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Domestic abuse, or domestic violence, is defined across Government as any incident of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of their gender or sexuality. The Government’s definition of abuse is published in the Domestic Abuse Bill 2020.​What are the types of abuse?‘Domestic abuse’ covers a range of types of abuse, including, but not limited to: psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse. ‘Domestic abuse’ can be prosecuted under a range of offences and the term is used to describe a range of controlling and coercive behaviours, used by one person to maintain control over another. It is usually perpetrated by the person’s partner but can also be committed by a family member or carer. It can happen at any time during a relationship, even after a couple is split.​Domestic abuse is rarely a one-off incident and is the cumulative and interlinked types of abuse that have a particularly damaging effect on the victim. The ‘domestic’ nature of the offending behaviour is an aggravating factor because of the abuse of trust involved. Anyone forced to change their behaviour because they are frightened of their partner or ex-partner’s reaction is experiencing abuse.​Who faces abuse?Men, women and children can all be victims of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse occurs amongst people of all ethnicities, sexualities, ages, disabilities, immigration status, religions or beliefs and socio-economic backgrounds. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises domestic abuse differs in severity between incidents, and more often than not, will increase in frequency and seriousness, having a cumulative impact on the victim/complainant. The definition includes so-called 'honour' based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group.​Spotting the signs?If you believe that you or someone else could be a victim of domestic abuse, there are signs that you can look out for including:Is the partner jealous and possessive?Is the partner charming one minute and abusive the next?Do they tell the individual what to wear, where to go, who to see?Do they play mind games and make the person doubt their judgment?Do they control the money?Do they apply pressure the person to have sex when they don’t want to?Do they use anger and intimidation to frighten and control the person?Do they monitor technology use such as social media platforms?Does the individual appear withdrawn?Do they have bruises?Are their movements or activities restricted, i.e. not being allowed to leave the house, meet with friends?​For anyone who feels they are at risk of abuse, it is important to remember that there is help and support available to you, including police response, online support, helplines, refuges and other services. You or they are not alone. If you’re worried a friend is being abused, let them know you’ve noticed something is wrong. They might not be ready to talk, but try to find quiet times when they can talk if they choose to.​Helplineswww.cps.gov.uk/domestic-abusewww.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/ Women’s Aid also host a directory of local domestic abuse services: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-abuse-directory/ www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/domesticabuseprevalenceandtrendsenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2019www.hse.gov.uk/search/search-results.htm?gsc.q=domestic%20absue#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=domestic%20abusewww.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help?gclid=CLrlnej02-oCFczOGwodvmEMkg&gclsrc=dswww.nationaldahelpline.org.ukhttp://www.fgmnationalgroup.org/within_the_uk.htmRape Crisis National Helpline (12-12.30pm and 7-9.30pm each day) – 08088 029 999 https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ (England and Wales)Rape Crisis Scotland - (6pm to midnight) – 08088 010302 https://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/Men’s Advice Line – 0808801 0327https://mensadviceline.org.uk/​About A.D.V.I.C.EA Dedicated Voice for Inclusive Collaboration by Everyone (A.D.V.I.C.E) is an official health and wellbeing scheme, comprised of contractors, principal contractors and clients within the rail and construction industries. Companies include: Barhale, Bovis Homes, Ciras, Colas Rail, Ganymede, McGinley Support Services, Midland Metro Alliance, Network Rail, RSS Infrastructure, Transport for Wales, Van-Elle Limited and Vital Human Resources.Ganymede is proud to part of this initiative and bring positive change to health, safety and wellbeing throughout the industries by providing guidance and advice to all those that work in the rail and construction industries.​​

​​The Summer edition of Safety First, Ganymede’s quarterly safety newsletter is now available to read.​In this edition we focus on:Coronavirus updates and our code of conduct Spotlight on safety ​SpeakUpSummer driving tipsAnd more...We hope you find the newsletter useful and we welcome any feedback you might have.​Read the Summer Safety First Newsletter

​In the current climate many businesses are facing challenges, however, some are needing to carry on as normal or even looking at growth. Face-to-face interviews are no longer taking place (or at least not without with considerable challenge), and more and more people are turning to video technology to maintain momentum with their hiring plans.Don’t let the current situation hold you back from achieving your goals. Positions still need to be filled, and you can still secure great candidates and get them up and running remotely. The companies that will be least affected by the unforeseen challenges Covid-19 has thrown at us will be the ones that manage to maintain operations as close to business as usual as possible. Don’t let social distancing stop you from securing your dream hire. Ganymede Connect, our new instant video interviewing software is the answer to business continuity and here’s why…FlexibilityFirst off, there’s no travel involved, and this means you’ll have access to candidates from further afield as they can interview from wherever, whenever giving you a much wider pool of talent to choose from. There’s also no time off required which is perfect for candidates who are considering their options but who might struggle to get time off from their current roles. With self-isolation and social distancing on everyone’s mind, the flexibility video offers is essential for combatting the impact of Covid-19.​TimeAdding video interviewing to your hiring process increases the interview to hire ratio by 70%. No longer are candidates judged solely by words on a CV (the usual ‘first sift’ process). Instead, they can talk through their skillset in detail using our solo interview screening functionality.We’ll conduct your first stage interviews for you. Then we’ll send these back to you in a candidate shortlist for review. So, you’ve immediately skipped a whole stage in the process. Plus you’ve avoided needless diary coordination and saved time sitting through interviews (even virtual ones) with people you know aren’t the right fit.​TalentThe fact is people are still hiring. Agile businesses are determined to keep going and are not taking this lying down. We know not every business is in a position to hire, but for those that are, they will need to adapt their processes to capture the best talent. Introducing video to your hiring process instead of putting a stop to it until it’s all blown over ensures you’re not missing out.​Get In touchFind out how Ganymede Connect can save time and get the best talent to keep your business moving forward by completing the contact form below. ​​

Ganymede have been working with Phormular on the design and manufacture of protective screens to be fitted in all multi-seat vehicles. The screens are made from 16mm thick hexagon card and coated with an easy-clean plastic coating. While still offering the durability and ease of cleaning they have tested to be stronger than an acrylic sheet and from an environmental point of view, they are 99.9% recyclable at the end of their useful life. ​​Benefits Along with the obvious benefit of preventing the transmission of Covid-19, with the screens being printable, they also provide an excellent way of reminding all staff of the social distancing and hygiene requirements. In the unlikely event that the vehicle breaks down, it is also incredibly simple for the driver to remove and re-fit the screens into any replacement vehicle provided, meaning the team can be back up and running with minimal impact to their working day.​The screens are an additional measure to enhance our robust procedure of protecting our workforce and help prevent the spread of the coronavirus while travelling in our vehicles to and from site. The screens not only ensure social distancing but give the added benefit to individuals peace of mind ensuring they feel safe and are COVID-19 secure - Gary Lobue, Head of HSEQ. ​​Get in Touch For more information about our new protective screens fill out the contact form below.​​​

We are delighted to announce that Ganymede have signed up to the Prompt Payment Code (PPC).The PPC is a voluntary code of practice for businesses, administered by the Office of the Small Business Commissioner (SBC) on behalf of BEIS. It was established in December 2008 and sets standards for payment practices between organisations of any size and their suppliers.​As a signatory Ganymede have undertaken to:​1) Pay suppliers on timewithin the terms agreed at the outset of the contractwithout attempting to change payment terms retrospectivelywithout changing practice on length of payment for smaller companies on unreasonable grounds2) Give clear guidance to suppliersproviding suppliers with clear and easily accessible guidance on payment proceduresensuring there is a system for dealing with complaints and disputes which is communicated to suppliersadvising them promptly if there is any reason why an invoice will not be paid to the agreed terms3) Encourage good practiceby requesting that lead suppliers encourage adoption of the code throughout their own supply chains​Get In TouchFor more information about how we can support your business, please get in touch today by filling out the contact form below.​

Feelings of loneliness or isolation can affect anyone at any time and at any stage of our lives. It is difficult at any age and none of us are immune. In January 2018, in response to the Jo Cox Commission report on loneliness, the government set out its first steps to tackle loneliness.​Since then loneliness has become a focus of conversation and a survey conducted by the charity Campaign to End Loneliness found that a fifth of the UK population, over nine million people, say they are always or often lonely. Two thirds of the population said they wouldn’t feel comfortable admitting it if they were, which is over 40 million people in the UK. Like mental health, it is a taboo subject for many who fear opening up about their feelings.​There are many people trying to cope with isolation or loneliness during the coronavirus pandemic but loneliness is not always the same as being alone. Even people that have lots of social contact, are in a relationship or part of a family may still feel lonely especially if they don’t feel understood or cared for by the people around them. Likewise you can be alone and feel peaceful and content.​Feelings of Isolation and loneliness can happen because of many factors, however in this current period where COVID-19 is causing social isolation, it frequently arises because of the forced separation from those we love, bereavement or due to the lack of social connections with other people.​How loneliness can affect your healthAccording to the Mental Health Foundation, long-term loneliness is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and increased stress. In addition it is also linked to physical health issues such as cardiovascular impairment, chronic pain, and fatigue with a study showing that loneliness increases the likelihood of mortality by 26%. You can find more helpful information on mental health at https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/healthandwellbeing/a-d-v-i-c-e/​Loneliness and genderThe Office of National Statistics (ONS) carried out an analysis of characteristics and circumstances associated with loneliness in England using the Community Life Survey 2016 to 2017 and found that women reported feeling lonely more frequently than men. They concluded that it was possible this could be reflected in differences in how men and women reflect on their personal experiences of loneliness and some research suggests that men may be more reluctant than women to report undesirable feelings such as loneliness.​Tips on how to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness.Stay ConnectedStay in touch via video calls, Whatsapp, Zoom or just regular phone calls.Keep to your routines where possible.Try out one of the online quizzes hosted on Facebook or Youtube​Don’t keep it to yourselfTalk to someone you trust about your feelings of lonelinessA recent study by the University of Oxford found that men bond better through face-to-face contact whereas women find it easier through phone conversations. With social distancing easing to allow contact outside of your household those face to face connections can be reignited.Consider using talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) which may help and is often available through company Employee Assistance Programmes or your local NHS​Avoid negative thoughts and comparing yourself to othersAccept the situation we/you are inControl the controllable. Learn to understand what you can change and what you cantTry to switch off from social media stories where people are sharing their ‘perfect’ lives. Remind yourself that you do not know what their lives are like away from the screen.​Giving to othersConsider ways to volunteer - being furloughed will not stop you from being able to volunteer and if you are at work with evenings free you may still be able to fit some time in.Maybe you could offer to volunteer for the NHS as a ‘check in and chat’ volunteer or support your local school by helping to deliver school meals​Try to remain physically activePhysical exercise helps release endorphins in the brain, with unlimited exercise time being agreed last week, aim to get some physical activity into your every dayThere are many online resources available to help you exercise safely at home or digs, whatever your fitness level. https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/​If you prefer to manage aloneThe charity Mind suggests planning your week ahead and aiming to do something you enjoyLook at things you could do which you wouldn’t normally have time for. The time you are saving by not commuting to work could be spent spring cleaning, meditating, preparing and cooking new recipes. If you are in digs and unable to socialise as normal after work you could still look at all of the suggestions above to keep yourself connected in other ways.​SupportWhether you are concerned about a young person, elderly relative or just want to find different social circle, these sources of information may help.www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/feeling-lonely - Provides a mood assessment and advice on what you can do if you are feeling lonely.www.letstalkloneliness.co.uk - Provides practical advice, organisations and support helplines(0800 1111) www.childline.org.uk - Childline is a counselling service for children and young people(0800 4 70 80 90) www.thesilverline.org.uk - The Silverline is a free helpline for older people across the UK offering information, friendship and advice, link callers to local groups and services, offer regular befriending calls and protect and support those who are suffering abuse and neglectmeetup.com - Find or organise a local group. More than 9,000 groups in local communities, each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities and make friends.nextdoor.com - Nextdoor is the free private social network for you and your neighbours to talk onlinedo-it.org - Volunteer in your local community and give your time to help others.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/coping-with-loneliness – support for mental health concerns​About A.D.V.I.C.E​A Dedicated Voice for Inclusive Collaboration by Everyone (A.D.V.I.C.E) is an official health and wellbeing scheme, comprised of contractors, principal contractors and clients within the rail and construction industries. Companies include: Barhale, Bovis Homes, Ciras, Colas Rail, Ganymede, McGinley Support Services, Midland Metro Alliance, Network Rail, RSS Infrastructure, Transport for Wales, Van-Elle Limited and Vital Human Resources.​Ganymede is proud to part of this initiative and bring positive change to health, safety and wellbeing throughout the industries by providing guidance and advice to all those that work in the rail and construction industries.​