The final phase of construction has started at SEGRO Park Kettering which will see the creation of almost 875,000 sq ft of space across three buildings. A 102,500 sq ft speculatively built facility will become the last available unit on the development and will be available to occupy from September
Sales of homes in the UK strengthened in February, thanks in part to renewed interest from new buyers despite the Bank of England’s decision to increase interest rates – this according to experts responding to the latest RICS Residential Market Survey. A net balance of +17% of respondents said they
With the arrival of the new DX380DM-7 model, Doosan has completed the company’s range of new High Reach Demolition Excavators. The DX380DM-7 has joined the existing DX235DM-5 and DX530DM-5 demolition models launched in the last two years. These are complemented by the company’s new range of Material Handler models and
Only with integrated building design can truly sustainable buildings be built. Clivet, in order to meet the needs of design professionals in terms of BIM (Building Information Modeling) content and information, has made available the BIM objects of its air conditioning systems on the BIM&CO platform and implemented its website
Leased 1.28 million SQM in 2021 – a 64% increase compared to 2020 Accelerated acquisitions and completed developments over the last two years GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics warehouses and distribution parks, announced record progress on investment, leasing and development activity in 2021, significantly expanding its presence
Ordinary potted houseplants can potentially make a significant contribution to reducing air pollution in homes and offices, according to new research led by the University of Birmingham and in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). During a series of experiments monitoring common houseplants exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) –
International architecture and interiors practice Finkernagel Ross has completely refurbished a Belgravia Mews House to create a modern, elegant, space optimising, family home. Bright and open living spaces enhanced with calm and considered interior design have made for a warm, characterful home, unique to the needs of the homeowners —
Leading holiday homes manufacturer Victory Leisure Homes has announced a unique new partnership with market-leading systems, software, services and manufacturing equipment specialists Hilti. The partnership has seen Victory implement an advanced asset management system across the business that is bespoke to its exact needs. An innovative collaboration, Victory is the only holiday home
Recruitment company Calibre Search has moved across the Northern Quarter and into the newly refurbished Nine Stephenson Square office space, after revenues reached £5.5 million. The investment in a ‘first class’ working environment is the result of Calibre’s confidence in the marketplace – particularly the recent boom in early stage
Karen Godfrey from Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd has won the first ever Inspiring Women in Safety Award at this year’s RoSPA Health and Safety Awards. This new award, sponsored by L’Oréal, was launched for 2022 to recognise an individual who has made a significant inspirational impact in the
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
The final phase of construction has started at SEGRO Park Kettering which will see the creation of almost 875,000 sq ft of space across three buildings. A 102,500 sq ft speculatively built facility will become the last available unit on the development and will be available to occupy from September 2022. It will combine warehousing, offices and a secure yard, as well as incorporating a range of sustainability features including rainwater harvesting, solar thermal heating, intelligent low energy lighting and EV charging points. A separate 150,000 sq ft warehouse will be constructed which has been pre-let to Bunzl, the FTSE-100 specialist international distribution and services group. It will be Bunzl’s second facility at SEGRO Park Kettering and will complement its existing 230,000 sq ft unit. SEGRO will deliver these units in parallel with a 622,000 sq ft freehold facility for leading beverage packaging manufacturer Ball Corporation, which will become its third aluminium can manufacturing facility in the UK and the largest ever constructed in Europe. Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics at SEGRO, said: “SEGRO Park Kettering provides high quality industrial and warehouse facilities to meet a mix of customer requirements, supported by the right infrastructure and with excellent connectivity. “Occupier demand in the East Midlands remains very strong and we look to delivering these three buildings at pace in the coming months, bringing further employment opportunities into the region.” Helen Cockerham, Retail and Healthcare Managing Director at Bunzl, said: “We are pleased to be working with SEGRO again on this development and look forward to seeing our additional warehouse capacity becoming operational later this year.” SEGRO is working closely with lead contractor Winvic to engage local schools and businesses with training and employment opportunities, which will have a particular focus on encouraging women into careers in construction. This aligns with the company’s commitment to invest in its local communities and environments as part of its Responsible SEGRO framework. Planning consent was secured at SEGRO Park Kettering to deliver a total of 1.2 million sq ft of industrial and warehouse space. The site, located at Junction 10 of the A14, is adjacent to Latimer Business Park, home to a range of market leading brands including Morrisons, DS Smith and Alpro, and Hanwood Park – the 5,500-house urban extension to the east of Kettering. Its proximity to major transport arteries means customers will be able to reach over 90% of the UK population within four hours.
Sales of homes in the UK strengthened in February, thanks in part to renewed interest from new buyers despite the Bank of England’s decision to increase interest rates – this according to experts responding to the latest RICS Residential Market Survey. A net balance of +17% of respondents said they had seen a jump in new buyer enquiries – the sixth time in a row an increase has been reported and the strongest it has been over this period. At the same time the number of agreed sales improved, with a net balance of +9% saying sales of homes were increasing and strongest reading since May 2021. Looking to the next three months, sales are predicted to increase, albeit at a more modest pace – with a net balance of +11% (down from +20% in January). Looking further ahead respondents remained positive with sales expected to remain on a upward trajectory over the coming year. Declining new sales instructions coming onto the market also appeared to stabilise in February, with only -4% of respondents saying they had seen a fall (less than -7% in January). Stock levels remain close to historic lows however and are still a major factor in sustaining house price inflation. The pace of house price growth has again accelerated according to respondents. A net balance of +78% said prices had increased on a national level, while Wales, Yorkshire and the Humber, the Northwest of England and Northern Ireland showed especially elevated readings. Unsurprisingly, respondents said they see national house prices rising further across the next three and twelve months. These expectations climbed slightly higher despite recent rate hikes from the Bank of England. All parts of the country are anticipated to see continued strong growth in house prices over the next twelve months. On the lettings front, demand from tenants seeking rental housing grew at a solid rate with a net balance of +55% of contributors noting an increase in February. The continuing drought of new homes listed by landlords however showed the supply side remained challenging – with -21% of respondents citing a fall (down further from the -13% in January). As a result, rental growth expectations continued to be driven higher, reaching +66% nationally – the highest figure on record since December 2012. Twelve-month rental growth projections now stand at 4.5%, while respondents anticipate rents increasing by an average of 5% per annum over the next five years (close to a series high). Simon Rubinsohn, RICS Chief Economist, said: “Huge clouds of uncertainty hang over the economic prospects as energy prices continue to surge and the Bank of England grapples with how to manage monetary policy in this challenging environment. “Despite all of this, there is little evidence yet that the mood music regarding the expectations for house prices or rents is shifting. Indeed, the medium-term projections from respondents to the RICS survey are continuing to gain momentum. “It may well be that these trends ease as the deteriorating macro environment begins to bite but the message that keeps recurring, both for sales and lettings, is there are in aggregate many more prospective purchasers and renters than properties available. The risk is that these imbalances exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis and the challenges particularly for those on lower incomes.”
With the arrival of the new DX380DM-7 model, Doosan has completed the company’s range of new High Reach Demolition Excavators. The DX380DM-7 has joined the existing DX235DM-5 and DX530DM-5 demolition models launched in the last two years. These are complemented by the company’s new range of Material Handler models and together both ranges cover the majority of applications in the demolition, waste and recycling industry. The new Material Handler range now offers three models – the wheeled DX230WMH-5 and DX250WMH-5 and the tracked DX225MH-5 model. Increased Flexibility In all of Doosan’s demolition excavators, the operator is housed in a high visibility, tiltable cab, providing an excellent environment particularly suited to high reach demolition applications, with a 30 degree tilting angle. All three machines in the High Reach range provide increased flexibility with a modular boom design and hydraulic lock mechanism. This innovative design facilitates an easy change between a demolition boom and an earthmoving boom to accomplish different types of work on the same project, using the same machine. The multi-boom design also allows the earthmoving boom to be mounted in two different ways, which with the demolition boom, provides further flexibility with a total of three different configurations for the same base machine. A special stand is provided to facilitate the boom changing operation, which is based on quick-change hydraulic and mechanical coupler connections. A cylinder-based system is used to push the locking pins into place to help complete the procedure. When equipped with the demolition boom, the maximum pin height is 18, 23 and 27.5 m on the DX235DM-5, DX380DM-7 and DX530DM-5, respectively. When equipped with the digging boom in the straight configuration, the DX235DM-5, DX380DM-7 and DX530DM-5 can work to maximum heights of 9.0, 10.43 and 13.5 m, respectively. Hydraulically Adjustable Undercarriage All three models share a hydraulically adjustable undercarriage, which extends to a maximum width to provide optimum stability when working on demolition sites. The width of the undercarriage can be retracted hydraulically to a narrow width position, for transporting the machines. The adjusting mechanism is based on a permanently lubricated, internal cylinder design which minimises resistance during the movement and helps to prevent damage to the components. On all the Doosan demolition excavators, standard safety features include a FOGS cabin guard, safety valves for the boom, intermediate boom and arm cylinders and a stability warning system. A Choice of Three New Material Handlers Doosan is now offering a choice of three different material handler models. The 23 tonne DX230WMH-5 and DX250WMH-5 25 tonne wheeled machines are based on Doosan’s popular DX210W-5 wheeled excavator. The new DX225MH-5 25 tonne crawler model is based on Doosan’s successful DX225LC-5 22 tonne excavator – the crawler type undercarriage is particularly suited for work in difficult ground conditions. All three models have been designed specifically for a wide range of material sorting and handling applications such as those in the scrap metal and other solid waste and recycling industries, as well as demolition, forestry and logging. Designed to carry out the toughest tasks, the DX230WMH-5 and DX250WMH-5 are built with front and rear stabilizers, and a boom and arm specifically designed for material handling tasks. A standard feature is the hydraulic cab riser, which gives the operator better all-around visibility of the attachment and work area. When combined with the rear view camera display in the cab, the operator has excellent visibility of the job site. The maximum pin heights on the DX230WMH-5 and DX250WMH-5 are 11.7 m and 12.0 m, the maximum operating reaches are 10.1 m and 10.7 m and the maximum working depths are 4.2 m and 4.7 m, respectively. The DX225MH-5 is equipped with factory-fitted material handling features such as a 2.5 m elevating cab, a 6.5 m straight boom and a 4.5 m droop nose arm, a counterweight, grapple-ready hydraulics and additional guarding. The maximum pin height in the DX225MH-5 is 11.7 m, the maximum operating reach is 10.6 m and the maximum working depth is 5.2 m. The DX225MH-5 has two arm cylinders for extra balance and more stability and lesser movement when using attachments such as grapples. The DX230WMH-5 and DX250WMH-5 are powered by the 6-cylinder, turbocharged Doosan DL06PA water-cooled diesel engine, providing an output of 129.4 kW (173.5 HP). The new DX225MH-5 material handler is powered by the 6-cylinder, turbocharged Doosan DL06K water-cooled diesel engine, providing an output of 124 kW (166 HP). An optional generator is available as a turnkey solution without requiring additional modification. For added durability, an optional V-guard protects the machine sides and components behind the doors. Options Doosan can also provide a range of options such as gooseneck and straight arms, solid tyres and FOGS as well as different attachments to match customers’ applications and to enhance productivity, for a wide range of material sorting and handling applications. There are a number of factory installed options for the material handlers, including the following: Additional work lamps Cab guarding Frame guards Fuel filter pump Rotating beacon Solid tyres Air compressor Double pump flow Rubber track pad DoosanCONNECT Telematics DoosanCONNECT telematics is standard on all the Doosan demolition excavators and material handlers, and comes with a three-year subscription. DoosanCONNECT telematics provides location information and a full range of machine operational information to owners, dealers and Doosan. Information is provided through a simple user interface, accessible online via a web-enabled computer or smartphone. The goal of telematics is to help owners monitor their Doosan equipment and manage maintenance to reduce operating costs. For more on Doosan construction equipment, visit the website: www.eu.doosanequipment.com
Only with integrated building design can truly sustainable buildings be built. Clivet, in order to meet the needs of design professionals in terms of BIM (Building Information Modeling) content and information, has made available the BIM objects of its air conditioning systems on the BIM&CO platform and implemented its website with the online 3D cataloging service, offering access to further technical information in a dedicated area. BIM & CO is a cooperative platform that allows everyone to create, publish, contribute and use BIM objects from all over the world, free of charge, for digital modelling (multilingual management, LOD classification, standard properties coordination system, IFC compatibility, etc.). The BIM library of Clivet products, which includes VRF systems, air conditioning systems and heat pumps for the residential sector, heat pumps and hydronic chillers for the tertiary sector and industry, air renewal and purification systems and is constantly implemented, allows the designer to quickly find the digital product he needs, in the most congenial format and with all the information required at that precise stage of design. Andrea De Piccoli, who coordinated Clivet’s BIM project, comments: Innovation and digitalization are elements in which Clivet has always invested, so we immediately took advantage of the opportunity offered by the Bim&CO platform. The company’s objective is to become the European centre of excellence in air conditioning systems, and being present on portals and within the tools used by designers will allow us to reach a greater number of professionals worldwide, responding to their needs to simplify design and guaranteeing a complete 360° service.”
Leased 1.28 million SQM in 2021 – a 64% increase compared to 2020 Accelerated acquisitions and completed developments over the last two years GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics warehouses and distribution parks, announced record progress on investment, leasing and development activity in 2021, significantly expanding its presence across Europe. GLP saw high levels of activity and growth across its European business over the past twelve months. Total Assets under Management (AUM) as at 31 December 2021 was €14.3bn ($16.2bn) with an operating portfolio of 6.4 million SQM, comprising 216 properties and a further 21 under development. This compares to 31 December 2020, when GLP’s Total AUM was €10.3bn ($12.7bn) with a portfolio of 4.9 million SQM across 171 properties. In response to the continued growing demand for logistics space, GLP has accelerated its development programme, starting 27 new projects comprising 688,000 SQM of new space across Europe – a new record for GLP. This takes GLP’s total completed assets to 5.6 million SQM at the end of 2021, compared to 2.4 million SQM at the end of 2019. GLP’s leasing activity has been equally strong, with a total of 240 customers across its portfolio at the end of 2021, compared to 82 in 2019. In 2021, GLP agreed new or expanded leases on 1.1 million SQM of logistics space, up from 683,000 SQM in 2020 and 462,000 SQM in 2019. In addition, GLP renewed leases on 198,000 SQM of space – nearly double its 2020 figures. Today, GLP’s retention rates stand at 74% across Europe with a lease ratio of 97%*. GLP has had continued success supporting customers from outside the EU to enter European markets. In 2021, GLP agreed 14 leases to non-European customers compared to 8 in 2020. Nick Cook, President, GLP Europe, commented: “The growth of GLP has been fantastic to be a part of. We sit within one of the most important sectors in the global economy and one which has come to the fore over the past two years. Our development and leasing activity reflects the strength of the logistics market, despite broader macro-economic challenges. We are particularly pleased to see the continued confidence that our customers place in us reflected in our high occupancy and retention rates. We are grateful to our extraordinary team for delivering these results in such difficult conditions.”
Ordinary potted houseplants can potentially make a significant contribution to reducing air pollution in homes and offices, according to new research led by the University of Birmingham and in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). During a series of experiments monitoring common houseplants exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – a common pollutant – researchers calculated that in some conditions, the plants could be able to reduce NO2 by as much as 20 per cent. The results are published in Air Quality Atmosphere and Health. The researchers tested three houseplants commonly found in UK homes, easy to maintain and not overly expensive to buy. They included Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans) and fern arum (Zamioculcas zamiifolia). Each plant was put, by itself, into a test chamber containing levels of NO2 comparable to an office situated next to a busy road. Over a period of one hour, the team calculated that all the plants, regardless of species, were able to remove around half the NO2 in the chamber. The performance of the plants was not dependent on the plants’ environment, for example whether it was in light or dark conditions, and whether the soil was wet or dry. Lead researcher Dr Christian Pfrang said: “The plants we chose were all very different from each other, yet they all showed strikingly similar abilities to remove NO2 from the atmosphere. This is very different from the way indoor plants take up CO2 in our earlier work, which is strongly dependent on environmental factors such as night time or daytime, or soil water content.” The team also calculated what these results might mean for a small office (15 m3) and a medium-sized office (100 m3) with different levels of ventilation. In a poorly ventilated small office with high levels of air pollution, they calculated that five houseplants would reduce NO2 levels by around 20 per cent. In the larger space, the effect would be smaller – 3.5 per cent, though this effect would be increased by adding more plants. While the effects of the plants in reducing NO2 are clear, the precise mechanism by which they do this remain a mystery. Dr Pfrang added: “We don’t think the plants are using the same process as they do for CO2 uptake, in which the gas is absorbed through stomata – tiny holes – in the leaves. There was no indication, even during longer experiments, that our plants released the NO2 back into the atmosphere, so there is likely a biological process taking place also involving the soil the plant grows in – but we don’t yet know what that is.” Dr Tijana Blanusa, principal horticultural scientist at the RHS and one of the researchers involved in the study said: “This complements RHS efforts to understand scientific detail behind what we know to be a popular passion. Understanding the limits of what we can expect from plants helps us plan and advise on planting combinations that not only look good but also provide an important environmental service.” In the next phase of the research, the team will be designing sophisticated tools for modelling air quality indoors encompassing a much wider range of variables. The new project, funded by the Met Office, will use mobile air quality measuring instruments to identify pollutants and test their effects in both residential and office spaces, producing a wealth of data to inform the tool’s development.
International architecture and interiors practice Finkernagel Ross has completely refurbished a Belgravia Mews House to create a modern, elegant, space optimising, family home. Bright and open living spaces enhanced with calm and considered interior design have made for a warm, characterful home, unique to the needs of the homeowners — a family of four who split their time between Asia and London. The transformation involved completely gutting the interior to maximise space and light within the existing building envelope. Moving the stairway, which now doubles as practical storage, to the middle of the house has created a central timber-clad spine. This acts as a division between the kitchen and dining area and separate living area, maximising available living space while providing for a sociable, airy living space. The compact kitchen has the feel of a much larger home, allowing plenty of space for cooking and storage. Upstairs, the roof space has been opened up, exposing the trusses to make the rooms feel larger and allowing light in through new roof windows. The childrens’ bedroom has been cleverly designed to achieve maximum floor space for play by creating two loft-style beds at the mezzanine level, and a pull-down bed offers space for visiting guests. Contemporary finishes and modern and textured materials complete the transformation of the home. Oak joinery has been used throughout, creating a seamless translation from one room to the next, and adding warmth to an otherwise calm interior palette. Care and attention have been paid to details such as bespoke joinery, and the interior of the house now does justice to the promise of the charming front facade. Art has been carefully placed to draw the eye and add interest and thoughtfully selected accessories give a finished look. The quality of the building fabric has also been improved – a new roof, and insulated render, double glazed windows, and roof lights have brought the home up to modern standards while keeping the house within the character and aesthetic of Belgravia. Affiliated because of their shared values of exceptional quality and client-centric service, this project was delivered by architects Finkernagel Ross and contractor Danlaw. The duo formed an alliance for the smooth, successful delivery of this design and build project, allowing the homeowner to take advantage of a full range of services. Danlaw, who are also chartered surveyors, managed planning and Grosvenor Estate permission, and delivered a full build service, while Finkernagel Ross provided a full architectural and interior design service. From the peaceful, calm interiors of the home, the challenges faced in delivering this completely refurbished home now seem far removed from the finished house. Beginning and ending in lockdown, with Brexit somewhere in between, and undertaken for a client on the other side of the world, this project was never going to be straightforward. But the result is a beautiful, considered home, which works perfectly for the unique needs of the homeowner.
Leading holiday homes manufacturer Victory Leisure Homes has announced a unique new partnership with market-leading systems, software, services and manufacturing equipment specialists Hilti. The partnership has seen Victory implement an advanced asset management system across the business that is bespoke to its exact needs. An innovative collaboration, Victory is the only holiday home manufacturer to use Hilti’s management system in this way. Enabling Victory to manage vital components across its Hull and East Yorkshire sites, Hilti’s ON!Track asset management system uses data matrix codes and Bluetooth technology to track and manage tools, equipment and materials via a cloud software platform. The unique collaboration significantly reduces timescales across all aspects of the manufacturing process, with ON!Track saving Victory up to 6,000 hours per year. As part of the partnership Victory also benefits from Hilti’s all-inclusive fleet contract, which gives access to unlimited manufacturing support and maintenance, and significantly shorter lead times to receive new tools, alongside the option to upgrade Hilti’s top-of-the-range fleet every three years. Mark Hewitt, director of operations at Victory Leisure Homes, said: “As a company that prides itself on challenging the norm and turning traditional processes on their head, we were eager to make the most of Hilti’s market-leading ON!Track technology to create the most efficient and productive system possible for our team. “As well as providing workers with the very best tools for the job, the partnership streamlines the manufacturing process and allows the team to have complete visibility on everything they need with one touch of a button. “Our decision to partner with Hilti came after trialling its system for six months. We place a great deal of value on the views of our workforce and their feedback on the trial was extremely positive.” The new system also allows Victory to help efficiently support its 45001:2018 accreditation in Occupational Health and Safety and ensure its sites remain compliant, safe, and productive. In addition, management can run automated reports on the status of all units within seconds, reducing downtime and substantially decreasing paperwork. Sebastiaan Groenhuijsen, head of product management for Northern Europe at Hilti, added: “It’s always great when businesses use our ON!Track asset management system in new and innovative ways. By tagging its large catalogue of holiday homes, Victory has used out-of-the-box thinking to tailor ON!Track to the business – which we hope will inspire others to do the same. We look forward to continuing this partnership with Victory and our future collaborations.” Other benefits of the partnership include regular tools servicing to ensure all tools are fit for use and remain within the vibration levels for the user.
Recruitment company Calibre Search has moved across the Northern Quarter and into the newly refurbished Nine Stephenson Square office space, after revenues reached £5.5 million. The investment in a ‘first class’ working environment is the result of Calibre’s confidence in the marketplace – particularly the recent boom in early stage construction projects. Calibre Search, advocates of flexible working and striking a smooth work life balance, will introduce 10 further specialist recruiters by the end of the year to its 1,461 sq ft base. The company – specialists in the built environment, HVAC, IT and marketing – is on course to register revenues of £6.6m in 2022, a £2m increase on its 2020 turnover figure. Pete Gillick, Director, Calibre Search, described the past several months as ‘the busiest period in the company’s history’, and predicted further growth in activity well into 2022 and beyond. It comes after new construction orders rose by 9.2% (£1,121m) in Q4 2021 compared with Q3 2021 – higher than the last full quarter not affected by the pandemic (Q4 2019), according to the Office for National Statistics. New orders in Q4 2021 are also at their highest level since High Speed 2 affected Q3 2017. “Part of our vision is to be the ‘go-to partner’ in the industries we service and I think we are achieving that The demand for talent that we are seeing from our large corporation and SME clients is similar to the economic boom of 2005 / 06. While 2020 was tough, we bounced back very quickly. Many of our clients are at the earlier stages of construction and can’t find the right people themselves which continues to drive opportunities,” said Pete. Calibre Search’s clients include the biggest names in the built environment space; with many saying they can’t respond quickly enough to big jobs, according to Pete. “It’s across the board,” he said. “We recruit for roles including engineering consultants, construction professionals, environmental scientists, architects, planners and hydrologists and are seeing more corporate activity than we’ve ever seen before. And it’s not just the private sector. “You can’t drive anywhere without seeing roadworks at the moment, housing is taking off and there’s a lot of work in flood defence. The challenge is finding the talent to fill the gaps. But we’ve never been this busy and we have a superb team and hope to recruit more of the same quality.” Calibre Search, which also has an office in Leeds, used to be based at The Landmark building on back Turner Street in the Northern Quarter. Nine Stephenson Square base was a building originally constructed in the second quarter of the 19th century and one that has housed numerous companies from the music, banking and fashion industries. Pete added: “We are finding that after an initial drive of people wanting to work from home that some now want to leave the house more often. That has led us to investing in a much improved and newly refurbished office space which offers the highest quality environment when it comes to the experience of coming to work. “We will be doubling headcount from seven to at least 14 in the next 12 months and have the capacity to grow to over 20 staff in Manchester.”
Karen Godfrey from Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd has won the first ever Inspiring Women in Safety Award at this year’s RoSPA Health and Safety Awards. This new award, sponsored by L’Oréal, was launched for 2022 to recognise an individual who has made a significant inspirational impact in the world of health, safety and wellbeing, through activities within the workplace, or by use of their skills and expertise beyond the workplace. Entrants were narrowed down to a shortlist and RoSPA Awards judges considered how nominees have been a source of inspiration, for instance by showing passion in the way they work, influencing networks beyond their organisation or championing gender, diversity and inclusion. The shortlist in full was: Fran Collison, Safety Director – UK, Aramark UK Perla Cunha, Health and Safety Coordinator, Integrated Packing Services Karen Godfrey, SHE Manager and Mental Health Lead, Construction Yorkshire & North East, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd Kat Parsons, Interim Head of HSEQ: Professional Services and Technology, ISS Facility Services Ltd Carolyn Smith, Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, The VPS Group Anna Vine, Associate Director, Property Management FM, CBRE This year’s winner, Karen Godfrey, works as the SHE Manager and Mental Health Lead, Construction Yorkshire & North East, at Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd Karen was praised by the judges for her stand-out efforts in the construction industry, and strong focus on using her skills to develop others to grow in their health and safety careers. Her passion for supporting mental health improvement across the industry was also described as innovative and inspiring. In addition, Fran Collison, Safety Director – UK at food service, facilities, and uniform services provider, Aramark UK, was highly commended. Fran was praised by the judges for her person-centered approach to health and safety leadership, with her focus on keeping people engaged and involved making a huge difference throughout the pandemic. “Each of our shortlisted women has been hugely inspirational within their own sphere of influence. We hope that this recognition will encourage women across the world that the work they do adds value and saves lives,” said Dr Karen McDonnell, RoSPA’s Occupational Safety and Health Policy Adviser.
