Manchester Window Cleaners Scoop Top Award.

Manchester Window Cleaners scoop top award.

Manchester Window Cleaners scoop top award: A Knutsford window cleaner, whose round includes the Urbis in Manchester, has been named the best in the region. Paul Johnson runs Manchester Window Cleaners and has been busy celebrating after picking up Acquisition International’s Business Excellence Award for the best window cleaners in Greater Manchester.

Paul, 50, of Manchester Road, told the Guardian that his father Peter ran a window cleaning business since 1974 and after he decided to take early retirement from BT in 2010, he decided to take on the firm. “Dad was coming up to retirement age so I decided to get out there and take it over,” he said. “He only did one day a week so I had to build it up from scratch. I wanted to come over professional and wanted to work really hard to make it a success.”

Paul added the award had been a surprise. “It came out of the blue,” he said. “We try and do a more professional job and speak to the clients, not just clean the windows. “We’ve got some very good clients and those are the household names really and we are very proud that they put our name forward.

“With the Urbis as it is a lot of glass and free of frames it doesn’t take as long as you might think. "With window cleaning there is a lot of manoeuvring from one frame to the next but one big panel is easier, so the National Football Museum doesn’t take more than a day.”

“I have been in Knutsford for years, and we do some of the big properties in Knutsford on Legh Road, and my friends have been really chuffed for me.” Paul’s team is made up of seven employees, with two of those working part time.

Untouchable 2016

Add captionTerry "Turbo" Burrows, untouchable in speed window cleaning on the last day of the Manchester cleaning show.

Fastest window washer cleans up competition in just 20 seconds: Nimble Neil Caden has won the title of the fastest window washer after cleaning up the competition in just 20 seconds. The 50-year-old, from Leeds, West Yorks., wiped the floor with the younger lads - and used his skills as a black belt in karate to wax-on, wax-off the competition. 

Sadly he did not beat 20-year recorder holder Essex-based Terry Burrows (pictured top), whose best ever time for cleaning three 1.143m high windows is just 9.14 seconds, at the trade event held in Manchester on Wednesday. Terry says his success is down to a quickfire 16-move sequence that draws on skills he honed as a martial arts instructor and boxer. Sadly, Terry is banned from entering any further competitions to let others stand a chance at winning.

BBC News - Terry 'Turbo' Williams' window washing world record challenged: Terry "Turbo" Burrows, officially the world's fastest window cleaner for more than 20 years, is challenging rivals from around the UK to try to beat his world record time. He set the Guinness World Record of 9.14 seconds in Blackpool in 2009, and is now in Manchester to see if he is still a "glass" above the rest. Contenders have to clean three 1.143m high windows and the sill - crucially, no smears can be left. The event coincides with the 80th anniversary of George Formby's hit When I'm Cleaning Windows.

Buttershaw window cleaner takes prize at The Cleaning Show: A window cleaner is back in Bradford with a big bucket of prizes after a sparkling performance in a national contest. Graham Bower, of Buttershaw Drive, Buttershaw, beat off stiff competition from window cleaners across the country today at The Cleaning Show in Manchester. He was the speediest cleaner there today, but not quite as quick as the record set by world champion, Terry 'Turbo' Burrows from Suffolk. He set the Guinness World Record of 9.14 seconds in Blackpool in 2009. Contenders had to clean three 1.143m high windows and the sill - and could leave no smears.

The event coincides with the 80th anniversary of George Formby's hit When I'm Cleaning Windows. "I came first in the competition but didn't quite catch up with Terry. I was about a second out," he said. Even though Mr Bower's time was 12.01 seconds he did get a few penalty points for soap streaks. "Even with the penalties I was still on top. It was well worth having a go. Terry's quick but not quite as quick as he used to be - even he couldn't match his world record," he added. Mr Bower, 35, started cleaning windows at the age of 12 and now runs his own business. He won a Kindle Fire tablet and a big bucket full of beer. "I'm going to keep practising my speeds. Who knows I might be back for another go at the world record next year," he said.

Prickly Situation As Window Cleaners Save The Day

Tom Oakes and workers from Archer Window Cleaning rescue a hedgehog they found drowning in the Ashton canal. Click to enlarge.

Window cleaners to the rescue as they save drowning hedgehog: A group of window cleaners helped get a hedgehog out of a prickly situation - by saving it from drowning. Seven workers were cleaning the windows of an apartment block in Ancoats when they spotted the animal in distress in the Ashton canal. Despite being on a deadline to finish the work, the men downed tools and used their own extendable poles to fish it out of the water.

Chris Oakes, 44, who runs Archer Window Cleaners, said: “One of the lads spotted something in the water and he thought it might be a turtle or something at first. “But when we got a bit closer we realised it was a little hedgehog. “It was really small so can’t have been very old. “It was on the far bank of the canal from us and it was trapped under some trees hanging over the canal. “It kept going under the water and looked like it was in trouble. “I know hedgehogs can swim but this one definitely wouldn’t have got out. “We couldn’t reach it so we got some of our extendable poles and managed to get him to crawl onto it. “Once we got him out we rang the RSPCA but they told us to take him to the vet.”

The spikey critter is expected to make a full recovery. Click to enlarge.

After rescuing it, Chris and his team, including his son Tom, 25, handed the animal over to a vet in Salford. They have been given the good news that it is recovering well from its ordeal and they plan to collect it tomorrow from the surgery (FRI) before releasing it back into the wild. Chris said: “It was obviously a bit of surprise, we didn’t expect to have to do something like that. “We had a deadline to hit but it’s a living thing so you can’t just leave it. “We had no hesitation in trying to save it. We’re just glad it’s okay.”

Archer window cleaners at the Vets tonight collecting "Archer" the Hedgehog. The hedgehog will be released later tonight near lots of fieldsilled with bushes, shrubs, trees and will hopefully have a little more luck.

Manchesters High Rise Guys

Window of opportunity: Extreme window cleaners Anthony Marshall and Dave Smith give one of the UK's tallest building a spring clean.

Don't look down! Pics reveal life as a window cleaner of Manchester's tallest building Beetham Tower... 500 feet up: Enjoying the breathtaking view of Manchester’s skyline from Beetham Tower’s 47th floor should be the perfect way to relax – but not when you’re hanging on the outside of the building 500 feet in the air. You won’t find the traditional ladder and bucket anywhere in sight when this pair of fearless daredevils start cleaning windows.

David Smith, 32, and Anthony Marshall, 33, instead dangle from abseil ropes when assigned to polish the windows of one of Britain's tallest apartment blocks. Their average workday could come out of a heart stopping scene from Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol where agent Ethan Hunt played by Tom Cruise abseils down the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. But David and Anthony have taken a shine to their foam, scrub and polish treatments on the sides of the glass-fronted Beetham Tower.

JUST PASSING THROUGH: Daredevil cleaners David Smith and Anthony Marshall.

The landmark 47-story building stands a total of 169-metre high and bemused drinkers at swanky bar Cloud 23 – on the 23rd floor – hoping to enjoy the best view of the city regularly get a shock when a sponge covers the skyline 250ft above the ground. David and Anthony completed a strict abseiling training course before being allowed free reign to clean the windows - and take in the breath-taking views each morning. Their boss Tony Camilleri, 51, from Salford, who runs Tudor Contract Cleaners, said: "The lads absolutely love it. It's got to be the best job in window cleaning.

THAT'S NOT TWO BIG PIGEONS: Not your traditional bucket and ladder job.

"They aren't running through backyards with a ladder like I was when I started, they're seeing some of the best sights in the country. Not many people get to say they've been up to the top of Wembley Stadium. "In the summer they go rock climbing. It's their hobby. It's like being a footballer which starts out as your hobby then you get paid for it. So they came to me with their skills and I trained them up and taught them how to clean windows."

Tony said he began teaching his staff to abseil when his soldier cousin came back from the Falklands war 25 years ago and asked for a job. "I asked him 'what can you do' and he said he could abseil," Tony added. "That's when I stopped using traditional cradles and started using rope abseils. ''Now we have people wanting to do it the other way round. We have local window cleaners who want to progress in the company and they ask to do abseiling. If they pass the test then they can.

UP THERE? The fearless abseilers have a head for heights.

But with health and safety officials always keeping a beady eye open, Tony makes sure his men scaling some of the country's biggest landmarks are trained to the highest standard. "We even need to do health and safety assessments on how to make a cup of tea," he said. "That's not even a joke. We go from that to having abseilers on the roof of Beetham Tower." Father-of-four Tony decided to clean on his own 30 years ago after managing to pick up a contract for the Portland Hotel in Manchester. After working seven days a week for five years on his own - cleaning a different hotel each weekday - Tony managed to take on new staff and Tudor now clean every hotel in Manchester. Business nous runs deep in Tony's family, with the name 'Tudor' coming after a popular café his father ran in his home city of Salford.

HOW'S IT HANGING? All in a day's work for David and Anthony.

He added: "The Tudor Group are close knit. Without all the staff and the people I have around me we wouldn't be where we are today." Beetham Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Europe, opened in 2006. The space up to floor 22 is occupied by a plush four-star Hilton Hotel, with the remaining floors let as apartments. Former Manchester United and Everton footballer Phil Neville recently had an apartment occupying three linked stories on the market for £4million - or an eye-watering £15,000 per month, with the tower's designer Ian Simpson owning the top-floor penthouse which even contains an olive garden.

At 250ft up there's a bar called Cloud 23 - on the 23rd floor - where drinkers hoping to enjoy the best view of the city get a shock when a sponge covers the skyline.

When I'm cleaning windows - 500ft up: Meet the two rock climbers  giving a Spring clean to one of Britain's tallest apartment blocks. The landmark 47-story building stands a total of 550ft high and at 250ft up there's a bar, Cloud 23.

Rock climbers David Smith, 32, and Anthony Marshall, 33, are giving a Spring clean to one of Britain's tallest apartment blocks, the Beetham Tower in Manchester.

Beetham Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Europe, opened in 2006. The space up to floor 22 is occupied by a four-star Hilton Hotel, with the remaining floors let as apartments. Click to enlarge.

Tudor Contract Cleaners employs 250 staff nationwide and scrubs venues such as Old Trafford, Wembley Stadium and London's St Pancras Station. Mr Camilleri said he began teaching his staff to abseil when his soldier cousin came back from the Falklands war 25 years ago and asked for a job. 'I asked him ‘what can you do' and he said he could abseil,' Mr Camilleri added. 'That's when I stopped using traditional cradles and started using rope abseils. 'Now we have people wanting to do it the other way round. We have local window cleaners who want to progress in the company and they ask to do abseiling. If they pass the test then they can.

Tudor Contract Cleaners employs 250 staff nationwide and scrubs venues such as Old Trafford, Wembley Stadium and London's St Pancras Station.

When the girls in Cloud 23 saw the cleaners on the windows they had a look of shock on their faces. They were saying "oh my God, there's a man outside the window". For the lads to do that I think they should be paying me rather than me paying them.' But with health and safety rules to comply to, Mr Camilleri makes sure his men scaling some of the country's biggest landmarks are trained to the highest standard. 'We even need to do health and safety assessments on how to make a cup of tea,' he said. 'That's not even a joke. We go from that to having abseilers on the roof of Beetham Tower.'

The father-of-four decided to clean on his own 30 years ago after managing to pick up a contract for the Portland Hotel in Manchester. Beetham Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Europe, opened in 2006. Until The Shard, which stands at 1003ft tall, opened in London last year, it was the tallest residential building in Britain. The space up to floor 22 is occupied by a four-star Hilton Hotel, with the remaining floors let as apartments. Former Manchester United and Everton footballer Phil Neville recently had an apartment occupying three linked stories on the market for £4million and the tower's designer Ian Simpson owns the top-floor penthouse which even contains an olive garden.

Cheerful Low-Balling Window Cleaning Veteran Died From Ladder Fall

Is your life worth a few pennies?

Fatal plunge window cleaner was keeping up his Cheetham Hill round for ‘pennies’ - Michael Corlett, described by friends as ‘colourful’ and ‘cheerful’, refused to give up his traditional beat but only charged customers a nominal fee. A 73-year-old retired window cleaner fell off his ladder and died after keeping up his rounds for ‘pennies’.
 

Michael Corlett, described by friends as ‘colourful’ and ‘cheerful’, refused to give up his traditional beat in the heart of Cheetham Hill but only charged customers a nominal fee. Tragically he plunged to his death in December last year while cleaning windows at the house of good pal Charles Daly. A coroner’s inquest heard how two passing binmen saw the pensioner fall from the first floor window of the Kenford Walk property on December 12 and raced to his aid.

Binman Paul Lyons and a colleague, along with Mr Daly and a neighbour, tried to revive the stricken pensioner. He was raced to Salford Royal but died later that evening. Piyali Pal, a consultant pathologist at Salford Royal, said the pensioner had suffered significant head and spinal injuries.

Although Mr Corlett, who lived in Harpurhey, was on blood-thinning medicine warfarin, the doctor added there was no evidence he had suffered a stroke or heart attack while on the ladder. Coroner Nigel Meadows said the veteran window cleaner’s death was the result of an accident. He added: “Sadly they were serious head injuries which weren’t survivable.”

Speaking after the inquest, friends of Mr Corlett, a single man who was not believed to have children, paid tribute. Mr Daly said: “I know he did the windows cheap after he retired. He was an obliging chap, but he’d just surprise you by popping up in your back yard. You’d turn around and he’d just be standing there.”

And another friend Jim Bradley, 85, a retired hospital porter, said: “He’d come and go as he pleased. “He was a bit of a romancer, always telling you tall tales. You were never sure what to believe. “Even after he got his pension, he’d still turn up and just charge a couple of quid, pennies sometimes. “I don't think he cared about the money.”

Council responds after death of tenant who fell from top-floor window while cleaning mould-ridden flat: Dacorum Borough Council has released a statement after hearing that one of their tenants fell to his death from a top-floor flat while trying to get rid of mould. The news was revealed today at the inquest of David Vibert, who fell through the window of Leverstock Green’s nine-storey Pelham Court on October 27 last year. Herts Coroners Court heard that the 52-year-old and his dad had to wash everything with bleach to remove fungus, and get rid of a lot of David’s bedding and curtains.

He took the safety latches off his windows and left them wide open to get rid of the smell, but later fell out while redecorating in that area. Dacorum Borough Council, which owns the flat, was not represented at David’s inquest today, and this afternoon spokesman Luisa Clarke said the authority did not even know it was happening. 

The council has now released a statement from Fiona Williamson, from its housing landlord service. It says: “We have heard that the inquest was held today into the tragic death of Mr David Vibert last October. “Dacorum Borough Council was not asked to attend and we understand that a verdict of accidental death was recorded. First and foremost, our thoughts go out to Mr Vibert’s family and friends. “Following Mr Vibert’s fall we cooperated with the police investigation. Our housing officers also visited tenants at Pelham Court to address any concerns that they may have had. “If any of our tenants want to contact us about their properties or request a repair, they can call us on 01442 228000.”

Cherry Picker Rescue For Window Cleaner

A window cleaner from firm Reflekt Cleaning Ltd had been cleaning windows of a top floor flat in a block on the street when his cherry picker cradle became wedged against the building.

Window cleaner rescued after getting stuck on top of cherry picker: Man was working on the windows of a top-floor flat on Ducie Street in Manchester city centre when his cherry picker cradle became wedged against the building.

A city centre street has had to be closed after a window cleaner's crane became jammed against a building, causing it to lift off two wheels. The drama started on Ducie Street, next to Piccadilly Station in Manchester around 11.45am this morning. A window cleaner from firm Reflekt Cleaning Ltd had been cleaning windows of a top floor flat in a block on the street when his cherry picker cradle became wedged against the building.

The window cleaner was then stranded around 25ft in the air when the machine's hydraulics cut out.

As the machine tried to pull back the force caused two wheels to lift around eight inches off the ground, leaving it balancing on two wheels in the middle of the street between the flats and an office block. The window cleaner was then stranded around 25ft in the air when the machine's hydraulics cut out. A fire crew were called with their own specialist crane and cherry-picker, which was raised to allow the window cleaner to jump across from his own machine. A specialist engineering and haulage company were also brought in, with chocks wedged underneath the crain's wheels to stabilise it. Police also closed off most of Ducie Street and said the road would remain closed for most of the afternoon.

Simon Carter, 45, who lives in Ancoats, was walking back from Piccadilly Station when he saw the drama unfold. He said: "I saw the fire crews put their cherry picker up and then the window cleaner jumped across. "I think he had been trying to bring the crane down from the top floor when it got stuck - it looks like it's jammed in the metal part at the top one of the windows. "He didn't look injured at all but he must be pretty embarrassed.

"John Bowler, a foreman from specialist haulage company TW Bowler who were brought in to remove the crane, said: "The machine is stuck against the building, and that's made the hydraulics cut out. "We've got chocks under the wheels and we're just waiting for the engineers from the company who made the cherry picker to arrive. "Then hopefully we can get the hydraulics back on and get it moved."

Access Problems, Cleaning Windows Between Neighbours

John Byron claims John Trayers, who lives in an apartment above him, blocks access to his door when he puts up a ladder to clean his windows.

Row gets messy: Feuding Blackley neighbours fall out over window cleaning - Two neighbours are locked in a bitter feud – over window cleaning. John Byron, who lives in a ground-floor flat, complained when John Trayers – who lives in the apartment above – began using a ladder when he washed his windows. Mr Byron claimed the ladder blocked access to his front door. The pair had a blazing row about the issue – which ended with Mr Byron locking himself in his flat to avoid his neighbour.

Both men then went to Northwards Housing, which owns the properties in Elder Mount Road, Cheetham Hill, asking them to take action. Northwards have now written to Mr Trayers, 50, advising him to send Mr Byron a note giving 24 hours’ notice when he intends to put up the ladder. The letter, in the name of Rob Doherty, Northwards’ local services manager, reads: “As you do not want to speak to your neighbour when cleaning your windows I think the best way forward is that when you intend to clean the windows in the future you post him a brief note the day before with the time you expect to clean the windows the following day.”

Mr Byron, 45, who is on disability benefits, said he had been hoping to reach an agreement face-to-face. He claimed Mr Trayers had not been willing to co-operate. Mr Byron said: “He has been left in this situation because of his unwillingness to speak.  “Northwards Housing and myself wanted mediation. “When he first put the ladder up I could not see who was at the top and thought someone was breaking in.  “When John came down he flew off the handle at me and I threw him off my property. “I locked myself in my home.”

Unemployed Mr Trayers is seeking legal advice over Northwards’ ruling. He said: “I find the whole thing ridiculous. “The idea that I will put a note through his door when I want to clean my windows – it just doesn’t happen.  “I’m entitled to clean them. He has never had problems with this before. It is nonsense. “It is ridiculous that they are telling me what to do.” Mr Trayers said the claim he could be hindering Mr Byron entering his flat was ludicrous – as Mr Byron has a back door. He added: “I would rather not clean my windows than speak to him or put a note through his door.  “It is not about cleaning windows. It is all about principles.” A spokesman for Northwards declined to comment, but said they hoped the neighbours could resolve their dispute.

The letter sent to Mr Trayers.

Smog Eating Panels & 150 Foot Lifts

Alcoa, Toto unveil green building panels that eat smog: A skyscraper that devours the smog around it? Now that’s what I call a smart idea. Alcoa on Monday launched a coil-coated architectural panel that helps clean itself and the air around it. Called “Reynobond with EcoClean,” the product is a partnership between the aluminum giant and design-forward Japanese manufacturer Toto. Alcoa says the panels reduce maintenance costs and helps decompose smog and other pollutants in the air that cling to building surfaces, from dirt to diesel fumes.

Architectural panels that help clean themselves and the air around them.

How effective is the technology? About 10,000 square feet of the panels can clean the air as well as 80 medium-sized deciduous trees, Alcoa says. It’s enough to offset four cars each day. You can imagine the applications of this green building technology: Times Square would glimmer a little brighter. Ultra-high skyscrapers wouldn’t need to hire daring window cleaners to keep floor-to-ceiling windows transparent. And, at scale, a smog-choked Los Angeles could breathe a bit easier. At the core of the concept is a proprietary process that takes Toto’s patented Hydrotect technology — which helps keep microbes at bay on that company’s toilets, bath tubs and other bathroom fixtures — and applies it to a hydrophilic titanium dioxide coating on the pre-painted aluminum surface of a Reynobond panel.

The result: an aluminum panel that, in the presence of sunlight, acts as a catalyst to break down organic pollutants on its surface and in the air around it. Once broken down, rainwater simply rinses them away.

High Access directors Peter Metcalfe and Neil Bethell.

High Access invests £250,000 in new kit: A business that provides high level cleaning and maintenance services to the commercial property sector is investing £250,000 in equipment as it prepares for further growth. Manchester-based High Access was established 10 years ago as a rope-access window cleaning company, later moving into full maintenance services which include pointing, re-glazing and cladding replacement. Clients include Jones Lang La Salle, Living City and Savills, which has extended a three-year contract with High Access covering more than 50 commercial properties.

Niel Bethell, founding and managing director of High Access, said the company has bought a £125,000 Ruthmann truck mounted platform which will reach heights of 27 metres and will this month take delivery of a new £250,000 truck which will reach 46 metres. “It will be the largest truck mounted platform in Manchester,” said Niel. “For the business it's a huge investment but it will also mean that we will be able to win new clients as we will be able to tackle buildings at a higher reach.

“Over the last five years we have invested heavily in new plant and equipment and we now have 20 vehicles. “The advantage to having our own fleet is that we are able to keep our costs down and stay ahead in the market, as we're not reliant on hiring equipment. “We've grown steadily year-on-year and that is down to retaining clients and not moving into the new-build property sector, which was affected heavily during the recession.”

The business, which employs 30 staff, has recently extended its warehouse and office facilities at a cost of £30,000 and will launch a fleet hire division, HighAccessHire, this month. Niel said: “We don't use all our fleet at once, so we decided to hire them out instead.” He added the business is on track to reach revenues of £2m this year, up from £1.6m in 2010.

T-Shirts & Trainers Wedding & Tower Clean For Window Cleaners

Tower clean is abseil-utley fabulous: Dare-devil abseilers have taken to the skies over Hemel Hempstead to clean the town’s tallest building. The brave men drop down on ropes from hundreds of feet to keep the landmark former Kodak tower looking spruce. Bovingdon-based cleaning company The Price Group has just been awarded the contract for the job.

Managing director Charlie Price said: “This is one of the highest buildings my team has ever cleaned and there are plenty of windows to keep them busy. We are really pleased to win a contract like this in our home town. It’s good work for the guys who are mostly local lads.” The KD Tower has 22 floors, which have been transformed into 254 luxury apartments. It will take four men two weeks to clean the whole tower, and the job will need doing again in three months time.

At 255ft tall the building is the highest in Hemel Hempstead, and the window cleaners enjoy panoramic views of the town as they work. The tower has been converted by Dandara, who replaced the original concrete façade with glazing and coloured steel panelling. Photo giant Kodak moved into smaller offices in the Maylands business park in 2005.

Here comes the bride - in T-shirt and trainers! Here comes the bride and groom.. in band T-shirts and trainers. Music-loving couple Paul Mather and Anne Halsall caused raised eyebrows with registrar staff when they arrived for their wedding at Mere Hall in Manchester. Window-cleaner Paul donned his favourite Stone Roses top and beanie hat for the occasion. The couple, from Great Lever, met eight years ago through friends because of their mutual love of music and the ‘Manchester scene’.

Paul, aged 48, explained: “We just didn’t want to do the dickie bows and long flowing dresses because it’s just not us. So, I did it my way, as Sid Vicious said. We went to The Railway, in Bromley Cross, to watch a Stranglers tribute band on our wedding night.” The 41-year-old bride, who works as a school cleaner, wore a Joy Division T-shirt and trainers for the low-key celebration. Paul said: “They had a fit at the register office when we turned up, they just couldn’t get their heads around it. We were the only ones in that day because the weather was awful and they didn’t think we were serious.

But they thought it was quite amusing that we were there with our Adidas trainers on. We were just doing it the way we wanted.” There were just four guests at the wedding ceremony as both parents of the bride and groom are no longer alive. The day after the ceremony, the couple, of Westbourne Avenue, held a reception and a buffet at the Hen and Chickens pub in Bolton town centre for around 140 family members and friends. The newly-weds are planning a honeymoon to Malta later in the year.

Wagtail Winner + More Window Cleaning News

Ed Turner (pictured) is the winner of this months Whirlwind Wagtail giveaway! Ed is not only into window cleaning but restoring floors as well. He will find the Wagtail Whirlwind particularly useful for floors when he combines the Whirlwind with the wagtail angle adapter. Ed works in the Durham/Clarington region of Ontario, Canada & uses eco friendly products. His website Turner Clean Services is due for a revamp - so Ed reckons. Your Wagtail 14" & 18" are winging your way out to you tomorrow Ed!

Plea for help: Chris Morris of "Reflection Window Cleaning" is calling out for donations no matter how small for his partner participating in a 10 mile midnight walk in aid of a local hospice that his step daughter Danielle goes too. The Chestnut Tree House serves when a child develops a life-limiting illness. Not just for the child but for their loved ones as well. The aim at Chestnut Tree House is to provide the care and support these families so desperately need, whether practical, physical or emotional. If you can help - any amount will do - please consider in helping a fellow window cleaner out. As an incentive a free 14" & 18" Wagtail Whirlwind will be given away in a lottery for donators. Please donate here:
http://www.justgiving.com/michaela-poolton
Read more from Chris here.


Spiderman and Superman abseil into the Evelina Hospital: The children at the Evelina Children's Hospital had a surprise this week when Spiderman and Superman dropped in to help clean the windows. The grime fighters – better known as Paul and Nick from All Clean, the window cleaning contractors for Guy's and St Thomas' – abseiled from the top of the building to clean the windows of the wards that look out onto the hospital's atrium. "It was a real treat for the children to see the superheroes at the hospital and they all ran to the windows when they saw them descending from the roof," says ward sister Shelia Campion. "We are so grateful to the guys at All Clean for being such good sports."

Southwest Florida business owners get help, financing: The program is urgently needed in light of the region's lingering high unemployment and tight credit markets, Scott said: "Anybody who wants to start a business needs capital; right now, they have to have it on their own." "Even with this program, they'll still have to put skin in the game," Scott said: "Either cash or a loan co-signer - someone who is willing and capable of repaying the loan if they don't." The American Association for Enterprise Opportunity defines microenterprise as businesses with five or fewer employees. It estimates there are more than 24 million microenterprises in the country, representing 18 percent of all private employment and about 87 percent of all businesses. Up to 100 applicants will be accepted yearly, said Elliot Rittenhouse, director of microenterprise at Goodwill. If their business plans pass muster, those who complete the microenterprise course can begin applying for the loans of no more than $30,000. Kevin Gorham of North Fort Myers aims to start a window-washing company. Until getting laid off in March 2009, he worked in construction: "I was on a 20-man crew that dropped to a five-man crew." Gorham is excited about being his own boss: "I won't have to worry about a job."


£27,000 Window: Drunken yobs escape £35,000 bill for trashing luxury hotel suite: Two men who wrecked a room at Manchester’s luxury Hilton Hotel after getting ‘disgustingly drunk’ have been spared jail – and the £35,000 repair bill. Mark Kenny, 36, and David Goggin, 30, checked out of the 4-star Deansgate hotel leaving a trail of destruction behind them. The pair had wrecked the 16th floor suite after coming back from a lads’ night out in the city centre last September. One of the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows had been broken and blood and vomit soiled the walls, bedding and carpet.
But they escaped the massive repair bill after their lawyer, Mark Ferguson, disputed how much the damage would cost the Hilton. Judge Gilbart fined them £1,000 each. They have also been ordered to pay compensation of £290 each to the hotel, which will cover the specialist cleaning bill. The Hilton says that the smashed window can only be repaired by removing all the glass from the outside and that replacing the window alone costs £27,000. But the hotel chain will have to sue Kenny and Goggin if it wants the money back. Mr Ferguson said Kenny took home no more than £55 a week, while Goggin only earned £150. Judge Gilbart asked: “Am I to take those figures seriously given that they booked a room in the Hilton, Manchester’s most expensive hotel?” Mr Ferguson said the room had been paid for in advance by Mr Kenny and his now estranged wife. Rather than let the room go to waste, Kenny invited Goggin to go on a ‘boys’ night out’, Mr Ferguson added. Mr Ferguson said his clients were ‘remorseful and regretful’.

Window Cleaning Snippets

Steve Little, of Steve's Window Cleaning of Rutland, had the perfect day to clean off the windows at Maplefields in Manchester on a warm spring day Thursday. Click picture to enlarge.

New Services for Float Glass Quality Concerns and Cold-End Processes: Safety Glass Experts International Ltd is widening the range of expert services available. From the beginning of March 2010 company has started offering independent and objective expert services for float glass cold-end production and float quality related projects. The new float glass expert services are targeted for float glass producers and safety glass processors requiring assistance in their daily activities or problem shooting situations. Producing flawless quality float glass requires versatile quality inspection programs. Although efficient qualitycontrol activities defects in float glass are sometimes recognized. These defects can be extrem ely painful for the glass processor. Commonly safety glass processors do not hold required knowhow to inspect and evaluate float glass defects. Newly started or older float glass producers require training to improve and update their production and quality control procedures - This is where Safety Glass Experts comes in. Float Glass production cold end Expert Service’s available:
Safety Glass Processors:
Evaluation and Examination of sub-supplier float glass quality
Evaluation and Examination of suspected float defects causing processing failures
Consulting to develop internal quality requirements and specific Customer Specifications for float glass subsuppliers
Float Glass Processors:
Present state evaluation
Consulting services for qu ality control activity update projects
Training Services for cold end processes

Mr. Lee’s journey to a CrossFit trainer and business owner began as a teenager when his mother bought him a plastic weight set. Always an active child, he took to the weights and continued lifting through high school. He moved to Nantucket after high school and took to body weight workouts like pushups, sit ups, and pull-ups. But eventually exercise started getting monotonous. He moved to Cape Cod, but continued commuting to Nantucket to keep up his window- and power-washing business. He fell out of shape. One day he started having heart palpitations and felt dizzy. He went to the doctor. The experience scared him back into shape. He started training for and com peting in triathlons, which he stuck with for a few years. He took a second job as a trainer in a country club gym, back on Nantucket. Then he was working out with a friend from New York who told him about this new fitness model that some other friends were doing that was taking them “to the next level.” He did some research about CrossFit and decided he wanted to get into it. He took to it, sold his cleaning business on Nantu cket, moved to Mashpee about a year and a half ago and started CrossFit Cape Cod, which is affiliated with the national program. Ms. Lee picked it up, too, and got her certification as a trainer. Mr. Lee’s dedication to CrossFit and exercise is quickly apparent.

In a case expected to hinge on the testimony of doctors, 53-year-old Allen Grabe’s fate will be decided by how the jury answers a two-pronged question. Was he, under state law, “diseased or defective of the mind” in September 2008 when, as authorities allege, he fired nine shots at close range, killing his 13-year-old son as the boy was asleep in his bed? An d was the Pear Park father capable of discerning right from wrong at the time? Jury selection starts Monday in Allen Grabe’s murder trial. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of his son, Jacob, an eighth-grader at Grand Mesa Middle School who had been treated for a neurological disorder similar to autism.
Jurors are expected to hear testimony suggesting Allen Grabe, who operated a window-washing business with clients up and down Main Street in Grand Junction and beyond, was under increasing financial stress after the loss of cleaning contracts in the fall of 2008. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Grabe entered his son’s bedroom the night of Sept. 11, 2008, opened fire, then stopped and told his wife, Jaquette, “I had to kill him because you were ruining him.” Grabe returned to the boy’s room and fired more shots, the affidavit said.

Samurai sword attack nearly killed me: A father has told how he believed he w as going to die when he was brutally attacked by a man wielding a Samurai sword while drinking in a city pub.
Window cleaner Greg Cook (pictured below) suffered three "slice marks" on the top of his head in an assault by "psychotic" Keith Giles (pictured left). Mr Cook grabbed a table to shield himself and other pub customers bravely leapt in to tackle Giles and pin him to the floor. Mr Cook, 45, said, had it not been for the table and the courage of other people in the pub, he would have been killed. He said: "He (Giles) was psychotic. I didn't have time to think then because of the shock of it all but I could have died that day." Detective Constable Adam Suett, who investigated the attack, said Mr Cook was lucky to be alive. He said: "Mr Cook suffered three slice marks to the top of his head. During this completely unprovoked attack, he was hit at least three times with the sword. "He is lucky that the other people in the pub at the time were able to overpower Giles and pin him to the ground until the police arrived. Had they not done that and had he not been able to help protect himself with the table, I think he would have died." The attack happened at the London Midland Railway Recreational Club Association.

Seattle Center may replace Fun Forest with 44,000-square-foot “glass house” & Dale Chihuly exhibit: The Seattle Center has been debating what to do with 68,000 square feet of empty space left after half of the Fun Forest was cleared out back in January. Originally the space was meant to be used to showcase new vendors and temporary projects on a trial basis while the Center searched for mor e permanent ideas to implement into the Century 21 Master Plan, a $570 million, 20-year investment in the revitalization of Seattle Center and in homage of the 1962 World’s Fair that gave the Center its start. However, according to a report by our news partner, the Seattle Times, after receiving project ideas for the space that left the Center “disappointed,” they decided to consider a proposal to build a 44,000-square-foot “glass house” that would house artist Dale Chihuly’s work. Many consider this proposed project an “extraordinary opportunity” for the Center.

Small Business Snapshot: Premier Residential Services.
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; Saturday, Sunday and after hours scheduled upon request.
General manager: Susan Lovato
Date founded: 1959.
Description of business: Residential, co mmercial and concierge services. The services include housekeeping, window washing, handyman repairs, home-watch inspections, janitorial cleaning, summer home care and property management.
Number of employees: 65
Projected revenues: $5 million
Cost of startup: “Too many years ago to remember.”
Source of startup financing: Internal.
Did you write a business plan? “Yes, there was an initial business plan; however as times change and opportunities arise, the plan is constantly modified.”
Marketing budget: $18,000.
Recipe for success: “Staff selection, training and performance are the key elements to our success.”
Personal motto or mantra: “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
Where do you seek advice? Key staff associates, current clients and members of our preferred vendor network.

Has anyone seen Scott? He's the tubby man who came to our house on Saturday, offering to clean the windows. Busy fellow. He had a whole team of people in the street. Naturally, I'm not one to be taken in, so I told him to come back in an hour and then forgot about it. There he was again, just before his men were due to reach the Citizen's Advice Bureau on the corner. Having produced the money, I could then only agree that it would be very convenient if he returned in a month's time. If I paid in advance, we wouldn't even need to be in. And so Scott and I walked to the cashpoint together, having what was to me an insightful conversation about the world of a window-cleaning entrepreneur.
Since then, strangely, our windows have not been cleaned. Nor, I suspect, have anyone else's. I've been trying to look on the £80 of which I'm now short as a charitable donation. In an attempt to recoup some of the money, I didn't lash out on a white loaf to make bread sauce that evening, but, instead , used some stale hotcross buns. Many of the greatest cuisines of the world are born out of the peasant need to economise. What chance of my bread sauce becoming a classic?

NAGPUR: In an excellent example of reverse engineering accompanied with innovation, the department of applied physics at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) has developed a 'radiation resistant glass or RRG', opening the doors of self reliance for all atomic research centres which use this glass in the hot cell of their reactors.

There just aren’t enough opportunities in life to take full advantage of a window scrim. This handy item, incase you’ve no t come across it before, will give your windows a smear-free finish. It could be a handy implement in a house with three children, lots of windows, several mirrors and a glass panelled kitchen door. The mysteries of the scrim have been revealed to me via a catalogue dropped through the door encouraging me to recall that it’s the season for spring cleaning. Inside the catalogue, there’s a nifty static duster set (do they mean anti-static?) and a purple chenille mitt which might look quite fetching whilst scrubbing away. But, while cleanliness is close to godliness it is also, like beauty, all in the eye of the beholder. The catalogue, full of handy hints to create the image that I am indeed a domestic goddess, makes wonderful bedroom reading. “Darling, do you know you can clean baths with lemon juice?” is a comment sure to prevent insomnia.

Angler catches second perch over the magical 5lb barrier: A low-resistance set-up was key to Clive Logsdon’s capture of this enormous 5lb 1oz perch from record-holding venue Stream Valley Lakes. Steering clear of more conventional baits such as maggots and worms, the window cleaner from Kent offered a bright red legered king prawn that had been soaked in Dynamite Baits Predator Plus liquid to tempt his prize. Click picture to enlarge.

Bikers set for fuel protests: Bikers are planning their biggest-ever motorway protest against the increasing cost of fuel. Organisers want thousands of drivers to join a go-slow convoy along the M62. They are aiming to beat the turn-out two years ago when more than 1,500 bikers joined the first protest, causing huge delays to traffic. More than 400 also joined last year's ride held in July. Protest organiser 'Maverick' said this time they were turning out on a Saturday rather than a weekday, to minimise disruption. “A lot of us are self-employed so every penny makes a difference. Prices are slowly creeping back up again, while a barrel of crude oil is a third of the price cheaper than a year ago.”
Riders will meet at 9am on May 1 at Hartshead Moor Services before joining a second convoy at Birch Services. They plan to take up all lanes at speeds no greater than 25mph. The AA has said petrol prices could hit a record high of 128p per litre just after Easter with a wholesale rise and fuel duty increase set to hit motorists over the next few weeks. Maverick added: “We're doing it on a shopping day so people from all walks of life can come and air their grievances. “Prices are still so high and are affecting everyone. One of our lads is a self-employed window cleaner and for someone like him making a living is very difficult.

A former taxi driver who set up a window cleaning business has received funding after winning a Dragons’ Denstyle event. Paul Wallace won £2,500 for his business Wallace and Sons Cleaning Services, after taking part in the City of Sunderland College’s annual entrepreneurial event. Mr Wallace, who is in the final year of an HND business and management course at East Durham College, established his business in August, and will take it full time from May. He will use his prize money to buy equipment. Mr Wallace said: “I really enjoyed being a taxi driver, but the long and often unsociable hours meant I spent a lot of time away from home. Running my own business allows me to be more flexible and I’m getting a great sense of achievement. “I’m thrilled to have won the contest. “The new equipment is environmentally- friendly, so I won’t be using detergents or harsh chemicals.”

Faye Bossman, 54, died Monday, March 15, 2010, at the Iowa River Hospice House in Marshalltown, Iowa, after a 9-month battle with appendiceal cancer. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, March 22, at the Center Street Baptist Church in Marshalltown. Burial will follow in the Woodlawn Cemetery at Toledo. In 1990, Faye and her husband began home schooling their three daughters, subsequently being blessed with the opportunity to provide 13 years of Christ centered instruction. Faye and her husband were also involved in a number of home business ventures, including custom woodworking and a window washing service.