and will therefore
benefit from the new forest.
It is a major feature in Welsh Government’s plan to provide recreation, leisure
and exercise facilities to local people and
visitors.
The adjacent Afan Country Park is a
world-wide renowned location for walkers
and mountain bike enthusiasts and it is
hoped Coedtir Yspryd Y Llynfi will develop
in the same way over the next ten years as
it becomes established and better known.
Ford’s contribution is managed by BEP
sustainability manager Mark Thomas who is
organising the BEP volunteers and appren-
tices who can lend their skills or time to the
project over the next few years.
Longer term involvement by the plant is
expected to include building access facilities and helping interpret the landscape in
imaginative ways.
The only way is Essex
– via Lommel, Belgium
A re-creation of the road
between Ingatestone and Stock
in Essex – familiar to generations
of Ford drivers working in
Dunton and Warley – is helping
Ford develop vehicles to cope
with the most challenging of
roads and helping to beat the
cost of pothole damage.
It is one of more than 100
punishing rough road conditions
located at Ford’s Lommel
Proving Ground in Belgium
which incorporates 50 miles of
test tracks, including 1.2 miles of potholes. It replicates the effects of the worst potholes
and extreme road surfaces from around the world.
Designed to concentrate the punishment experienced by vehicles, it helps engineers
create more robust chassis systems and develop new innovations to ensure Ford
vehicles can better withstand the world’s challenging roads.
All Ford vehicles for Europe are tested at Lommel, where Ford engineers and test
drivers cover more than 3.7 million miles every year. For example, the all-new Transit
was driven over the course more than 5,000 times as part of a testing regime designed
to simulate 10 years of driver use in just six months.
Engineers drive through the potholes and over surfaces as diverse as granite blocks
from Belgium and cobbles from Paris, at speeds of almost 50mph. Sensors, similar to
those used by seismologists studying earthquakes, record the loads and strain on the
suspension system.
Pictured above: Bridgend Engine Plant
volunteers, including plant manager Ian
Pearson, standing third left, in the forest
overlooking the plant
Converter wins awards
Huddersfield campervan manufacturer, Wellhouse
Leisure, has achieved first, second and third place
wins with its Ford-based vehicles, out of 122 total
entries in The Caravan Club Motor Caravan Design
Awards.
The company was outright winner of the micro
motor caravan category with its compact Wellhouse
Ford Evie camping-car, a four-seater, two-berth
model, with elevating roof, based on the Ford Grand
Tourneo Connect.
It was second out of 11 entries in the van
conversions £40,000 to £45,000 category for its new
Wellhouse Ford Terrier LUX-XL, a high-roof, long
wheelbase model based on the Ford Transit Custom
which it launched at the Caravan, Camping and
Motorhome Show at Birmingham’s NEC a week
before.
The third success was for Wellhouse Leisure’s
Transit Custom-based Ford Terrier 2 SE campervan
with elevating roof, which was third in the van
conversions £45,000 to £50,000 category. The
Terrier has previously tasted success when it was
named ‘Campervan of the Year’ in early 2014, shortly
after its launch.
Wellhouse Leisure managing director David Elliott,
commented: “We’re really pleased that our range of
Ford-based models achieved so much success in
these prestigious awards, especially against all the
latest Volkswagen campervans that were entered. ”
Ford News March 2016
15
Competition
winners
There were lots of entries for the
superb motorsport book we
offered as a giveaway in
November 2015’s Ford News;
David Bridge from Dunton was
the lucky winner of ‘Grand Prix
Ford – Ford, Cosworth and the
DFV’ by Graham Robson.
The book ‘Mondeo: The story
of the global car’, was won by
Chris Johnstone from Dunton,
while ‘How to Drive’, written by
Ben Collins, a former Top Gear
Stig, was won by Matthew
Bartaby from Dagenham.
Michael Norton, Anthony Birri
and Mick Rugg, all from Dunton,
and Ali Kilincbay, who works at
Warley, were the winners of the
DVD ‘The story of the RS Fords’.
We have given away copies of
the DVD ‘Our Man Clark’, which
is Roger Clark at his best in
three rallying films, to pensioner
S. Mason and Richard Hawkins
from Dagenham.
St Peter’s Car
Show details
More than 200 cars are expected at this year’s St Peter’s Car
Show in Harold Wood, on
Saturday, 18 June, which will
raise money again for London Air
Ambulance.
The three previous shows
have donated a total of more
than £12,000 to the air ambulance. Information and details of
how to register can be found at
www.stpeterscarshow.co.uk or
email admin@stpeterscarshow.
co.uk
From left: Ian Plant, John Rowland, Nicola Gregory, Jim Friday, Kerry Chambers (St Luke’s), Tanya
King (Little Havens), Arvinder Marway, Keith Adams, Dave Gwilliams and Stelios Karagiorgis
Ho-Ho-Hospice raises
£4,000 at Christmas
The cash in-lieu of Christmas card initiative
‘Ho-Ho-Hospice’ which ran across the Dunton
site in December, raised £4,053 (£4,878 including
Gift Aid), which was split between St Luke’s
Hospice in Basildon and Little Havens Children’s
Hospice in Thundersley.
The initiative encourages employees not to
send Christmas cards to colleagues, but instead
to sign a departmental card that is provided, for
all to see and then to make a donation.
Dave Gwilliams who co-ordinates the initiative
centrally, said: “The amount we raise increases as
awareness of the initiative grows and 2015 has
been the most successful collection we have had
since we started back in 2011.
“This year has taken the total collected to date
to £17,085 (£20,828 including Gift-Aid), but
reaching the £4,000 cash collection total is a first
and is an amazing achievement.”
There were additional card co-ordinators in
action again this year and, for the first time, two
teams in Warley after they moved over from
Dunton.
“Both hospices have running costs in excess of
£2.5 million per year, of which very little is funded,
so they rely heavily on the support that we offer,
not just at Christmas, but also throughout the
year with our community involvement days and
this is a great way to kick-start their New Year,”
said Dave.
n If anyone not already involved in Ho-Ho-Hospice who would be willing to coordinate a departmental card, contact Dave Gwilliams: 8738 2999
or [email protected]
Hour of Code training success
Two Hour of Code training sessions run by Ford IT for employees in the UK were attended by a total of
85 people.
Hour of Code is a global industry-wide initiative, aimed at getting young people interested in computer
programming, gaining their interest in what goes on behind their user interface, getting them interested in
how to write computer programmes, so that they can start developing their own applications, and
potentially give them their first steps into a career in the IT industry.
The classroom-style sessions during lunch breaks were aimed at parents who want to support their
children in learning to start to write computer programmes, and included hands-on experience by trying
out some of the online tutorials and writing simple computer programmes. Feedback from both sessions was overwhelmingly positive; by providing the attendees access to the
online resources and giving them the confidence to work these through with their children.
n To learn more about the Hour of Code initiative to either try it out yourself or even consider running
a session in your location, go to: https://code.org/learn
16
Ford News March 2016
Busman’s holiday for Deven
Most employees wouldn’t consider a Ford
site visit to be an essential part of their
holiday, but that didn’t stop Daventry group
leader Deven Chohan on a recent trip to
India.
Curious about the new Ford facilities in
Sanand in north-western India, Deven
arranged to visit the recently opened parts
distribution centre located there, which is
one of the export destinations supplied by
Daventry.
During his tour, he was not only able to
discuss the processes and systems used by
one of Daventry’s customer sites, but he
was also able to identify a shipment of parts
which he had personally sent on its 5,000mile journey to India.
“Some people thought I was a bit sad to
visit a Ford parts centre on my holiday, but
it was an unforgettable experience,” said
Deven, who has worked in the Daventry
warehouse for almost 25 years. “The
hospitality I received was amazing, and it
was fascinating to hear about the different
challenges the team there face.
“During the tour, I even caught sight of
some packaging which I had written on
back in Daventry, which was a really nice
surprise.”
Local warehouse manager Tejaram
Ramesh hosted the visit, and gave Deven a
tour of the facility which was inaugurated in
2015, and is one of five regional parts
distribution centres established by Ford in
India to support local customers.
Discussions with the Sanand team
provided Deven with a good understanding
of the working practices employed by the
parts centre, and also an insight into how
Daventry can support them in the best way
as a customer location.
“It was great to exchange ideas with the
warehouse team, and I was particularly
impressed with the housekeeping both
inside and outside the building,” added
Deven.
“I was even invited to have a traditional
vegetarian Indian dinner in the employees’
canteen, which was very tasty.”
In addition to exploring the parts distribution centre, Deven was also able to visit the
new integrated manufacturing facility at
Sanand, including the vehicle manufacturing
plant which began operations in 2015.
Motability move
Daventry’s Deven Chohan
Dunton volunteer help
Ford employees from Dunton’s commercial vehicles SVE team
spent a day volunteering at a local special needs school.
Following a Ford Britain Trust grant – which purchased some
wheelchair-friendly garden planters and soil for Kingsdown
Community Special Needs School, in Southend – the Dunton team
helped by assembling the planters and filling them, so the children
at Kingsdown can grow their own herbs, fruit and vegetables.
David Brierly, the Dunton team’s supervisor, said: “It’s the
second time we have visited the school and spent some of our
community time doing work that is needed around the premises.
“One of our team, Gary Clarke, has helped build this relationship with the school as his sister is the swimming therapist there.
Gary has also organised two golf days with the Ford Dunton Golf
Society and raised more than £7,500 that has been donated to the
school.” Funds raised by the 2015 golf day is being spent on a
wheelchair-enabled swing.
As well as the planters, the team did further gardening work
and also cleared the roundabout in front of the school to make the
area safer for vehicles and pedestrians.
Pictured below: the Dunton team at Kingsdown Community
Special Needs School during a volunteer day
Jim Linsley, left, with Catherine Smith and Mark Mackay, who has
succeeded him as senior Motability specialist.
Senior Motability specialist Jim Linsley has handed over his last vehicle for
Macrae & Dick Ford of Inverness, 30 years after joining the dealership.
Accompanied by his piper nephew, he presented the keys to a new Ford
Galaxy Titanium to 20-year customer Catherine Smith, who needs a Motability car to transport her son, daughter and sister, all of whom have severe
mobility problems.
Macrae & Dick was set up as a family-run car dealer in 1878, and is now
part of Parks Motor Group of Hamilton.
Ford News March 2016
17
Vish is a best-selling
author over in India
Melanie makes
a life-saving
donation
When Ford apprentice Melanie
Morey realised that she could
become a bone marrow donor,
there was no hesitation in
registering.
“It was more ‘why shouldn’t I
do it?’ rather than ‘why should
I?’,” said Melanie, a second year
apprentice currently at CEME in
Dagenham. “I have been a blood
donor for some time, so didn’t
see any reason not to register.”
So began a round of blood
tests, a counselling session with
a doctor at the London Clinic, a
medical and more tests,
followed by being paired with an
anonymouse potential recipient
for the stem cell donation. She
was injected with a serum so
that her body would make more
stem cells, and five days later
was hooked up to a machine for
four hours which took blood
from one arm, extracted the
stem cells and put the blood
back in to the other arm.
“It is really easy – just as
easy as giving blood. There’s
nothing to be afraid of at all,”
said Melanie.
Melanie’s selfless act will
make many people in Ford think
back more than a decade to
another Ford apprentice, Ricky
Edwards, who was diagnosed at
just 18 with myelodysplastic
syndrome which progressed into
acute myeloid leukaemia that
sadly took Ricky’s life in March,
2005, aged 23.
Ricky had twice received a
bone marrow transplant from a
donor in Nova Scotia but
complications during his
treatment meant he could no
longer fight the disease.
n Find out more about registering as a bone marrow donor at
www.anthonynolan.org
18
Ford News March 2016
Vish Dhamija’s writing career didn’t get off to
the best of starts. He had always wanted to write
a story and eventually sat down and wrote six or
seven chapters of a novel, but the initial reaction
was a little surprising.
“I showed it to my wife and she said ‘Where
have you copied this from?’ That was the confidence she had in me,” said Warley-based Vish.
Wife Nidhi simply did not believe that Vish was
capable of such powerful writing. She believes it
now, because in just a few years Vish has become one of India’s best-selling crime fiction
authors, with four books in print and another
being edited.
In fact, Indian lifestyle magazine ‘Glimpse’ has
described Vish as “India’s John Grisham” and the
Times of India said of one of his books: “If it were
a movie, it would keep you, biting your nails, at
the edge of your seat.”
Choosing the genre of legal and crime fiction
was a natural choice for Vish, who spent a year at
a law school in India before going on to study for
a management degree at Jodhpur University in
India and later an MBA at Manchester Business
School.
His first book, Mumbai-based crime thriller
‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, was written in 2010 and
was followed four years later by ‘Bhendi Bazaar’,
set in south Mumbai, which has been on Amazon
India’s top 100 ‘crime, thriller and mystery’ list
ever since.
‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ has been described by
former Ford man Howard Linskey, himself now a
best-selling crime author, as: “An enthralling
crime story which will grip you from beginning to
end. Once you start, you won’t want to stop
reading.”
‘Deja Karma’ followed in 2015, and went on to
become a best seller; ‘Doosra – The Other One’
was launched earlier this year at a literary festival
in Delhi, attended by Vish, who spends several
months working out story lines before sitting at
his laptop and starting to write.
For Vish, who is Ford of Europe’s manager of
digital owner communications, writing is a pas-
Author Vish Dhamija
sion, but one that needs a clear head, coffee and
music, so he writes at home in the early mornings
on Saturdays and Sundays, while wife Nidhi is
still in bed.
He is a stickler for research and accuracy,
consulting police and lawyer friends in India to
get every detail correct.
“I research before, during and after I finish
writing the first draft,” said Vish.
“There is no easy way if you want your story to
be believable. You have to remember that these
days readers have access to the same online
world that you do.”
His fifth novel will be published at the end of
this year, and the sixth will probably be not too far
behind.
Rallycross debut for new Focus RS
The Ford Focus RS will make its competition debut as Ford’s factory entry in the FIA World Rallycross
Championship, and there will be an opportunity to see the cars in action at Lydden Hill on 28-29 May.
Ken Block’s Hoonigan Racing Division will field two Focus RS race cars – driven by Block and Andreas
Bakkerud – in the global 12-race series.
For more than 50 years, Ford Performance’s Rallye Sport badge has been reserved for racing and
production vehicles that push the limits of performance and innovation. Ford vehicles wearing the RS
badge have seen success for decades in stage rally series including the FIA World Rally Championship
with drivers like Björn Waldegård and Colin McRae. Competing in the World Rallycross Championship with the Focus RS is a collaboration between Ford
Performance, Block’s Hoonigan Racing and UK-based M-Sport.
Ford Performance motorsports engineering manager Mark Rushbrook, said: “We’ve dedicated the
same level of cutting-edge tools, and engineering know-how from our Le Mans GT and NASCAR programs, and working with M-Sport brings renowned expertise in rallycross and rally vehicle development.”
Taking up the fight for Amber
Warley-based Paul McDermott has found a painful way to fund-raise – and
he is loving every minute of it.
He has joined a gym to learn how to box so that he can take part in a fight
night to raise funds for an eight-year-old girl called Amber who has a rare
chromosome disorder called Phelan McDermid Syndrome. Amber has no speech and severely low muscle tone, which results in her
being unable to walk or crawl; she needs help with every part of daily living
and needs 24-hour care for the rest of her life.
When Paul read about the fight night being organised to raise money to
pay for specialist physiotherapy and equipment to help Amber’s family reach
their ultimate goal of her being able to walk independently, he volunteered to
take part.
To do so, he has undertaken 10 weeks’ intensive training, with three one
and a half hour sessions every week, followed by a match in late March in a
Chelmsford nightclub, where Paul will be one of two dozen volunteer boxers. “I had never stepped in to a boxing ring before January, but I’m learning
quickly – that it hurts,” said Paul, CV and fleet aftersales marketing manager.
“I play football and used to jog, but haven’t been in a fight since school, so it
will definitely be interesting. I will fight someone of a similar level of
experience.”
Fight-For is dedicated to helping disabled children from Essex who are
often under-subscribed or overlooked. It not only raises the profile of these
much deserving causes, by promoting their cause to a wider audience, but
also raises much needed cash to support their on-going treatment.
Paul started with a £100 fund-raising target, which had topped £500 by the
end of February; anyone wanting to sponsor him can go to www.gofundme.
com/8hn33ggc.
“All profits from ticket sales and all of my GoFundMe account will go
directly to the charity,” said Paul.
BEP to open
a food bank
When it comes to giving you can bank on the
generosity of employees in Bridgend Engine
Plant.
Staff regularly give blood and support the
annual JDRF fund-raising days while also throwing their money behind local charitable causes by
colleagues doing marathons or bike rides.
Now they are turning their attention to the
creation of a food bank which will be created in
the communications hub at the main entrance to
the shop-floor and is planned to open in March.
A similar venture operated in plant a few years
ago but such is the popularity of the food bank
concept in local communities that it was decided
to revive the idea in plant.
The bank’s local manager John Chapman has
met BEP community action committee to discuss
what is needed and will arrange for donations to
be collected as necessary and distributed to
needy individuals and families in the Bridgend
valleys area, which is one of the most deprived in
South Wales.
Committee secretary Caroline Heyns said: “We
thought there was such a need for the bank that
staff will really support it and we are having a
cage made and signs drawn up to promote it.”
The food bank will welcome donations of dry
foodstuffs such as rice or pasta, and also tinned
items, with long shelf lives remaining.
Warley’s Paul McDermott in training
Paternal pride for Dagenham’s Kevin
Dagenham Engine Plant (DEP) employee Kevin Brand, who works in precision grinders in small
diesel tooling, is – like any father – immensely proud of his two daughters.
But even by the usual standards of paternal pride, 28-year-old Stephanie is going above and
beyond the call of duty, running the London Marathon for the first time – in memory of her mum
who passed away from bowel cancer.
Kevin said: “My wife Avril passed away in April 2012. Steph was never athletic as a child and
she’s a grammar school teacher now, so with her fitting in the tough training where she can around
her job, it makes me extremely proud of her.
“I’ve tried to support her as best I can by driving her to 10k and half-marathon runs, as she
doesn’t drive; I even did one 10k assault course with her, but I’m not sure how I talked myself into
that.”
Steph, who by her own admission was not a great
runner as a youngster, always said she would never run
a marathon, but now she feels it is time to take on the
26.2-mile challenge.
“I am running this to raise awareness of bowel cancer
but also in memory of my mum, who passed away very
soon after being diagnosed with the disease. It took me
a long time to process that loss. For a long time, I was
angry that, despite showing textbook symptoms, doctors
did not seem able to provide a diagnosis for my mum.
“She would think I was potty for even running a
marathon but I am challenging myself to run it to help to
fund initiatives to support those suffering from this
disease, as well as increasing awareness and improving
access to life-saving treatments.”
Steph is trying to raise £2,000 for bowel cancer
charities, with her total already at £1,715 at the time of
writing.
n If you would like to donate to her cause, you can visit
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StephBrand.
Ford News March 2016
19
Record entry
for Dunton Test
Track 10 race
A record 374 runners took part
in the sixth annual Test Track 10
ten-mile run around Dunton’s
roads and test tracks to raise
money for St Luke’s Hospice.
Dave Gwilliams, the corporate
partner representative between
Ford and St Luke’s, said: “2016
has been the biggest TT10 to
date and to see those people out
there battling the wind, but still
loving being part of the event,
gives a massive sense of
achievement to us as event
organisers.”
Local companies, including
Essex Auto Group, supported
again this year with £250
sponsorship each to help offset
the £2,500 costs incurred to
hold the event.
Kerry Chambers from St
Luke’s Hospice, said: “I love
organising this event for so
many different reasons. It shows
the power of the local community with Ford providing the site
for us to host the event on, local
business offering financial
support and volunteers giving
their time.
“It is amazing. St Luke’s are
very lucky to have the support of
the Ford team, not just for this
event, but also at fundraising
events and as volunteers
throughout the year. This event
pulls tha t all together and we
can’t thank you enough for the
continuous support.”
The event is expected to raise
around £7,500 for the hospice.
n For more information, see
www.testtrack10.weebly.com
BEP family day
Bridgend Engine Plant will
celebrate its achievements with
a Ford family day this summer.
The plant’s community action
committee is looking at several
ideas for the day proposed in
June and would welcome
suggestions from employees.
Committee secretary Caroline
Heyns said: “There has been a
good response, and now we are
putting a lot of careful planning
in place to make it a great
success.” Send suggestions to
[email protected]
20
Ford News March 2016
See the Ford GT make
its UK racing debut
The fabulous all-new Ford GT will make its UK
racing debut at the Silverstone FIA World Endurance Championship event on 15-17 April, and
you can be there cheering on Ford’s two-car
team, with a specially discounted weekend ticket.
Ford Chip Ganassi Racing is running two cars,
driven by Marino Franchitti, Stefan Mücke, Olivier
Pla and Andy Priaulx, in the 6 hours of Silverstone, which is sure to be packed with action. Le Mans-style endurance racing has hooked
generations of fans since the first 24 Hours of Le
Mans held in 1923 and 93 years later the racing is
a mixture of Le Mans prototypes and GT cars
where anything can happen. During the 6 hours
of Silverstone, drivers will compete for the Royal
Automobile Club Tourist Trophy, first awarded in
1905 and the world’s oldest motorsport trophy
still being competed for.
n Ford employees can buy general entry adult
weekend passes for £34, a 15 per cent discount
on the £40 standard cost. The promotion code
WEC2016FORD can be used to buy tickets on
the website www.silverstone.co.uk or via the
contact centre on 0844 3728 260. A roving ticket
for those 15 years and under is free of charge if
purchased with an adult.
Goodwood tickets
The Festival of Speed is the largest motoring garden party in the world
– a unique summer weekend that brings together an impossibly heady
mix of cars, stars and motor sport ‘royalty’ to create the largest car
culture event in the world.
Held in the grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hillclimb event
is a celebration of motor sport and all things automotive.
The annual event begins on Thursday, 23 June, with the Moving
Motor Show, where it is possible to get up close to the latest cars and
watch many of them take to the famous hillclimb.
Friday, the first day of the Festival of Speed, sees the cars and star
drivers take to the hillclimb, with more action on Saturday, and the
climax the Sunday Shootout, when a driver is crowned ‘King of the
Hillclimb’.
The theme for this year is ‘Full Throttle – The Endless Pursuit of
Power’. Each year Goodwood finds a new way of exploring the thrilling
past, present and future of the automotive world – the focus on power
could make for an even more explosive spectacle than ever.
Ford people can buy up to four single day adult tickets at a 25 per
cent discount by calling 01243 755055 and quoting ‘GT2016’. Under13s get in free if accompanied by a paying adult. The same code can
also be used to buy tickets for the Goodwood Revival meeting.
n For more information go to www.goodwood.com.
Date set for
Warley VED
Warley Vehicle Enthusiasts’
Day will be on Friday, 22
July, so if you have a
vehicle of historic interest
or significance, or drive or
ride something classic,
unique or simply unusual,
why not display it?
Register your interest by
emailing [email protected]
and we will send you
joining instructions.
Amanda’s huge leap for charity
Amanda Stammers, a business
analyst from Dunton, has taken one
huge leap of faith to raise money for
charity Breast Cancer Now - throwing
herself out of a plane flying 10,000ft
about the Kent countryside as part of
a freefall skydive.
She wanted to put her nerves to the
test to raise £400 for the charity as her
mother had fought breast cancer with
its help.
She said: “It was absolutely amazing, I really enjoyed it and I wasn’t
nervous at all – but it was very, very
cold on the day I jumped. As the plane
took off and climbed to altitude, the
door we would jump out of was open
and I was sat next to it.
“You are strapped to an instructor;
once we actually came to jump, we
went straight out the door.
“We had 40 seconds of freefall and
then a longer time on the parachute,
which was wonderful and I briefly had
control so we could swoop left and
right, but by the time we landed my
hands were absolutely frozen!”
Amanda said she would do another
skydive and as a further piece of good
news, she eventually raised comfortably more than double her original
target, collecting £1,010 for BCN as a
result of her daredevil exploits.
Amanda Stammers during
her 10,000ft parachute jump
for Breast Cancer Now
Badminton appeal
The Ford Sports Badminton Club is on the look-out for new recruits.
The club, which is made up of Dagenham Engine Plant employees
past and present, meets every Monday and Thursday at the Ford Sports
and Social Club in Newbury Park.
The group plays from 4-7pm and wants advanced-level players to
join in, as they play on an international standard mat. There is free
parking at the social club and also access to other facilities.
n Anyone interested should contact Shahinur Rahman at the plant to
find out more. He can be contacted on [email protected], or 0208 526
2462 (ext 2462 internal), or via his mobile, 07956 324626.
Henry Ford Trophy winner
Ford MSA Formula Champion Lando Norris has won the inaugural Henry
Ford Trophy at the British Racing and Sport Car Club Awards. It caps off a
phenomenal year for the driver, who claimed five poles and eight race
victories on his way to an emphatic title in his Ford EcoBoost-powered
single seater.
The Henry Ford Trophy has been commissioned by Ford Motor
Company to acknowledge endeavour in the field of motorsports. To be
awarded annually, it recognises the person who Ford believes has shown
extraordinary endeavour. Ford of Europe racing director
Gerard Quinn, who presented
the award, said: “Henry Ford
founded his company on the
back of his racing exploits and
we are proud that his legacy
means that Ford can maintain
its enablement of grass roots
motorsports. The recipient of the trophy is a young man who epitomises
the famous quote that Henry himself said in 1923 and which is inscribed
on the trophy: ‘If people really set their minds on anything it is impossible
to prevent them getting what they want.’” Sixteen-year-old Lando, who has been racing since he was seven,
added: “To be the first of what will be a great collection of drivers to have
their name upon the trophy means so much to me.”
He has started 2016 by winning the New Zealand Toyota Racing
Series.
Ford News March 2016
21
Classifieds
Personal
Ian Craig died suddenly on 27 November. He will be sadly missed
by his wife Joan, 5 sons, 2 granddaughters, family and friends.
Ian worked for Ford for 25 years, mostly on Truck Fleet, B shift,
and would like to send thanks for their generous donation, floral tribute and attendance at his funeral. Thank you again Joan
& family.
Lawrence Hornby passed away in November at Queen’s Hospital,
Romford, aged 91. He leaves a widow, Joan, daughter Donna,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lawrence retired in
1984 after 37 years’ service as a toolmaker and inspector at
Dagenham plant. The family would like to thank Ford Motor
Company for the floral tribute.
Daniel (Dan) Cornwall passed away peacefully 14 January, aged
79. Dan worked in the Ford Truck Services (‘Traffic’) department
at Dagenham, initially as a lorry driver and then as a supervisor,
before taking early retirement in 1992 after over 30 years service. He will be greatly missed by his family & his many friends.
Daniel Patrick Brady sadly passed away at home in November
aged 79. He had been suffering with Motor Neurone disease for
two and a half years. Danny worked at Dagenham for 34 years,
mostly in engine plant before taking early retirement. Danny is
greatly missed by his partner Brenda, family and friends. Thanks
to Ford Motor Company for the floral tribute.
Ralph Spanton, the first professional nurse employed by Ford in
the Dagenham foundry, died in November at Southend University
Hospital, aged 90. He moved to the new Basildon tractor plant
in 1964, to set up the first aid department, and stayed there
until retirement in 1987. Donations were made at his funeral to
St John Ambulance, with whom he first trained as a first aider.
To place a personal notice in Ford News please email fnews@
ford.com or write to us at the address on page 3.
Deadline for advertisements:
May issue - 15 April
June issue - 16 May
July/Aug issue - 13 June
You can view @ford and
Ford News at:
www.at.ford.com
sub-section
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Ford News 1/466
Ford Motor Company Ltd, Eagle Way,
Brentwood, Essex CM13 3BW
01277 253947
N.B. Holiday accommodation or business related categories are
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Ford Motor Company Limited shall not be liable for the content or accuracy of any
advertisement placed in the pages of this publication or accompanying the magazine, and nor shall it provide any sort of warranty/guarantee in respect of advertised
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22
Ford News March 2016
Activities / Clubs
Hobbies
Wanted
Bridge - Thorpe Bay Bridge
Club (Southend-on-Sea) welcomes players of all abilities.
The Club also runs classes
and supported play sessions.
For more details: bridgewebs.
com/thorpebaay/ or telephone
Danny on 07843 771774.
FORD Basildon Rendezvous
Club,
Gardiners
Lane,
Basildon, is now able to
accommodate new members. Ford retirees can
apply. Meetings take place
on Tuesdays from 1.30pm.
Information from 01268
289763 or 01268 420822.
HAYNES Park (Hornchurch)
Bowling Club welcomes new
members, plenty of games
available and also a full social
calendar. Friendly club come
along and try, for more information contact Dave Saggers
01708 442831 or Martin
Cuthbert 01708 470751.
RAMBLERS - Friends Group
welcomes new members. We
are the social walkers, 4 mile
walks around Essex with pub
lunches. Recent Ford retirees
are members. Come along
and try us. Contact Steve
Gunn on 01268 774730.
FISHING trollies, rods, reels,
landing sets, banksticks,
umbrellas, seats, tent etc.
£100 ono. Tourlamain,
01375 643393. (Essex)
CAMOUFLAGE tent, ideal
for bird watching and fishermen, used once. £25.
Baulch, 01708 458094.
(Hornchurch)
STREETKA convertible, any
colour. Turner, 01277625683.
(Brentwood)
Camping
Elddis Odyssey 482 2007
2 berth. Powrtouch mover, large front seating area,
rear bathroom, separate
shower, microwave, 5m Trio
Barcelona awning/ground
sheet, fresh/waste water carriers, Bulldog wheel locks/
clamp, many more extras.
Owned from new and taken
to France, Charente region,
where it is now. We can
arrange for French registration. Wintered under cover, never toured, only used
5 weeks per year, £7,500.
01708 225804/07741 178759
Cars
FORD Focus RS replica (2006),
based on Focus ST-2, looks,
feels and sounds like RS500.
Huge specification including professionally fitted
Mountune package. 59,000
miles, full service history,
two keys, HPI clear. £12,750.
Call or text Sunny on 07799
557223. (Ilford)
CYCLE carriers (Ford) x 3, suitable for square roof bars. £5
each or £10 for all three.
Scott, 07910 754698. (Essex)
ROOF rack/rails to fit Ford
Focus Estate or Saloon,
2010/12, as new, all fittings
and locks. £30 ono. Turner,
01277 625683 (Brentwood)
Holidays
CYPRUS, Paphos. Villas, heated pools, sea views & Wi-Fi.
2 person/Ford offers from
£350 week. 02084406219
www.sundancevillas.co.uk
DEVON/Cornwall
border.
8 miles inland from Bude
beaches & coastal path.
Three cottages sleeping 2,4
& 5. Situated in a courtyard
with 11 acres of
gardens,
fields & river meadows, fishing allowed from our river banks. Children’s play
area and animals. Tel: 01409
271298 www.carpenterstinneycottages.co.uk
DISNEY, Florida. Executive villa. 5 beds, 4 baths, pool /
spa. Disney 10 mins. www.
stayinourvilla.webs.com.
02380 490841.
Mobility
MOBILITY Elite Traveller LX
scooter, hardly used, vgc.
£275. Dealey, 01268 754534.
(Benfleet)
FORD SPORTS
& SOCIAL CLUB
(ESSEX)
Aldborough Road South,
Newbury Park, IG3 8HG
Gardiners Close,
Basildon, SS14 3AN
Hall and sporting
facilities for hire
Open 7 days a week
Newbury Park:
0208 590 3797
Basildon:
01268 281080
[email protected]
WWW.FSSC-ESSEXCO.UK
Household
PLANS DRAWN
3 PIECE suite, includes a
recliner chair, two seater sofa, two seater recliner
sofa and matching footstool.
£50. Russell, 01268 698909
(Essex)
ORTHOPEADIC bed, double, 4’6”, as new, was £670.
accept £100. PROJECTOR,
6ft screen, box of slides,
excellent condition. £60.
Warner, 0208 501 0166.
(Chigwell)
Extensions and
loft conversions,
including calculations.
01268 412431
07913 541382
Lottery results
ESSEX
December draw: New Fiesta Style goes to R Yarnold.
£2500 goes to N Twinley. £1000 goes to R Perring, G
Sankey and T Jardine. £850 goes to Z Mohyuddin. £500
goes to W Hughes. £400 goes to F Stack and C Quorn.
£300 goes to D Smith, A Mark, W Clissold, J Leighton,
M Bloy and P Kavanagh. £200 goes to L Robinson, S
Woodford, B Hall, D Wass, P Scallan, R Craven, R Peat,
S Appleby, R Tomsett, P Chidley, D Milne, J Saville, R
Dellar, N Phillips and P Rushbrook.
DAVENTRY
December draw: £5000 goes to M Graham. £600 goes
to T Howe. £400 to R Chamberlain. £250 to J Batchelor.
£150 to D Milo. £100 to R Southall. £50 to W Bell.
Enquiries regarding lottery prizes should be directed to your local
Ford Sports and Social Club co-ordinators:
Bridgend - 01656 672291, Daventry & Essex, 0208 590 3797
Halewood - 07516 613332, Southampton - 02380 587460
Flood-hit council thanks Ford for Ranger loans
Ford has recieved a thank you from Cumbria County Council’s highways network
manager, Peter Hosking, for the loan of Ford Ranger 4x4s to help investigate the damage
from the devastating December floods.
Ford Rangers provide the ability to tackle challenging terrain, particularly acute
in Cumbria, where 6,500 properties were flooded and 1,600 bridges have had to be
surveyed for damage.
Mr Hosking said: “With so many road closures, just getting around and finding a route
can be challenging, and the Rangers have been a real lifeline to allow our surveying
teams to get access to those difficult areas. Our fleet isn’t huge so the loan of these Ford
Rangers has certainly added to our capacity, helped staff to get about, and has made a
big difference.”
Ford Rangers were also loaned to York council to help with the city’s fortnight-long
clean-up.
£20 crossword
Quick across
Cryptic across
1.
9.
10.
11.
13.
14.
16.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
1.
9.
10.
11.
13.
14.
16.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
Face (11)
Away (3)
Height (9)
Spiteful (5)
Steady worker (7)
Harvester (6)
In arrears (6)
Sterilised (7)
Charm (5)
Reckon (9)
Behind (3)
Frangibility (11)
What the unpopular candidate will do? (5,2,4)
She features in all the Australian newspapers (3)
Share out a pint - poor arrangement! (9)
Decoys break the rules (5)
Everybody in the demonstration is superficial (7)
It’s possibly nice to see (6)
A prop on the beach (6)
Guard gives a warning (4-3)
Total way to review the evidence (3,2)
It keeps stocking up (9)
Make mistakes out of terror (3)
Their skills are sinister (4-7)
Quick down
Cryptic down
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
12.
15.
17.
19.
21.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
12.
15.
17.
19.
21.
Dolt (3)
Very poor (5)
Not liable (6)
In fashion (7)
Innocent (9)
Agreement (11)
Disbelief (11)
Wayfarer (9)
Confide (7)
Bad writing (6)
Lustre (5)
Idiot (3)
Catch a number up (3)
Comes closer in linear sketches (5)
Key member of the staff (6)
They’re thrown from horses in rodeos (7)
Some space remaining for a liquor store (5,4)
Those put on it may expect firm offers in writing (7,4)
A world opens out for this Central Asian animal (4-7)
Turned up in France (9)
Nearest point in a cupboard (7)
Good grounds for holding sports (6)
There’s a scrap when a communist is told to be quiet (5)
Are made a feature of (3)
Send your CRYPTIC crossword competition entry to Ford
News, 1/466, Ford Motor Company Limited, Eagle Way,
Brentwood, Essex CM13 3BW. Closing date 11th April.
Winners announced in May.
Name........................................................................................
Address....................................................................................
..................................................................................................
Retirees’ directory
..................................................................................................
Postcode..................................................................................
ENQUIRIES REGARDING:
Payroll, change of bank details, change of address,
personal deduction, retiree/spouse deaths,
lottery payments, replacement ID cards,
non-receipt of Ford News
Phone 01372 200330
Email [email protected]
Please quote your name and retiree ID
OTHER ENQUIRIES:
Phone 01372 200320
Email: [email protected]
Or write to:
Ford Pension Funds Admin Leatherhead House,
Station Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7ET
FORD PRIVILEGE CAR PURCHASES
Phone 0845 710 0400
CROSSWORD SOLUTION FOR FEBRUARY
Ford Carers Network is an
employee resource group in
the UK whose aim is to Go
Further and offer support/
advice and share the problems of those people working at Ford who face caring
for relatives (young/old, disabled/non-disabled) including
those whose caring role has
recently come to an end, and
to raise awareness of carers’
issues in order to influence
change within the Company.
Visit x.Ford.com/CarersUK
or email Chris Crook at
[email protected] to see
how they can help you.
Quick Across:
1 Sell; 3 Maturity; 9 Affront; 10 Fatal; 11 Disapproving; 13 Recent; 15
Sudden; 17 Cream-cracker; 20 Ennui; 21 Aileron; 22 Intended; 23 Once.
Quick Down:
1 Slanders; 2 Lifts; 4 Attire; 5 Unfavourable; 6 Intoned; 7 Yell; 8
Compensation; 12 Entrance; 14 Coronet; 16 Scrape; 18 Koran; 19 Yeti.
Cryptic Across:
1 Orbs; 3 Smuggler; 9 Eagerly; 10 Forge; 11 Compare notes; 13 Slight; 15
Stay up; 17 Pull together; 20 Hails; 21 Clapper; 22 Cheering; 23 Tomb.
Cryptic Down:
1 Overcast; 2 Begum; 4 Mayhem; 5 Gift of the gab; 6 Larceny; 7 Roes; 8
Breathalyser; 12 Spare rib; 14 Inutile; 16 Toucan; 18 Hippo; 19 Chic.
£20 CROSSWORD COMPETITION WINNERS
DECEMBER/JANUARY
Q Riaz, Wickford, Essex
H Peters, Brentwood, Essex
J Denby, Eastleigh, Hants
Ford News March 2016
23
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