Portable Offices has just added a third storey to the portable building that makes up the AHOY Centre.

Situated on the banks of the river Thames,The AHOY Centre is a registered charity based in Deptford, London that helps disadvantaged youngsters and people with disabilities.

The AHOY provides a range of courses and activities using the medium of rowing and sailing to educate, train and provide apprenticeships to get people into work, especially those that have struggled at school and have little or no academic qualifications. The AHOY also has a high focus on the community and brings together people from all different walks of life to help each other.

The new third storey provides training facilities during the day and then in the evening becomes hostel style accommodation with drop down bunks.

This is to provide a respite for some of vulnerable young people from their chaotic home lives so they can get away for a few days every so often.

This was the second project for the AHOY undertaken by Portable Offices. The first was phase was implemented in 2012 when it was decided to expand the centre to incorporate training rooms and specialised equipment for the growing number of participants and to launch their two new projects – ‘Pulling Together’ & ‘Show Me Why’.

Because the building is literally on the Thames wall, flexible and durable accommodation was a necessity together with the need for speedy construction.  As a result, Portable Offices was tasked with providing modular buildings as part of a full, turn-key package.

The Portable Offices’ team worked in tandem with the AHOY Centre management and volunteers to include specific design features and to price-engineer the building to meet the budget criteria.

Despite the difficulties with limited space and access, the contract proved to be a source of inspiration to the Portable Offices’ team who added a number of complimentary personal design features in order to optimise the build for the charity.

This included adapting the building so there was no transfer of noise or vibration from the dedicated rowing room on the first floor where all 18 rowing machines are linked together with data share equipment to facilitate a simulated rowing race.

The state-of-the-art facilities enabled the growing number of disadvantaged and disabled people to accurately simulate exact rowing conditions and to go on to try their hand at an increasing array of water sports including a specially built craft - which can be solely manned and crewed by people with disabilities - The AHOY Freedom.

The new third storey will give local youngsters a chance for respite from their chaotic home and often disruptive family lives.

Clive Ongley, MBE, Chair Trustee and one of the Ahoy Centre’s founders, oversaw the construction of the new facilities, working closely with the Portable Offices’ team. He commented: “Once again, Portable Offices worked in tandem with us and came up with good, practical solutions to any challenges that appeared.  Contracts such as this are never easy; quite often they are more of an ‘art form’ than an exact science.”

About AHOY:

The name of the AHOY Centre is an acronym of Adventure Help and Opportunities for Youth Centre and is an accredited RYA sailability centre and has instructors, boats and launching equipment that enable it to provide tailored sailing courses for people with serious disabilities, including those in wheelchairs.  This equipment includes a 40 ft long power-boat, the first of its kind in the world, that is designed so that it can be crewed entirely by people with disabilities. The boat has cctv cameras allowing the crew to easily view all angles around the craft, and state-of-the-art controls that can be used with small finger movements,

In addition, the centre's partners in the probation service and the police refer to the centre youths identified as being at-risk due to their home circumstances or their association with gang violence or religious fundamentalism. Such youths benefit from the structured environment, the new and challenging activities, and the presence of strong role models. Many go on to gain qualifications and even become instructors in their own right.

For more information on Portable Offices’ mobile accommodation and modular buildings contact 01244 535566

St Joseph's College is a co-educational independent day school in Reading, Berkshire, England with around 500 pupils.

Anthony Leggett, Bursar of St Joseph’s College Reading commented on their experience of using Portable Offices:

“We used Portable Offices to provide us with a new changing room and PE Block as part of a wider development of artificial turf pitches at the College. With a limited budget and the requirement to minimise impact on teaching and learning, a modular build was our only option and Portable Offices offered us the best possible combination of quality and price.

“Working with us to meet the requirements of a very demanding Planning Authority, Portable Offices provided flexibility over the design to fit in to our rather restricted site.  They worked well with the other contractors to offer us an excellent product that enhances our site, far removed from the concerns some of our team had over modular build.  I would have no hesitation in recommending Portable Offices to other schools and we are already working with them on our next big project, as we are convinced they offer us the best value for money and quality solution.”

When Bodnant Community School in Prestatyn needed mobile classrooms they contacted Portable Offices and when they had a need for further portable office they returned to the company once again. Nefyn Morris, Site Manager, said: “We purchased an additional office from Portable Offices, and chose the company because we received such good service from them when we had mobile classrooms on the school site. I visited their site in Sandycroft and was shown several units which suited our needs. I decided on a good sized unit, and everything I asked to be included to suit my needs was duly provided. I was impressed with the service upon delivery. The driver was most helpful and made sure I was completely happy with the unit, its situation and condition before leaving. I would recommend Portable Offices to anyone looking at purchasing or hiring portable buildings.”

Bohunt School Worthing is a secondary school with academy status located in Worthing, West Sussex. The new school building was due to officially open on 2nd September 2015 taking pupils initially aged 11 and 12 (in curriculum years 7 and 8), expanding to become a full 11-16 secondary school by 2018. Issues with academy sponsorship and building work pushed back the opening of the new building and resulted in the need for temporary classrooms and facilities to accommodate its pupils. Portable buildings provider, Portable Offices took up the very real challenge of creating 16 buildings from scratch in just 10 weeks to provide temporary classrooms and facilities to accommodate 195 students until the new school buildings are completed in spring 2016. Headteacher of Bohunt School, Adam Whitehead, said: “I am amazed by what has been achieved in such a short period of time. It is nothing short of a miracle. “We literally went from no buildings on 22nd June to full facilities when we opened for students on 7th September.” Portable Offices provided a full turnkey service from installing drainage, water and electricity, even an access road to fully working classrooms, specialist rooms such as science labs, music, art technology and IT  complete with all amenities.   Mr Whitehead continued: “The service Portable Offices provided was exceptional and went above and beyond the call of duty.  Nothing was a problem or too much trouble. It was a real team effort and I can’t praise them too highly.” Leigh Hunnikin of West Sussex County Council said:  “Portable Offices were appointed to provide a full turn-key service for a temporary school for 200 secondary aged students, including specialist accommodation for science, technology and IT. The timescales and site were extremely challenging but Portable Offices overcame several challenges, including new services connections and works on the Highway, to deliver the project on time. “The school is now open and students, parents and staff are delighted with the accommodation provided. It was a pleasure working with the team at Portables Offices and I look forward to working with Neil and Richard again in the future.”