2022 marks our 40th year in business! But how did we ­get to where we are today? Well, on the 29th of April 1954 in Andover, Richard Meek (circled) was born. Just an ordinary chap, who did everyday things and lived a normal life, at the height of 5ft 8.5 inches.

At 24 years old Richard got married and began to work for his father-in-law who was in the catering trade, servicing pubs, restaurants and hotels. It was here that Richard first got into the world of sales, and his entrepreneurial spirit started to bloom!

By 1982 Richard and Melanie had two children. Knowing that there were going to be more mouths to feed, Richard decided it was time to go it alone and started his own business. Having always had a fascination with heat and power, Richard saw the opportunity to sell gas bottles to pubs, restaurants and B&Bs; so Outback Energy was born from this idea. Richard didn’t want to stop there, he had bigger plans to hatch! He wanted to provide alternative power to those who needed it, and his fascination for engines prompted him to go into the generator market.

Richard and Melanie believed in the business, and knowing that it could be their children’s future, they invested their last £1000 into the Company. Over the years, with hard work and a dedicated team, they have made what was one man’s vision into a sustainable and robust business.              

We are forever grateful to Richard for giving his four children and all of the staff the chance to create their own history, in what we now know as Shenton Group.

Click here to view our company timeline from 1982, the birth of Outback Power and beyond!

The blog header image was taken in 1995. Richard Meek is circled standing amongst his valued colleagues, two of which still work at Shenton Group to this day. Now if that isn’t dedication, I don’t know what is!

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