POCCA School Canopy Associates

We are often asked who to contact in various parts of the country for details and ultimately supply and installation of POCCA canopies for schools.
Firstly the initial point of contact is with the Inside2Outside Head Office.
We then chose the most appropriate of our associates to provide local service for you initially starting with the site visit.
All of our school canopy associates are CRB checked and fully trained by Inside2Outsdie

Outdoor Covered Areas for the UK Care Sector; Market Test Report

Opportunities to enjoy a change of scenery for many people living in Care, Nursing and Rest Homes, can be few and far between. Activities Co-ordinators are faced with the often difficult task of catering for older people with wide-ranging needs and differing levels of dependency. The charity NAPA (National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People) works with and supports Activities Co-ordinators to promote best practice and ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to enjoy a varied and stimulating lifestyle.

As part of our recent expansion into the Care sector, we at Inside2Outside has been working towards introducing the same benefits enjoyed by schools – namely outdoor covered areas for care homes giving complete rain and UV protection. In addition, we are working with NAPA to promote the use of canopies in activity provision, making outdoor areas more accessible to residents.

One of the first Care homes to invest in a Qube outdoor weather shelter was Arbrook House in Esher, Surrey, and members of our team joined local Mayor James Vickers, along with staff, residents and friends of Arbrook for the official unveiling of their new outdoor area on 28th September.

Jo Trout, Activities Co-ordinator for Arbrook House, commented;

“We have always had a problem sitting by our lake as there is no shade or shelter. Now we won't have to worry about sunburn or finding shelter from summer showers.

We have a project called Wildlife Watch which the residents really enjoy. We try to identify and log all the wildlife we see in the grounds. We will now be able to do that from under the canopy which is away from the house and we might see some different things

We are also buying a table to go under the canopy so we can have afternoon tea down by the lake.”

Back in August, we offered Care facilities a trial scheme whereby they would install a suitable structure in a location of their choice for free in order for their staff and residents to take activities outside and see if they felt that the covered outdoor space made the role of the Activity Co-ordinators any easier in catering for everyone. If after 6 months they felt the canopy had made a difference, they were given the chance to buy it at a reduced cost.

Among others, Cedar Lawn Care Home in Straford-Upon-Avon was selected to take part in the trial and opted for a timber framed weather shelter, which was installed in October. Social Care Facilitator Sonia Hunt feels that the trial has been a complete success. She says, “The offer of six months was too good to miss – the information Inside2Outside gave was clear and the pictures helped, especially because they showed different locations and uses. Since it’s been installed, the canopy has offered the opportunity to try out another outdoor space and to consider how we could use this facility.”

Care2Cover canopies are now being installed across the country, and some facilities have even bypassed the trial scheme to go ahead and invest in outdoor covered areas because they’re so sure of the benefits they will continue to experience on a permanent basis. We continues to receive excellent feedback from the Care sector and are delighted by the chance to help their customers improve their activity provision and maximise the potential of their outdoor space.

Inside2Outside Outdoor Canopies Designed to Survive Heavy Snowfalls

This winter has producedof the worst weather in decades, causing hazardous conditions and widespread chaos. Many companies have been forced to close, but for Inside2Outside Ltd and it's outdoor canopies – it has remained business as usual.

We design, manufacture and install protective outdoor canopies and shelters for the Commercial, Care, and Domestic sectors, as well as the mainstay of our business canopies for schools. Each canopy is manufactured using the highest quality materials with safety built in, and despite frequent reports of other suppliers’ canopies failing and even collapsing in the recent heavy snow (see image 1), we remain 100% confident in our products and services.

Managing Director, Dr. Robert Carpenter, comments; “As a major canopy manufacturer we take many steps to ensure that our canopies do not fail, even in the most extreme weather conditions. Firstly, our structures meet all relevant British Standards – particularly snow loading BS 6399 Part 3 - throughout the UK. Secondly, we continually test and improve our products. In addition after installation we have a mandatory safety check to ensure that the canopy has been installed to specification, and will maintain its structural integrity in even the most testing weather conditions.”

Meanwhile, we are introducing further measures to ensure that integrity is guaranteed even further, as well as continuing to expand and provide a second-to-none service to its customers. Without such measures, the structural integrity of outdoor covered areas may be compromised and the risk of damage is almost inevitable, but Qube canopies supplied by I2O are built to weather any storm, standing up to the worst the British climate has to offer.

Image 1: Damaged canopies (not Inside2Outside)

Image 2: Inside2Outside's structurally sound equivalent