What a great start to 2023 we have had here at The Unite Group!
In this newsletter: We celebrate New Year New Roles for some of our team, Network+ announce their next event – Lock & Key Networking, we spotlight our client Gavin Forster Photography, we offer a FREE webinar to our customers, share an opportunity to work for us & showcase some new products we are now offering!
To read The Unite Group’s January Monthly Newsletter, click on the image below!
Carl is our newest member of our team here at The Unite Group. Having joined us just before Christmas. Carl has joined us on an apprenticeship. He will work closely alongside Chris, our helpdesk manager as well as the other helpdesk engineers.
We recently had a chat with Carl to find out a bit more about him as well as his role at The Unite Group…
Growing up, what did you want to be?
Growing up I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be. I thought I wanted to make video games but wasn’t sure if that was the industry I wanted to be a part of.
I went to college and university where I studied game-making. By the end of it, I decided that wasn’t the career for me. I then looked into apprenticeships and this seemed a good path for me.
What is your role at The Unite Group and how did you end up where you are now?
In November 2022, I applied for an apprenticeship with The Unite Group. From there I was lucky enough to start my role on the 6th December. My role is here a helpdesk apprentice. This entails talking to customers and helping them with any technical problems they may encounter. From there creating tickets and fixing issues that arise remotely.
What does a typical day look like at The Unite Group?
With being on an apprenticeship scheme I have specific modules to work through. So currently my time is balanced between completing this work, training with some of the team on newer aspects of my role as well as taking calls from customers. Offering them support with any problems they have or escalating them on to the team.
What is your most and least favorite part of the job?
It’s hard to say at the moment with being so new in the role I am just finding my feet. I think as I build in confidence I will be able to work out the areas I enjoy the most. But it is always great to be able to resolve an issue a customer calls up with.
What is your greatest achievement?
When I was younger, I was a part of the cadets. During this time I took part in the coast-to-coast bike ride. This challenge starts in Whitehaven and finishes in Tynemouth. It took 3 days to complete but was a huge accomplishment. Therefore, this is something I am still very proud of.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The best piece of advice that I have been given was from my late grandfather, to make your life easier try to look at the positives of everything.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
Within the next 10 years, I hope I will have worked my way up the ladder in the IT industry. This apprenticeship is just the start of my career in IT.
Outside of work, I would also really like to learn to drive. As well as this, within the next 10 years I hope to also own my own house.
How do you unwind outside of work?
When outside of work I like to unwind by playing games. I also enjoy watching movies and TV shows. Alongside this, I practice Kendo once a week.
If you would like to learn more about how Carl and The Unite Group can help you with your business technology needs, contact us on, 0191 466 1050.
Has Carl or another member of our helpdesk team resolved any of your issues recently? Why not leave us a Google review and let us know about the service you received!
Wow, what a busy December we have had here at The Unite Group! As we prepare for Christmas, we look back over our action-packed December. From supporting local causes to Secret Santa, attending networking events & our Christmas night out.
Norah’s North Pole
As mentioned before again this year we were proud to be a part of Norah’s North Pole. This year not only did we donate toys & our time to pack gifts. But we were also a drop-off point for toys. It was great to see so many of our connections get involved and donate. A massive thank you to everyone who contributed!
This cause is truly heartbreaking knowing all these Santa sacks are needed for children within our local area who would otherwise go without this Christmas. However, the fantastic work of the team at Norah’s North Pole means these children will wake up to presents this Christmas.
Last weekend some of our team volunteered to pack the Santa Sacks for these children. Some simply just asking for pyjamas or other basic essentials. Ranging from new born babies right up to some parents who had nothing. We were pleased to be able to help where we could. We will be supporting Norah’s North Pole again in Christmas 2023 and hope to see even more support than this year!
Network+ in support of Grace House
We recently attended the Network+ evening event at The Lofts in support of Grace House. It was a great night and the perfect excuse to dig our Christmas jumpers out again! From delicious candy cane cocktails to fantastic new business connections. It was great for some of our team to get out and about and meet new faces. As well as chatting with those we see often! We are looking forward to sponsoring Network+ events in 2023!
Secret Santa
Secret Santa is a yearly December tradition here at The Unite Group’s offices. This week our gift exchange took place. From makeup to rubber ducks… the gifts were great! It was great to have all the team together in the office to do this. Here at The Unite Group, we find it incredibly important to keep up these traditions as our team continues to expand and grow year after year. Check out some pictures of some of the gifts exchanged below!
Christmas Night Out
We also recently had our Christmas Night Out. We started at The Lofts where we enjoyed a Cocktail Masterclass. Apart from making delicious cocktails, we played some games which definitely saw some competitive sides come out! From who could make a Pornstar Martini fastest or which blindfolded team could make the best mojito. The night was a great success! From there we enjoyed a few bars around Newcastle. We are grateful to get to thank our staff for all their hard work over the past 12 months.
Christmas Opening Hours
Here at The Unite Group, we are serious about being on-hand to support, that’s why we will be operating and providing support & assistance as normal throughout the festive period! For any support or issues you may encounter please contact us by calling 0191 466 1050 or by emailing our helpdesk at support@theunitegroup.co.uk.
Thanks for your support in 2022!
Here at The Unite Group would like to take this time to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. All of the team would like to thank you for your support throughout 2022. We wish you all the best for a successful 2023. We can’t wait to see where 2023 takes us!
We’re back a little earlier than usual this month to ensure our newsletter reaches you before the festive period! Here it is our December addition of our monthly newsletter. What a year we have had! Thank you & here’s to 2023!
Again this year, The Unite Group are proud to support Norah’s North Pole.
What is Norah’s North Pole?
Norah’s North Pole works right here in the North East. Providing a small sack of Christmas presents to those children who would go without. Over the past 6 years Norah’s North Pole has delivered 13,876 Santa sacks. This year we want to support them in delivering many more! The Norah’s North Pole elves work with schools and social teams. To ensure get Santa sacks to the most vulnerable children in the North East. They are not a charity just a family who wants to make a difference and sprinkle a little Christmas kindness.
Many of the children only ask for basic things. Such as pyjamas or a packed lunch box to fit in with their peers at school. Norah’s North Pole provides these children with a small sack with gifts inside such as toys, a book, hats & gloves ect. These are gifted to the parents/carers of the children so that they can give them to the child on Christmas morning.
Many children with difficult home lives will wake up this Christmas wondering if they’ve been naughty this year and that’s why Santa hasn’t been for them like he has for their friends at school! Here at The Unite Group, we can’t bear the thought of this. That is why this year we are not only donating gifts as well as our time packing Santa sacks at Norah’s North Pole but we are also becoming a drop-off point.
Who does Norah’s North Pole support?
Below we share some of the children’s stories that Norah’s North Pole will be supporting this year. All the stories of children are real within our region just with the names changed for anonymity.
Amelia, aged 12. Two years ago Amelia lost her Mum to cancer. Since then Amelia’s Dad has struggled, he has sought help with alcohol addiction and feels like he is constantly letting Amelia down. Amelia is a bright girl who is far older than her years, she makes herself breakfast and dinner but says some weeks there is just enough money to do a food shop. Last year Amelia didn’t get anything for Christmas so she isn’t asking for anything this year.
Tom, aged 4. Tom is a quiet, thoughtful little boy. He requires lots of reassurance from school staff and tells them that he is frightened of the dark. Tom has recently been removed from his parents’ care as his needs were being neglected. He talks about hiding under the stairs because he was frightened when his mam left him in the house by himself overnight. Tom likes to play with cars, trucks and trains and wants to ‘fix them when he’s bigger’.
Benji, aged 5. Benji’s mum is dreading Christmas. She knows there won’t be enough money for Christmas presents as they are currently choosing if they need heating or food on a daily basis. His mam said Benji is the most gorgeous, caring and funny little boy. She just doesn’t want him to feel like he has been naughty which is why he didn’t get any presents, as that just isn’t true.
How can you support this fantastic cause?
If you would like to join us in supporting this fantastic cause please feel free to drop off gifts at our office.
We’ve had a super busy month here and we are excited to share with you what we’ve been getting up to! As The Unite Group we love keeping our customers up to date with the latest deals, tips, industry news as well as what our fantastic team are getting up to!
In continuation of our Meet The Team blog series, we introduce you to Jack. Jack is one of our Helpdesk Engineers here at The Unite Group. Jack is the newest member of our team having started with us just a few weeks ago. He has settled in great and we can’t wait for our customers to get to know him a bit better!
We recently had a chat with Jack to find out a bit more about him and the role he will be undertaking here at The Unite Group…
Growing up, what did you want to be?
It’s a little unorthodox, but I wanted to move to Scotland when I was 16, be a footballer during the day and work in a Kebab shop during the night. I think the footballer hope is long gone, but I still might end up making Kebab wraps on the Bigg Market one day.
What is your role at The Unite Group and how did you end up where you are now?
My role is as a Helpdesk Engineer. This means I mainly work alongside Chris & Jack Hutchinson. I ended up where I am now due to always having an interest in IT. As well as having the willingness to learn about the many different aspects of IT.
What does a typical day look like at The Unite Group?
I think like everyone has said previously there isn’t really a ‘typical’ day in the office here at The Unite Group. Each day brings new challenges and obstacles to overcome which always keeps you on your toes.
What is your most and least favourite part of the job?
My favourite part of the job is definitely being able to help users resolve issues and being able to interact and communicate with them while resolving their issues. It’s always nice to have a little chat with new people.
I’d say my least favourite part of the job is Lidl being next door! I’ve already started eating too much from the bakery and it’s not looking good for my waistline…
What is your greatest achievement?
I would say my greatest achievement to date is learning to be myself and getting over my fear of meeting new people. This has allowed me to make new friends and fit into new environments much easier.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The best piece of advice I have been given is to set lots of small achievable goals rather than setting one huge goal that is lightyears away. I think this helps to keep me motivated by seeing achievements along the way.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
In 10 years’ time, in an ideal world, I’d like to be on a beach in the Maldives. Realistically, I’d hope to be further advanced in my career. I’d also like to hopefully have a house and just be happy with life really.
How do you unwind outside of work?
I usually either play football or go to the gym. I also really enjoy going out for different types of food or going to the cinema. Unfortunately, I have a partner who is a picky eater and hates the cinema so I usually just eat at restaurants that I’m told to and watch movies at home…
If you would like to learn more about how Jack and The Unite Group can help you with your business technology needs, contact us on, 0191 466 1050.
Has Jack or another member of our helpdesk team resolved any of your issues recently? Why not leave us a Google review and let us know about the service you received!
We’re back with our monthly newsletter! As The Unite Group we love keeping our customers up to date with the latest deals, tips, industry news as well as what our fantastic team are getting up to! Read our October issue to see what we have got up to in the past month!
In this newsletter: We attended the Expo for Good in support of Grace House, we attended Fall into Networking event hosted by Network+, we welcome Jack to our team, we spotlight our clients Trust Red, share info about the Cyber Essentials scheme & explain the benefits of SharePoint in comparison to a traditional server.
To read The Unite Group’s October Monthly Newsletter, click on the image below!
In continuation of our Meet The Team blog series, we introduce you to Paul. Paul is our Sales Director here at The Unite Group having started The Unite Group back in 2009. Paul is often out networking and usually finds a way for it to be on the golf course!
We recently had a chat with him to find out a bit more about the role he plays here at The Unite Group and what you can expect from a typical day in Paul’s life…
Growing up, what did you want to be?
Growing up, I wanted to be a professional footballer or a golfer! Ability unfortunately got in the way of either becoming a reality!! I have always had an interest in technology so I guess my 3rd choice has turned out ok! Still practicing the golf as much as possible you never know might make the senior tour yet!!
What is your role at The Unite Group and how did you end up where you are now?
My role here at The Unite Group is the Sales Director. I have worked in technology since leaving school but really enjoy meeting new and current customers and developing our ongoing strategy with the marketing team. So I guess I have the perfect job!
What does a typical day look like at The Unite Group?
In one word a typical day here at The Unite Group is busy! There is always a buzz in the office. We are very lucky to have a great hardworking team who are always customer focused and give 100%. This makes the busy days so much easier!
I also run the FORE biz Newcastle group so I am lucky enough that golf is part of my working day every few weeks. It’s great to network with such a good group of business owners and FORE biz opens opportunities nationwide.
What is your most and least favourite part of the job?
My favorite part of the job is always providing a solution that I know will make a difference to our customers. It’s very rewarding to be able to efficiently and cost-efficiently fix the problems customers have sometimes been facing for years.
My least favourite part of the job however has got to be paperwork of any kind!
What is your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement has got to be that I once made two holes in one at golf in a 2 week period! I have not been even close to getting another one since!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Believe in yourself and be confident, everyone has self-doubts and it’s normal to feel that way.
This has been very relevant over the last 13 years as there have been times myself & Callum have had to take big leaps to grow The Unite Group and without self-belief, it would have never worked!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
In 10 years’ time, I see myself hopefully winding down a little and traveling to some of the places on my wish list. I would love to try and see as much of the world as possible with my wife Lorraine.
How do you unwind outside of work?
It’s well known I like a round of golf or two!! So outside of work, you will often find me on the golf course. I am a member at Backworth however I love to visit other courses too as often as possible.
If you would like to learn more about how our Sales Director Paul and The Unite Group can help you with your business technology needs, contact us on, 0191 466 1050.
Here we are again with our monthly newsletter! As The Unite Group we love keeping our customers up to date with the latest deals, tips, industry news as well as what our fantastic team are getting up to! Read our September issue to see what we have got up to in the past month!
In this newsletter: We attended the Network+ Back to Networking event, we welcome Craig to our team, we share the upcoming Expos we will be attending, share info about the Cyber Essentials scheme, share the the next Network+ event & have a special offer from the Social+ team for all our customers!
To read The Unite Group’s September Monthly Newsletter, click on the image below!
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
