Event will celebrate employee-owned businesses on Friday

The National Self Build and Renovation Centre will mark UK Employee Ownership Day at its Swindon base near Junction 16 of the M4.

Employee Ownership Association CEO Deb Oxley OBE will be the special guest speaker at the event. Around 81 per cent of the NSBRC is owned by its employees.

Ms Oxley said: “The EOA is proud to lead the sector-wide celebrations of employee ownership on EO Day 2019 as part of our activity to raise awareness and support the growth and impact of employee ownership in the UK.

“Companies such as the NSBRC are great examples of the economic and social benefits that can be achieved in an employee-owned environment. This is why we celebrate the impacts of employee ownership on the individual, the business and the communities in which they are based.”

The company will celebrate paying its second consecutive profit share, with staff each receiving a taxable bonus of £2,500.

The centre will close early on EO Day itself, June 28, to allow the whole team to enjoy a barbecue and games with their families.

Managing director Harvey Fremlin said: “We are thrilled that Deb Oxley OBE, is attending our partner forum. She will be discussing her ambition to see three million employee-owners in the UK and we encourage business owners to explore this model.

“Operating in this way has transformed our business and we have a settled, happy team, who are all benefitting from having a true voice in the future of our business and the decisions we take.

“EO Day is really exciting as over 350 businesses across the UK, including brands such as Lush Cosmetics, Aardman Animations and Riverford Organics, are running activities to mark the day. For us it is a chance to spread the word, engage with the community about what we do and, most importantly, celebrate as a team.”

The company credits employee ownership with helping it to expand enough to attract 30,000 visitors in 2018, managing to buy-back two per cent of its investors shares three years in a row.