The 1840 Podcast, taking a look at all things relating to Howarth Timber & Building Supplies and the merchanting industry. We'll catch up with staff, suppliers, customers and hear all of the stories that make Howarth your merchant of choice. Get involved and let us know your thoughts.
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EPISODE 24
It’s Okay to Talk: Inside Andy’s Man Club
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Lucas Whitehead
In this episode, Paul and Luke, who is the head of marketing & partnerships at Andy's Man Club, dive into why men, especially in construction, still struggle to talk. Lucas shares how the charity grew from one group in Halifax to 300 nationwide, supporting nearly 6,000 men each week.
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EPISODE 23
The Future of IT - The Rise of AI
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Paul Cornford and Alan Timothy
AI – that buzz word. In this episode we join back up with our Head of IS Paul Cornford and Professor Alan Timothy, CEO of Gartner-recognised pricing AI firm Bubo.
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EPISODE 22
Learning skills outside of your trade with Footballer Will Boyle
Host: Danielle Boyle
Guests: Will Boyle
Host Danielle Boyle is joined by her twin brother and Wrexham AFC footballer, Will Boyle. Instead of focusing solely on football, they dive into the value of learning skills outside your main trade. From coaching and counselling to studying for a degree.
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EPISODE 21
Why are we scared of the phone nowadays?
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Audrey Bodman
Speaking to people on the telephone has largely been replaced by Whatsapp and endless texts, but in the workplace it is still an art worth mastering. Audrey tells Paul how she goes about training people to get the most out of telephone conversations, from the start to the end of calls.
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EPISODE 20
Impact Inspire - Addiction & the Path to Recovery
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Reece Casey and Sam Lowe
Ever wondered about the fine line between control and chaos in our lives? We're joined by Reece Casey and Sam Lowe for what turns out to be an emotional, educational, and ultimately inspiring conversation about the impact of gambling addiction and the remarkable path to recovery.
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EPISODE 19
What is it like to be a former England Squash Coach?
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: David Campion
Paul is joined by David Campion, the former England Squash Coach. Under his leadership, England secured 25 medals across four Commonwealth Games, became World Team champions five times, and European Team champions 42 times at both junior and senior levels.
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EPISODE 18
Day in the life of a Sales Executive
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Nicola Ryan and Jason O'Hara
"The hardest job in a Builders Merchant' - External Sales Executives Nicola Ryan from our Rochdale Branch and Jason O'Hara from our Fallowfield Branch sit and talk about what a typical day in the life is like for them in their job roles.
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EPISODE 17
Let's Talk Air Source Heat Pumps
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Tim Whitehead, Jim Stafford and John Houston
Tim Whitehead, John Houston and Jim Stafford discuss Air Source Heat Pumps and dispel some common myths about them. We also look back at the history of builders merchants and ask the question where have all the builders merchant smock jackets gone!
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EPISODE 16
The language of colours in behavioural science
Host: Gavin Knowles
Guests: Anjie Carless
Anjie Carless from Cortex Training explores the language of colour using the Insights Discovery tool. By understanding colour energies, Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue - you can improve communication with customers, colleagues, and even family. Which colour are you?
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EPISODE 15
Attracting the Next Generation to Careers in Construction
Host: Alix Maude
Guests: Ginny Brown
Ginny Brown, Regional Sales Manager at Restec Roofing Systems, shares how to inspire young people to choose construction, reflecting on her own career switch and efforts to promote the trade in schools.
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EPISODE 14
Plumbing & Heating
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: John Houston, Matt Binney & Simon Parker
This episode covers the rise of Plumbing & Heating at HTBS and the Builders vs. Plumber’s Merchant debate, featuring insights from John Houston, Matt Binney, and Simon Parker.
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EPISODE 13
What is Behavioural Science?
Host: Gavin Knowles
Guests: James Ballinger
Supermarkets use the smell of fresh bread in aisles to tempt customers. James Ballinger from the Behavioural Agency explains how businesses use behavioural science and customer biases to influence our actions.
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EPISODE 12
A Day In The Life of a BM
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Tom Howe and Hayley Parker
With roots dating back to 1840 and decades of experience within our team, we’re proud of our legacy. Now, rising leaders like Hayley and Tom - both BMF Diploma graduates - are helping inspire the next generation in this well-established industry.
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EPISODE 11
History of IT in HTBS 1987-2025
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Paul Cornford & Jonathan Read
Paul and Jonathan look back on how IT has transformed since 1987, from pre-internet days to rolling out PCs across branches and adapting to new systems over time.
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EPISODE 10
Supplier-Merchant relationships
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Ben Jewell
In this episode, Paul Bullivant talks with Ben Jewell, Northern Regional Manager at Holcim, about landscaping season, supplier-merchant relationships, and social media's negative impact on children.
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EPISODE 9
Branch Spotlight - Wakefield
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Martyn Hughes & Steve Baxter
A Spotlight on our Wakefield branch - hear the real story from the Branch Manager and the Building Materials Manager.
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EPISODE 8
Customer focus with CatioKing
Host: Chris Allen
Guests: Tom Howe and Hayley Parker
Chris shares his journey from serving in the army to launching a business crafting bespoke timber cat enclosures, and how he navigated that transition. He also highlights the crucial role social media plays in promoting his business.
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EPISODE 7
Women In Merchanting Part 2
Host: Alix Maude
Guests: Rebecca Hughes & Lauren De Meester
Part 2 of our International Women's Day episodes, Talasey's Rebecca Hughes & Soudal's Lauren De Meester talk about what it's really like to be a woman working in a male dominated industry.
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EPISODE 6
Women In Merchanting Part 1
Host: Danielle Boyle
Guests: Ashley Rice & Alice Stafford
Part 1 of our International Women's Day episodes, Assistant Branch Managers Ashley Rice & Alice Stafford talk about what it's really like to be a woman working in a male dominated industry.
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EPISODE 5
Branch Spotlight - Enfield
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Aron Ford & Adrian Kaczor
A Spotlight on our Enfield branch - hear the real story from the Branch Manager and the Regional Manager.
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EPISODE 4
A day in the life
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Cameron Reid & Rob Bailey
Join our newest Regional Managers, Cameron Reid and Rob Bailey, as they share a day in their lives and reflect on the challenges of transitioning from Branch Manager to Regional Manager.
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EPISODE 3
The history of Howarth
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Nick Howarth
Learn the story behind Howarth Timber & Building Supplies and its history, straight from our Managing Director, Nick Howarth.
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EPISODE 2
Branch Spotlight - Oldham
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Jang Yunis & Paul Fearns
A Spotlight on our Oldham branch—hear the real story from the Branch Manager and the new Sales Executive.
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EPISODE 1
Welcome to the 1840 Podcast
Host: Paul Bullivant
Guests: Gavin Knowles & Stephen Hudson
Why would a builder’s merchant start a podcast? And who would even want to listen? In this episode, we share the story behind the podcast, and most importantly, our ‘why.’
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