06/08/2026
Some people are the ones out on site getting the job done, and others are the ones behind the scenes making sure those jobs can happen in the first place. Today is all about one of those people… Tom.
When Tom joined Oxford, we were probably at one of the most stressful and uncertain periods in our business.
Not long after returning from an overseas holiday, James and I made one of the biggest decisions we’ve ever made as business owners, to throw absolutely everything we had into Oxford and expand across the South West.
The truth is, we didn’t have all the answers.
We didn’t know exactly what we needed.
We didn’t know what the business would look like in 6 or 12 months.
We didn’t even know what Tom’s role would eventually become.
What we did know was that we believed in Oxford, we believed in ourselves, and most importantly, we believed in our team. We knew that if we wanted to grow, we had to invest in the right people.
Ironically, Tom had approached us about six months earlier, but at the time we simply weren’t ready. After many conversations (and a few sleepless nights), we finally said, “Let’s do it.”
Since then, Tom’s role has evolved more times than I can count. Sorry, Tom! 😂
We’ve moved the goalposts, changed directions, reshaped responsibilities and worked out where his strengths could best support the business. Through it all, Tom has taken every challenge in his stride.
He’s seen our best days, and he’s also seen the days where you could cut the tension in the office with a knife. Running a business as a husband-and-wife team certainly has its moments! He’s celebrated our wins, supported us through the tough times, and never stopped showing up.
Like every growing business, there have been a few hiccups along the way as we’ve all found our feet. That’s part of growth. We don’t expect perfection, we expect people who are willing to learn, adapt and keep moving forward. Tom has done exactly that.
Today, Tom manages our Maintenance Division, and when James is busy on site, he seamlessly jumps across to support our Construction Division with quoting, procurement, site meetings, client follow-ups and all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps Oxford moving.
On top of that, he’s also an incredible dad to his two children.
We often share photos of the team out on site because they’re the faces everyone sees. They work incredibly hard every single day, and we’re so proud of them.
But today, we wanted to recognise the work that happens inside the office.
The phone calls.
The emails.
The quotes.
The planning.
The procurement.
The follow-ups.
The problem-solving.
It’s the work that no one really notices… until it doesn’t get done.
Office roles can often be thankless, and the work never seems to end. But every now and then it’s important to stop, reflect and simply say…
Thank you.
Not the polite “thanks” you say in passing, but a genuine thank you.
Thank you for your commitment.
Thank you for your loyalty.
Thank you for backing James and I, even when we were still figuring it all out.
Thank you for helping build Oxford into what it is becoming.
Your hard work certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed, and we’re incredibly grateful to have you as part of our team.
This is only the beginning, and we’re excited to see what we continue to achieve together.
💚
