Heras UK hosted a visit by Sally Jameson MP, who called into the company’s Wheatley Hall Road, Doncaster site to see the company at work – and also to discuss what the government has planned to unlock growth of the UK economy, especially in the public sector.
Heras, a supplier of perimeter protection products, has more than 100 people in the UK. The firm works on projects for prisons, detention centres and data centres. The company says it was keen to find out from Sally when the Labour Government plans to get the ball rolling on capital expenditure projects. The MP for Doncaster Central is also a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), so she was also asked about the Government’s plan to deal with overcrowding of prisons in the short and medium term. This resonated with Sally, who worked as a Prison Officer at HMP/YOI Moorland in Hatfield – where she was also Branch Chair of the Prison Officers’ Association – before she was elected as an MP at the July 2024 election.
Heras’s Head of Service & Operations UK, Antonia Jeffers, welcomed the MP to its site and took advantage of the opportunity to tell Sally about what one of the companies in her constituency does – and discuss the challenges it faces. Pictured left to right are Sally Jameson, Antonia Jeffers and Heras’s Senior Key Account Manager, Jacqui Richardson.
Antonia Jeffers said afterwards: “We provide perimeter and entrance control solutions – from turnstiles at Premier League football stadia and gate systems for transport and distribution hubs to solutions for high-security sites and infrastructures of national or strategic importance – and it was good to showcase the level of expertise that is right here in Doncaster.
“The market is very challenging at the moment, and we felt it was important to discuss this with our local MP to see if there was anything that could be done to encourage the government to start giving the greenlight to projects across the UK. Sally also listened intently as we explained that Heras strictly adheres to all guidelines and regulations – such as the incoming new directives on gate safety – and this can be a challenge, as some competitors can undercut Heras on price because they do not comply with industry standards.”
Sally said: “It was great to visit Heras perimeter protection in my constituency, Doncaster Central, which is home to Heras’ Head Office and their Distribution Hub. Heras are a leading European supplier of perimeter protection solutions, supplying stadiums, warehouses, supermarkets, and prisons with state-of-the-art perimeter protection. I’m proud to have such a successful leading brand based in my constituency, helping to grow the Doncaster, South Yorkshire and national economy.”
The MP was also asked about plans for investment in infrastructure in the Doncaster area, and she told the company that she is committed to delivering positive change in the city – such as championing the reopening of Doncaster Airport. The visit was capped off by a discussion between Sally, Antonia and Heras’s Jacqui Richardson, who spoke on the wider topic of women in the construction industry.
Jacqui said: “In my experience, Heras is in the unusual position of having women in senior management roles within the business – and this is to Heras’s credit. We spoke about not only finding more ways to celebrate women in construction but also creating opportunities for young women from the local area to find out more about career paths in construction.”
