The story of Delegated Services...
In the vibrant heart of Bristol, a unique venture took root, born from the combined vision of two distinct yet complementary pioneers: Peter McCarthy, a local entrepreneur with a philanthropic spirit, and Bill Crocker, a seasoned professional in the realms of risk, resilience, and wellbeing. Their paths converged to form Delegated Services (DS), a beacon of support for the education and community sectors.
Bill Crocker’s journey began in the intricate world of General Practice Chartered Surveying, a foundation that he not only maintained but built upon to lead the Risk, Resilience, and Wellbeing service within the Children and Young People’s Services Directorate at Bristol City Council. Over a decade, Bill’s role evolved to confront and navigate the complexities of legal challenges posed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), fostering resilient partnerships with educational institutions. Under his stewardship, his team was lauded for delivering exemplary service to fifty establishments, a testament to their excellence recognised by the Audit Commission.
The challenges were formidable, ranging from personal injuries to reputational and financial damages, underscoring the critical need for a robust health, safety, and wellbeing framework. Bill’s expertise extended into emergency and business continuity planning, where he spearheaded initiatives to ensure resilience across educational establishments, introducing a 24/7 emergency response capability to address the multifaceted challenges schools face beyond conventional hours.
Parallel to Bill’s narrative, Peter McCarthy carved his path as a successful entrepreneur with a deep-seated commitment to community welfare. His involvement as a Governor at the former Withywood School, and later at Merchants’ Academy, showcased his dedication to fostering educational excellence. Peter’s vision extended to a collaborative support service among Bristol’s secondary schools, laying the groundwork for what would become a pivotal moment in their story.
The inception of Delegated Services emerged from a collective realisation of the need for a dedicated entity that could bridge the gap between public service ethos and private sector efficiency, without succumbing to the latter’s profit-driven motives. Peter, alongside Tim Parnell and Simon Eakins, and with Bill making the leap from public service, founded DS as a not-for-profit, community interest company. This venture was poised to redefine support services for education establishments, embracing a holistic approach to daily challenges.
The collaboration between Peter and Bill, catalysed by a serendipitous introduction by Tim, marked the beginning of a transformative journey. DS was built on the principle of pragmatic, proportionate support, prioritising customer satisfaction and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to excellence. The team at DS, driven by a passion for meaningful change, has cultivated a service model that is both personal and proactive, addressing the nuanced needs of educational institutions.
From specialised support areas like the warning and banning service to tackling unacceptable adult behaviour, DS has grown to become a leading regional service provider and has also set a benchmark for quality and dedication. The journey of Delegated Services is a testament to the power of vision, partnership, and perseverance, continually evolving to meet new challenges and seize opportunities to make a lasting impact in the community and education sectors.
Our Services
Get best value through a package of services tailored to suit your needs. Unique 24/7 emergency telephone support.
Let us help you be fully complaint, identify and manage your risks and effectively train your staff at every level of your organisation.
With the UK on a “significant risk” terrorist alert, storms, power cuts, flooding and infection spread, can you afford not to have emergency plans in place?
Training and advice from a team of experts supporting you to deliver up to date, compliant safeguarding practices with trained staff.
We bring expertise and experience to support you in your leadership journey and tested, transformative wellbeing practices for your staff team.
Value for money, organisation and curriculum support from experts in their field and our sectors.
Significant costs and compliance requirements with ageing, inefficient buildings and defects, we provide comprehensive support with expert advice on hand.
Flexible, great value training and library of resources to support you to deliver your legal and compliance responsibilities to your employees, pupils and users.
Comprehensive advice, guidance, training and checking service to ensure compliance and best practice in all aspects of your off-site visits and residentials.
Don’t just take our word for it...
“We have a very positive working relationship with delegated services. We have found them to be helpful, flexible and thorough as well as skilled and knowledgeable. They have been very supportive of our work and development in relation to health and safety. They are highly regarded by our schools and particularly in relation to their responsiveness when dealing with issues of concern or emergency situations. We have found all members of the team to be approachable and supportive.”
Louise Malik, Chief Financial and Operating Officer,
Lighthouse Schools Partnership
“We had our HSE inspection today. I am pleased to say she rated our Risk Assessment as ‘one of the best she’s seen’, so thanks very much for the model and the look-through and suggestions. As a result, we have no actions or advice.”
Mark Freeman, St Michaels Stoke Gifford
"It is so helpful to have all points so clearly identified and this has led to a real sense of purpose for our team in terms of quickly addressing actions. Your supportive audit has really helped us here at school, where busy times require items such as those identified by yourself to be a high priority."
Ro O’Reilly, Headteacher, Willowdown Primary
“The teaching and senior leadership staff and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for delivering a superb twilight session yesterday afternoon/evening. Having spoken to a number of staff reflecting on the twilight session they felt that the delivery and execution of the session was superlative. The general consensus from the session was that all staff present came away with a tangible sense of 'risk awareness'...”
Andrew Haynes, Cotham Gardens Premises Manager
“You and your team have been an invaluable support during this whole pandemic. ”
Richard Bamber, Headteacher Westbury Park Primary School (2021)
“A huge thank you to you and your team Bill, for guiding us in these difficult times – your advice has been outstanding, and I wouldn’t have known where to begin.”
Lisa Parker Headteacher Warmley Park School and College
“I must say, the information you have been providing to schools is exceptional – please can you pass on my feedback to the whole team for the amazing job they are doing”.
Mrs Karen, Llewellyn School Business Manager
“DS has an in-depth understanding of leaders’ issues and provides the information and written guidance required, often before you are aware that you need it.
They provide a wide-ranging and comprehensive set of up-to-date model policies and risk assessments. Using these allows the education and community sectors to focus more resources on educating and providing services to the community, reducing the time and resources needed, leaving school leaders with a sense that they have done more than “tick the boxes”.
The reassuring telephone response to urgent issues has been incredible.”
Jo Bradshaw BSc MBA
