News

Driving Ambition opens in Christchurch and Exeter!

November '09 - We are delighted to announce the opening of two new driving schools in Christchurch, Dorset and Exeter, Devon. Instructors Peter Marsh (Christchurch) and Chad Exell (Exeter), are at the helms, and both are excited to be bringing the Driving Ambition brand to these new regions. For queries or to book driving lessons, please call:

Driving lessons in Christchurch/Bournemouth: 01202 237116

Driving lessons in Exeter: 01392 690060

Email: info@drivingambition.ltd.uk

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Young Driver Of The Year 2009 winners announced ! 

September '09 - Young Driver of the Year Competition winners announced. 

Click here for more information.

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Young Driver Of The Year competition 2009 launched  

May '09 - Driving Ambition launches the Young Driver of the Year Competition in conjunction with Mid Somerset Series newspapers.

Click here for more information.

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Local safety group receives national honour.

Feb '09 - The Avon Occupational Safety and Health Group have picked up a prestigious award in the Alan Butler Awards for Excellence.

This annual event at the House of Lords honours the dedicated volunteers who work to promote health and safety to businesses and organisations in their local areas. There are four awards categories: best programme, best seminar/workshop, best communications, and best support for HSE priority topics.

Represented at the awards presentation by Driving Ambition MD, Sandra Pennyfather and health and safety consultant, Linden Ruskin (pictured above with Lord Jordan of Bournville CBE, President of RoSPA), the Avon group were named in the category Best Overall Programme.

RoSPA's occupational safety adviser and secretary of Safety Groups UK, Roger Bibbings said: "In the current economic climate businesses need additional encouragement to keep faith with the cause of accident and ill-health prevention. Everyone involved in health and safety has a much bigger communications job on their hands, and the winning groups set a fine example for others to follow."

The Avon Occupational Safety and Health Group is one of approximately 70 local groups that comprise Safety Groups UK, which is a long-established and valuable aspect of the UK’s health and safety system. These groups provide forums for communicating useful information all over the UK, and offer a wealth of help and advice to employers, especially small businesses.

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Driving Ambition to sponsor Young Driver of the Year initiative.

Jan '09 - A public meeting was held at Costa Coffee in Shepton Mallet on Tuesday 20th January to discuss the recently reported proposals to launch a Young Driver of the Year competition. The meeting was particularly well attended by the young drivers that the competition is aiming to attract.

PC Steve Hubbard, Neil Tidball of Avon & Somerset Fire Service, Kristy Blackwell of Mendip District Council and Shepton Community Volunteer Will Dunscombe all introduced themselves before handing over to Driving Ambition MD Sandra Pennyfather.

Ideas for the competition.

Outlining her ideas for the competition, Sandra proposed that the entrants will attend heats where groups of six will spend some time in a classroom environment covering the theory of defensive driving before spending two hours on the road with an instructor who will consider their driving ability and conduct a risk assessment. The best driver in each group, along with the best runners up, will then go through to the next stage. Each stage will be ever more comprehensive and more interesting for the young people with proposals to bring in 4x4 off road driving, driving on a skid pan and on-road assessment in a fairly powerful car. Sandra also suggested that all entrants, however far they progress would be invited to attend one or more of the more enjoyable activities though with one proviso, that they have not had to be reprimanded by PC Hubbard or one of his colleagues during the course of the competition.

Driving Ambition are to be the main sponsor of the competition and Sandra alluded to prizes of significant value being made available, the value of the prize fund being subject to getting a few other local businesses on board to support the activity.

Young people add voice to driver competition plans.

When asked about what they would like to see as prizes the young people had varying views, some - unsurprisingly perhaps - mentioned car related items such as new alloy wheels or even a new car. However there was also a more pertinent suggestion, that of somewhere for young people who enjoy their cars to congregate without being moved on. In that regard clearly no promises can be made however the meeting agreed that the competition should enable the broader community to see these young people in a more positive light and therefore be more tolerant of their presence.

The details of the competition are going to be finalised over the next few weeks with a view to the first heats taking place in late March.

Thanks must go to Claire Chaffer of Costa Coffee who stayed open specifically to host the evening meeting.

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Winter driving tips.

Nov '08 - It is important for all drivers to account for the changing road conditions as we move through Autumn into Winter.

Wet weather inevitably means reduced grip when braking, cornering and accelerating and heavy rain can wash mud across roads causing very slippery conditions. Country roads can be particularly hazardous featuring muck dropped by tractors moving from field to farm and cow dung deposited by herds being brought in for milking.

Fallen leaves can cause problems in urban areas as well as the countryside, leaf covered roads can increase the dangers of skidding however leaves also tend to accumulate near roadside gutters and can block drains causing localised deep water.

Frosts can appear out of nowhere and just because your car or van is clear of ice does not mean that sheltered road surfaces are not icy. Therefore drivers should listen to weather forecasts and take notice of external temperature gauges and ice warning lights if fitted to their vehicles.

And colder weather can often mean brighter weather which at this time of year increases the chance of drivers being dangerously blinded due to the sun being lower in the sky, especially around commuting times. Just because you can see clearly have some thought for the drivers of vehicles coming the other way or emerging from junctions because they may be dazzled by the low autumn sun.

The colder temperatures of Winter can also give rise to fog and mist, a particular problem on fast moving roads such as motorways and dual-carriageways. Of course reduced visibility means increased danger on all roads, particularly at junctions and roundabouts.

Of course lights and tyres should be in good order and fully functional at all times. Though it is even more important to ensure that you can see and be seen as the nights draw in and replacing tyres before they get near the legal limit can mean the difference between negotiating a wet or icy mud strewn bend or ending up in a road side ditch.

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Award success endorses Driving Ambition's service excellence.

Oct '08 - Promoted jointly by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses, the Somerset Business of the Year Awards ceremony took place on 7th October and was hosted by Rupert Cox, Chief Executive of the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and the BBC's Sally Challonor.

Driving Ambition had the honour of being shortlisted in the "Business of the Year" category and were thrilled to be named as runner-up in the "Service Excellence" category.

Driving Ambition MD Sandra Pennyfather says "This award is a testimony to the Driving Ambition team who are all committed to offering the highest levels of customer service, a 17 year old learner driver can expect the same level of service from Driving Ambition as a corporate client turning over millions per year, for example all telephone calls to Driving Ambition are answered personally during office hours and all calls are dealt with as appropriate for the client whether a professional approach is required or a sympathetic ear is needed to allay the fears of the most nervous of learner drivers".

Rupert Cox says: "Somerset business boasts a solid and successful entrepreneurial spirit and it is great to see how Driving Ambition enhance this with such a strong focus on customer service".

Sandra continues: "To be recognised in this way by the Somerset Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses is a ringing endorsement of the policies and procedures that we have put into place and is consistent with the positive feedback we are receiving from clients of all shapes and sizes".

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