For the press

The following download is a media pack containing high resoloution images. This file is posted for promotional purposes and press use. If you have any further requirements in this area please don't hesitate to contact us.

Media Pack Download

100% Guarantee

In The Press

The Portsmouth News Articles

Keeping it in the family

July 2008

Steve poses for the press with his wife and brother, along with representatives from the two chosen charities for this years SBA Charity Gala Dinner. The target is to raise over £1000 each for the two very deserving charities chosen this year, which are the Hampshire Autistic Society and FORT Cancer.

 

The We Can Do It Awards

Picture: The News; Portsmouth

 

The We Can Do It Awards -
'A Night For The Real Stars'

December 2007
By By Graeme Patfield

Best Business ‘A firm which has done something special to help the community’

Winner: SBA Financial

Runners Up: Co-Op in Emsworth and Waitrose in Waterlooville

A Family-Run Business is leading the way after raising more than £20,000 for good causes in just over five years. Steve Blofield and wife Julie are the first to get involved in making a difference and fit it around running financial advisers SBA Financial. Now daughter Jasmine, account manager at the company in Portsmouth Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, is following in the footsteps after organising a charity race night last month.

The evening saw more than £1000 raised towards Hampshire & Isle of Wight Victim Support. The branch of the national charity helps victims of crime across the county. Trained volunteers provide free, confidential support and information after crimes, ranging from burglary and assault to rape and murder. Steve, 43, said: ‘It is a nice surprise to have won and I’m really pleased. But our real reward is the charity work we do and seeing how it makes a difference to people’s lives.’

A team of life-savers has been given a huge financial boost thanks to a local store. Emsworth Community Responders were celebrating after receiving a £4,800 donation. The money was raised by runner-up, the Co-Op store in Emsworth.

A scheme was set up so that out of every pound spent with a Community Support Card Scheme, three pence would be donated. After a year of hard work the shop revealed its staggering amount which has now been handed over.

The other runner-up was Waitrose in Waterlooville which held a special event to help scout group rebuild their hut after it was burned down by yobs. Staff held a sponsored cycle ride.


Julie, Steve and Jasmine

Picture: The News; Portsmouth

Click here to listen to Steve’s Interview with Express FM just after winning the ‘We Can Do It’ Award for Best Business!

 

The real-life heroes in our midst

December 2007
By Elise Brewerton

ORDINARY people with extraordinary stories took their turn in the spotlight as The News honoured them at the We Can Do It Awards.
Unsung heroes young and old took to the stage at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, to receive their prizes in categories including Best Neighbour, Best School Best Street and Best Volunteer.

The invited audience cheered and clapped the winners as they proudly stepped up to receive their honours at the ceremony,
hosted by BBC South presenter Sally Taylor.

Among the winners was 10-year-old Leonora Lilley, who won the Spirit of Youth Award. Leonora, who is almost blind, showed true We Can Do It spirit by helping to edit books for partially-sighted youngsters like herself.

And also honoured was 85-year-old Dot Coley, who won Best Volunteer for her work helping out at a day care centre.

The evening ended on a high when disabled sailor Geoff Holt took to the stage to accept the Special Achievement award.

Geoff, who is paralysed from the chest down, conquered his 'personal Everest' in September when he successfully sailed single-handedly around the UK.

Sally Taylor told the crowd she was humbled by the event. 'I was talking to someone recently about how communities have changed, how it seemed that community spirit just did not seem to be around anymore,' she said.

'But listening to the stories here tonight and looking around this room has proved to me that it is alive and well. You are all the stars here tonight.'

Mark Waldron, editor of The News, told the audience that the awards were a way of making sure good news from our area was celebrated in the newspaper.

He said: 'Earlier this evening I heard Dot Coley, our best volunteer, say she never expected to win. And that is what this is all about. People don't do these things to get a pat on the back, to pick up an award. They do it because they can and we are here to say thanks.'

 

SBA Financial

Picture: The News; Portsmouth

Best Business, sponsored by the University of Portsmouth
Winner: SBA Financial
Runners-up: Co-op in Emsworth and Waitrose in Waterlooville

Best Art, Sport or Community Project
Sponsored by BAE Systems
Winner: Cosham Youth Club
Runners-up: Streetsport and the Rocky Appeal

Best Garden
Sponsored by Abbey Garden Centre
Winner: Buckland Play Park Centre
Runners-up: Lynsey and John Pink and Westover Primary School

Best Neighbour
Sponsored by Lemon Sole Restaurant
Winner: Anne and Malcolm Blanks
Runners-up: Doreen Ponsford and neighbours
at Jubilee House, Emsworth

Best School
Sponsored by Southern Electric
Winner: Redwood Park School
Runners-up: Springfield School and Manor Infant School

Best Street
Sponsored by Colas
Winner: Albert Road
Runners-up: Freshfield Gardens and Bath Road

Best Volunteer
Sponsored by The Co-op
Winner: Dot Coley
Runners-up: Julie Scarborough and Mavis Stevens

Care of the Environment
Sponsored by EADS Astrium
Winner: Horndean Technology College
Runners-up: Emsworth Business Association and the Green Genie campaign at Fareham Shopping Centre

Service with a Smile
Sponsored by Gosport Ferry Limited
Winner: Kevin Harcombe
Runners-up: Fasu Miah and John Wood

Spirit of Youth
Sponsored by EADS Astrium
Winner: Leonora Lilley
Runners-up: Amber Horton and Jessica Johnson

Steve and Jasmine

Picture: The News; Portsmouth

 

The Generation Game

September 2007
‘We’re a top team’

Each week we talk to two members of the same family about their relationship. Today it’s the turn of Steve Blofield and his daughter Jasmine. Independent Financial Advisor Steve, 43, runs his own firm, SBA Financial, with wife Julie. Jasmine, 19, works with them as an account manager and Steve & Julie also have a son, Robert, 17. The family lives together on Hayling Island.

Steve Says:
“Jasmine is more mature for her age than most people are. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember that she is only 19. She’s always been more mature than most people her age. When the children were much younger they used to say I was an insurance sales man and I used to get quite uptight about that because I’m so much more than that. Now Jasmine’s seen the sort of things we do and that’s started to influence her.”

“She really is quite bright and quick to pick things up so one half of me wanted to say: ‘come and work in the family business because you’ll be really good’, but Julie and I talked about it and said that we really couldn’t  say too much about it because we didn’t want to put pressure on her.”

“She calls me Steve at work which felt a bit strange at first and sometimes at home she’ll call me Steve but you get used to it. Jasmine is a very caring and sensitive person and sometimes I would say she is too caring and involved and that is true of Julie and myself as well.”

“She is in the process of buying her first house at the moment, so she is going to be moving out. That’s a good thing in the sense that we want her to get herself sorted out but there’s also that thing that I’m her dad so I don’t want her to leave. We’ve said she’ll still have to come round for Sunday lunch though.”

Jasmine Says:
“I started off here part time, working for them when I was at college. As I got to college I started doing a few more hours. Then when it came time to pick whether to go to university or pick a job I realized that I was far too impatient to get out there in the real world to go to university. The idea of working in the company came into my head more and I decided this is what I wanted to do, if they’d have me.”

“They never put any pressure on me to follow in their footsteps but now I’ve decided to become an independent financial advisor like my dad. My dad is my mentor and I can use his knowledge. He’s my dad but he’s also very professional. At the office it’s very professional and I call him Steve. Home and office are kept quite separate but I do think he is proud of me. We’re very similar in personality. ‘He does kick back and relax at home and he can be quite funny and spontaneous at times. He’s fun to be around.”

“I think mum and dad are definitely harder on me than the other members of staff because we have that relationship they feel more relaxed with reprimanding me.”

“They’ve always pushed me to be the best I can be. When I was at school they were the driving force and would help with homework and coursework. I never would’ve achieved everything I have without them.”