More than 600 students of all ages and over 200 industry professionals attended Foundations Live 2022 – one of the north of England’s biggest construction, trade, networking, and careers events. Despite the torrential downpour, exhibitors, trades people, students and teachers were all able to keep dry and explore more than
Utilities have worked on a new joint venture that will create extra infrastructure and reduce roadworks for residents in the East End of London. For the past 18 months, UK Power Networks and Thames Water have been working with the Mayor of London’s Infrastructure Coordination Service and the London Borough
Finning, sole dealer of Cat® machines and equipment in the UK & Ireland, is urging its customers to sign up to the new Cat Productivity platform, a cloud-based system designed to gather and analyse a vast range of machine data that will boost machine performance and productivity. Customers will be able to
HS2 Ltd’s 125 metre-long ‘Dorothy’ tunnel boring machine has launched for her second one-mile tunnel bore under Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire, marking the next big milestone for construction on the northern section of Phase One. After launching in December 2021, the Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) tunnelling team worked around
NATIONAL framework provider Pagabo has proudly confirmed that it has surpassed £5 billion enabled in social value procured through its frameworks since the end of 2017. The achievement is testament to the significance Pagabo places on leaving a positive legacy through all projects procured through its various frameworks, which cover
A new Director of Research is set to take Lancaster University’s School of Architecture in an international direction and to help build a leading global destination for aspiring architects. Having spent the last 15 years at Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), Professor Richard Brook, a registered architect and architectural historian,
Social housing developer First Endeavour LLP has invested in a complete range of on and off machine technology from SITECH® UK & Ireland to optimise engineer time and site productivity as council projects flood in for the New Year. The Scottish business with offices in Aberdeen and Fife began discussions
One of the world’s leading experts in wellbeing has endorsed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Working Minds campaign, highlighting the importance of targeting smaller businesses. Professor Sir Cary Cooper joined HSE Chair Sarah Newton on HSE’s latest podcast to mark the first anniversary of Working Minds, where they discussed
Seddon wraps up 125th birthday year with £1m now fundraised for The ChristieTeam runs, cycles, walks, swims and sky-dives the length of the UK’s coastline three times to raise the landmark figure…Other funds have also been raised to support local foodbanks, homeless… accommodation and schools as employees select charities close
Last week YMCA St Paul’s Group, Thornsett and Neilcott Construction marked a major milestone in the redevelopment of the YMCA Wimbledon – a new state-of-the-art building facing on to The Broadway, Wimbledon. This ceremony marks the topping out of the new YMCA Wimbledon building, an exciting development that, when complete,
More than 600 students of all ages and over 200 industry professionals attended Foundations Live 2022 – one of the north of England’s biggest construction, trade, networking, and careers events. Despite the torrential downpour, exhibitors, trades people, students and teachers were all able to keep dry and explore more than 80 exhibition stands inside the huge arena at Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire. Hobson & Porter, the event’s main organiser, was joined by the likes of Beal Homes, Vinci Construction, Keepmoat, Balfour Beatty, Spencer Group, Jewson, Dulux, British Gypsum, and Plasmor. In addition to all the schools, colleges, and training providers from across the region, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and representatives from Talentview Construction were also on hand to help people find first jobs, apprenticeships, and work experience opportunities. David Blades, SHEQ director at Hobson & Porter, said: “It was great to see Foundations Live back in action and in full force for the first time in three years due to the pandemic. It proved to be our biggest and most successful event to date. It was the perfect environment for those working in construction and engineering to network and find out about the latest sustainable and technological developments, as well as get information on how to access grants and funding. “With hundreds of young people of all ages engaging with our exhibitors and interactive activities, we were also able to showcase what wonderful sectors construction and engineering are, and hopefully help to address some of the current skills shortages the sectors are facing.” According to the CITB 19,000 extra workers need to be recruited to meet expected levels of work over the five-year forecast period. Ms M Joshi, from The Market Weighton School, said: “It was a very productive morning and the students have all enjoyed it. With practical tasks that have given them hands on experiences, as well as excellent businesses to talk to, students have been able to engage in really productive and informative ways that will no doubt help them when making their career choices.” Exhibitor Alicia Bowyer, from Synthotech Ltd, said: “We work with Northern Gas Networks and came to showcase some of the technology we use when servicing their pipes. We brought our robot with us that has a camera and sprays a flexible sealant inside the pipes to fix cracking joints. The kids loved it and were really enthusiastic asking loads of questions. We are part of the innovation team and it’s great to get in front of the next generation and explain what we do.” Sarah Cooper, from Northern Gas Networks, said: “It’s the fourth time we have exhibited at Foundations Live. One year we brought one of our sniffer dogs that spots gas leaks, which was really popular and this year we brought the hydrogen car with us. These kind of events are great for us as we get to chat to people about the huge variety of careers available – you don’t have to be a gas engineer to work for us!” Mike Hutchinson from window firm, Fakro, said: “We have been before, and each year take a larger stand! It’s a really good event where we get to speak to joiners, carpenters and builders and companies like Jewson about our window products. The students have all been engaged and interested in how we manufacture and install our products and we can’t wait for next year!” Sharon Tallett, from Bishop Burton College, said: “What a great event! I have had invaluable conversations at Foundations Live, particularly about sustainability. Everyone has been so friendly and informative, and I have made some great industry contacts too.” TV host Mark Millar also returned to the event as Foundations Ambassador. Mark is an experienced project manager who runs a successful building firm in Bristol and is the presenter of Channel 5’s primetime series Dream Kitchens And Bathrooms He’s also one of the most recognised faces on BBC One’s DIY SOS and he’s passionate about developing the talent of the future and promoting the construction industry as a career to the next generation. Foundations Live will take place next October 2023, for more details visit www.foundationslive.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Utilities have worked on a new joint venture that will create extra infrastructure and reduce roadworks for residents in the East End of London. For the past 18 months, UK Power Networks and Thames Water have been working with the Mayor of London’s Infrastructure Coordination Service and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to develop a future-proofing pilot project. As the Isle of Dogs in Tower Hamlets, is a high growth area likely to need new utilities for future developments, extra cabling tubes have been laid during current excavation work in Byng Street.UK Power Networks, Thames Water, the Mayor’s Infrastructure Coordination Service and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets who fund the project, are driving forward a ‘dig-once ‘approach to avoid future disruption. Delivering quick and efficient roadworks earned UK Power Networks multiple national awards over the past two years, including jointly winning the Highways Partnership Award just last month (October). Now the company is collaborating on this unique scheme. Colin Smith, streetworks manager at UK Power Networks, said: “From ensuring work sites are compliant and safe, to letting people know about our works at an early stage, we do all we can to minimise disruption for people whenever possible. This influential scheme of works will help to secure vital supplies for this area in years to come.” Engineers at UK Power Networks work in consultation with local businesses and community groups, to minimise disruption during the essential work and the collaboration is helping to foster innovation. Deputy mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills at Greater London Authority, Jules Pipe CBE, said: “The Byng Street project is a successful example of utility companies and highway authorities collaborating to future-proof strategic locations in high-growth areas. Driving forward the dig-once approach, it demonstrates how innovation in infrastructure delivery brings benefits to local residents, businesses and the environment.” Simon Moore, head of London planning at Thames Water, said: “It makes sense for utility companies such as ourselves and UK Power Networks to better collaborate with the highways authorities. Working closely together we can provide a more streamlined service for local residents and businesses across London and ensure the capital’s infrastructure is ready to meet the challenges of aging assets, climate change and population growth. “Schemes such as in Byng Street show that by working together we can collectively deliver critical asset renewal programmes more quickly, less disruptively and more cost effectively.” UK Power Networks delivers electricity to 2.3 million London properties including homes, businesses, schools and hospitals. With more than 10 million people due to be living in London by 2030, the firm is making sure the electricity network is ready for the future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Finning, sole dealer of Cat® machines and equipment in the UK & Ireland, is urging its customers to sign up to the new Cat Productivity platform, a cloud-based system designed to gather and analyse a vast range of machine data that will boost machine performance and productivity. Customers will be able to track how much time their machines spend loading, hauling and dumping and how work is progressing whether they are on site or not. Armed with a superior level of analysis, customers are better placed to make informed decisions to ensure each piece of equipment is performing to a higher level – across multiple sites and projects. Tom Barker, Performance Solutions Consultant for Finning UK & Ireland, said: “The Cat Productivity platform gives customers the information they need to implement the right changes to improve site productivity by lowering the cost per ton through measures such as reducing idle time, reducing fuel monitor material tracking, and track individual assets to ensure they are optimally positioned to reduce cycle time. “We already have a number of customers utilising the platform and have had some great feedback from them because it’s so easy to use and gives them all the information they need in one place, both for reporting purposes to their client and to implement effective changes which add up to big improvements in productivity.” Cat Productivity can be accessed 24/7 from any internet device and can be used for mixed fleets of Cat and non-Cat machines. It gathers accurate data from multiple jobsites and machines into one platform on everything from tonnes per hour, cycles per hour, load count by site or asset, working vs. idle hours and machine fuel burn, making reporting simple and improvements to jobsite operation easy to implement. In a Cat production study which looked at two scenarios, insights from Cat Productivity led to an optimised bucket-filling process which delivered a 20% advantage in cycle time, and an optimised truck-loading process which led to a 23% improvement in fuel efficiency. Jobsite Dashboards allow users to view a summary of multiple jobsites and metrics at a glance on one screen such as number of assets, tonnes per hour and cycles per hour, while one click into the Productivity tab allows a deeper dive into weekly load counts by asset and site for example, and cost totals for idle time and per tonne. The platform also provides an interactive map so users can monitor the movement of their assets 24/7 and monitor dump events. To help customers get the most from Cat Productivity Finning are offering the platform as part of three support packages – Inform, Advise or Partner – which start from a set-up only bundle and range to a full partnership package to assist in implementing a continuous improvement programme. For an exclusive look at the new Cat Productivity platform register for FINROCK 22 to see a live interactive demonstration. Registration is completely free – register your place here: www.finrock.live Alternatively call the Finning team on 0800 169 2186. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HS2 Ltd’s 125 metre-long ‘Dorothy’ tunnel boring machine has launched for her second one-mile tunnel bore under Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire, marking the next big milestone for construction on the northern section of Phase One. After launching in December 2021, the Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) tunnelling team worked around the clock in shifts over seven months, with the TBM becoming the first on the HS2 project to complete a tunnel drive in July 2022. HS2’s Senior Project Manager for Long Itchington Wood Tunnel, Doug Barnett: “After celebrating HS2’s first historic tunnel breakthrough in July, this TBM reassembly and relaunch is another first for the HS2 project. One year after Dorothy launched for her first drive, she’s now set off for the second bore, and we look forward to seeing the next HS2 tunnel breakthrough in summer 2023.” Over the last four months since the breakthrough, the gantries of the tunnel boring machine, which weigh over 1,000 tonnes, were brought back through the tunnel and reassembled at the north portal. The huge cutterhead, weighing 160 tonnes and with a 10 metre diameter, was moved by road during an intricate night-time operation in September. The TBM’s 130 tonne tail skin and eight other large pieces from the TBM’s front shield and middle shield, were also transported by specialist equipment. This is the sixth tunnel launch on the project, but the first time a TBM has been reassembled and reused. Four other TBMs are currently in the ground, digging twin bore tunnels under the Chilterns and London. When the TBM breaks through next summer, Long Itchington Wood Tunnel will be the first twin tunnel to be completed on HS2. Neil Johnson, Tunnels Delivery Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “This has been an intense four months for the 300-strong team, including an intricate logistical operation to safely transport the TBM’s giant cutterhead and tail skin back to the north portal. This is another fantastic milestone for BBV and a proud moment for our fantastic tunnelling team.” Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice Jake Flood from Walsall has just joined BBV’s tunnelling team and was on site to celebrate the launch of the TBM. He said: “After successfully completing my Construction T-level qualification at Walsall College, including an industry placement with BBV, I’m really thrilled to now be working in the tunnelling team. It’s been amazing to be involved in the relaunch of Dorothy, and to celebrate this milestone on site.” 18-year-old Leah Hickman from Cannock, who has just started a degree-level Chartered Surveyor Apprenticeship with BBV, also joined the team to mark the occasion. Leah said: “Working on such a huge project while I do my degree apprenticeship is brilliant. As one of BBV’s 100 apprentices, it’s providing so many great experiences, and I’m looking forward to being part of more big moments as HS2 is built in the Midlands.” The tunnel, which preserves the ancient woodland above, forms a key element in how HS2 is managing environmental impacts through the design of the railway, protecting Britain’s precious wildlife habitats. Long Itchington Wood is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with complex ecosystems that have taken hundreds of years to establish. Excavation of the twin bore tunnel will produce around 500,000 tonnes of mudstone and soil, which is being processed at an on-site slurry treatment plant and separated out before being transported by a 254 metre conveyer to be used to build embankments along the route of the railway. The TBM is named ‘Dorothy’ after Dorothy Hodgkin, who in 1964 became the first British woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
NATIONAL framework provider Pagabo has proudly confirmed that it has surpassed £5 billion enabled in social value procured through its frameworks since the end of 2017. The achievement is testament to the significance Pagabo places on leaving a positive legacy through all projects procured through its various frameworks, which cover a range of sectors including construction and utilities. While making procurement quicker, simpler, and more effective for both the public and private sectors, tailored social value approaches are encouraged for each project so that social, economic and environmental benefits are all considered based on the needs of communities concerned. A number of important Pagabo procured projects have recently progressed, which have bolstered the firm’s social value statistics – including St Mark’s School in Southampton, delivered by Morgan Sindall. In total, the £5 billion value includes the creation of more than 5,900 new jobs and the safeguarding of a further 23,700 jobs, as well as 1,900 work placements and more than 1,500 apprentice roles. Jason Stapley, managing director at Pagabo, said: “We’re very proud to have reached this major social value milestone and to be proving our commitment to encouraging clients and suppliers to put social value at the core of their business cultures and operations too. “Our impact can be seen across the UK through our full suite of frameworks and will continue to improve lives of those both young and old for years to come. Many areas need local investment in its various forms, which will vary from place to place, meaning the generation of truly impactful, local social value is a true reflection of the amazing work being delivered for public sector clients.” Pagabo generates its figures using Loop’s social value calculation software, which uses The National Social Value Standard’s social value measurement framework that includes more than 800 metrics – 90% of which are monetised – all aimed at increasing the robustness and accuracy of forecasts and estimates. Jason continued: “Social value is referenced in the government’s Construction Playbook in relation to benchmarking, clear specifications, award and evaluation, so it’s importance during the entire construction timeline cannot be more clearly stated.” To help organisations understand, evidence, and measure the social impact of their work, all Pagabo framework users have access to Loop and its social value software developed and updated in line with the latest academic and government thinking. Gerard Toplass, chief executive at The 55 Group, which includes Pagabo and Loop, said: “At Pagabo we’re eager to pursue innovative ways to increase and improve social value. The 55 Group ties together the knowledge of multiple cross-industry businesses and one way we all benefit is through the exposure of social value that many of our partners and clients know they are generating but find difficult to measure and quantify. “As an early adopter of social value calculation, we have been able to refine our processes and ensure we maintain our commitment to having social value at the core of all our business operations. Passing the £5 billion mark is fantastic and we’re on a mission to be in a position in which we look back and realise this was only the beginning.” With Pagabo rolling out its new refit and refurbishment and medium works frameworks in early 2023, the procurement specialist’s social value impact is set to continue rising. For more information about Pagabo, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new Director of Research is set to take Lancaster University’s School of Architecture in an international direction and to help build a leading global destination for aspiring architects. Having spent the last 15 years at Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), Professor Richard Brook, a registered architect and architectural historian, sees his new role at Lancaster as a commitment and investment in the School’s culture, its external relations and its international standing, as well as providing stimulating new challenges and opportunities. Hailing from Chorley, award-winning Professor Brook is a great advocate for the region. “I really believe in the North West as a cultural force and an economic power,” he says. “And, within that, Lancaster University’s School of Architecture is a very different place with a very specific offer. Its proximity to the Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park, offers incredible possibilities to explore novel material technologies amidst highly protected landscapes. “The openness of campus and its spacious, green environment presents wonderful opportunities for live building projects already developed through the Summer School events of the past few years.” At Lancaster Professor Brook, is responsible for authoring and leading the architectural history and theory programmes and directing the development of the School’s research. “I view this role as Director of Research as an opportunity to make a serious and lasting commitment, building on the national and international networks I have established, as one that is enticing and energising,” he says. Building on the School’s already strong research culture, with a full complement of research active staff, Professor Brook will lead the development of multi-disciplinary special interest groups allied to the design research laboratory ImaginationLancaster. “In my own research I partner with heritage organisations, charities and statutory bodies, using novel digital means to bring history to life through a strong record of public engagement,” he explains. “As an architectural historian, my work focusses on the post-war period, of which I take a holistic view. “As such, my work examines the architecture, landscape, planning, urbanism and infrastructure of the period, their interwoven ideas and how they were influenced by successive government administrations and their policies. “I want to connect teaching and research in ways that capitalise on Lancaster’s quality as a research-intensive university to create unique programmes that respond to the global challenges of our times. “The School’s existing focus on future practice, digital crafts and the climate emergency are perfectly aligned with its geographical location, research expertise and international networks.” Professor Brook, who qualified whilst working for BDP, an international firm of architects and engineers with their roots in Preston, entered academia as a lecturer at the University of Liverpool. At the MSA he held a succession of leadership roles before his appointment as Professor of Architecture and Urbanism – experience that he is keen to apply to the young School at Lancaster as he joins this month. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Social housing developer First Endeavour LLP has invested in a complete range of on and off machine technology from SITECH® UK & Ireland to optimise engineer time and site productivity as council projects flood in for the New Year. The Scottish business with offices in Aberdeen and Fife began discussions to fit their machines with SITECH Trimble technology six months ago after experiencing a shortage of skilled labour, as the business shifted to bring more of its building services in-house and new development sites began to stack up. With projects lined up for the next eight years for housing providers including Fife, Angus and Aberdeen Councils, First Endeavour LLP have invested in machine control, 3D designs, project monitoring and reporting technology with SITECH. This includes four excavator Trimble 3D Earthworks Kits, a Trimble total station, a GNSS Rover and a drone with Trimble Stratus and Trimble Business Centre modelling software giving the company a complete start to finish solution – helping to make productivity, efficiency and safety gains which give them a competitive advantage Scott Napier, Engineering Manager at First Endeavour, said: “We’ve purchased four 20 tonne excavators and two 14 tonne excavators which SITECH have fitted with Trimble, technology, and we’ve just purchased a 35-tonne excavator and two dump trucks which means we can do our own cut and fill so we’re making some big investments now. “When we began discussions with Liam at SITECH we were looking for two more engineers and he explained how the technology could help us to progress projects, because we’re so busy with so many sites going through planning that I need to survey and engineer them as efficiently as possible and iron out any issues quickly. “Surveying using the drone and Trimble Stratus has been a revelation to us as it is a one-stop shop. As soon as we purchase a site we now go out and survey it with the drone then the data goes into the Trimble Stratus software and I get the worksite map back within hours which I can go into and get all sorts of measurements and estimate volumes. “Our surveyors are using it now to calculate volumes, completed distances and distances to be completed, and we give our clients access to the platform so they can see their site in its entirety while it’s in progress – which they really like. “From the office I can see where everything is being moved to and from, which saves me a lot of time with site visits. The Trimble Works Manager is fantastic for me as I can make changes, troubleshoot problems, and send solutions straight to the excavator.” SITECH provided ongoing training and systems support to Scott so he could have full confidence in the new systems, and he admits that while some of their operators had concerns about using the machine control technology at first, they now love how simple it is to use and the degree of accuracy it delivers. “It’s so easy to use Trimble that I can’t fault it or the team at SITECH who always come back to me within the hour if I have an issue,” Scott added. “We’ve not finished investing in connected site technology, as we’ve saved over 15% on concrete alone just in relation to doing footings because of the accuracy of the GPS. This may not seem a lot, but at the volume of concrete we use it means the kit has almost paid for itself – and that’s not considering the time savings in terms of manpower. “We now have a one-stop shop for projects from inception to completion and the technology from SITECH has certainly exceeded our expectations.” Liam Payne, Regional Sales Representative at SITECH UK & Ireland, a former site engineer himself, said the accuracy of the GPS technology means customers can work well within tolerances, while the GPS setups along with drone mapping through Trimble Stratus can halve engineer labour time on site profiling roads or setting up batter rails which are time-consuming tasks. He added: “It can also eliminate health and safety concerns for site operatives, helping to minimise the risk of suffering trips or falls and reducing the risks present when working around deep excavations.” “We gave Scott a demo on the Trimble SPS986 GPS rover, SPS720 Total Station and Trimble TSC7 survey controller then we talked about drone surveying because Scott oversees multiple sites which would take days to survey and process using more traditional methods. Stratus can carry out a survey in less than an hour and you receive it a few hours later fully processed ready to share with colleagues or clients.” “Having supported Scott and his team to implement the technology from day one I’m really excited to follow them on their journey. Initially Scott and some of his excavator operators were quite apprehensive about using the technology but now they wouldn’t go back, and it’s exciting to see how it is helping First Endeavour LLP to grow.” To find out more about the construction technology, software and specialist services and training SITECH UK & Ireland offers, visit the website at www.sitechukandireland.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the world’s leading experts in wellbeing has endorsed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Working Minds campaign, highlighting the importance of targeting smaller businesses. Professor Sir Cary Cooper joined HSE Chair Sarah Newton on HSE’s latest podcast to mark the first anniversary of Working Minds, where they discussed the value of good mental health, the impact work-related stress can have on staff and how employers can spot the signs of stress. A frequent contributor to national newspapers, TV and radio, Professor Cooper has written more than 450 scholarly articles for academic journals and is the author/editor of over 170 books. Professor Cooper teaches organisational psychology and health at the University of Manchester and received a knighthood from the Queen in 2014 for his contribution to social sciences. HSE’s Working Minds campaign encourages employers to start to tackle work-related stress and to talk to their staff and take steps to support employees with their mental health in the workplace. Its main aim is to raise awareness of stress and the impact it has on mental health of workers and businesses. Professor Cooper said: “A lot of the bigger companies since the financial crisis of 2008-2015, have really treated stress at work and wellbeing much more seriously, much more strategically. There are now directors of health and wellbeing in many of the big companies and public sector bodies. Indeed, the NHS have – every hospital in the NHS has a non-executive director on its board who’s responsible for employee health and wellbeing. The real issue, and I think why this campaign is a really important one is for the SME sector, small and medium sized enterprises, because they don’t have big HR departments, chief medical officers, and so on.” HSE’s research highlighted that many employers are unaware of their legal duties or how to spot the signs of stress. In response, Working Minds looked to develop networks to promote the legal duties by encouraging employers and workers across all sectors of the economy to sign up as campaign champions. The campaign also has a series of partners who work with HSE to highlight issues around work-place stress and its impact on mental health. HSE Chair Sarah Newton said: “Most employers will understand that it’s their responsibility to think about the physical risks, the physical health concerns that people can have at work, but what they don’t often realise is they have an equal responsibility to the psychological wellbeing of their staff. So, part of our campaign is to remind employers of those legal responsibilities. They do have a duty to do risk assessments of their employees for both physical and psychological risks to ill health, and then to provide them with the toolkits to enable them to assess the risk and then manage and mitigate the risk.” Working Minds encourages employers to promote good mental health in the workplace through collective behaviours and forming habits using the 5 Rs: Reach out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect and make it Routine. To listen to the full podcast with Professor Sir Cary Cooper click here: One year of Working Minds: podcast with Prof Cary Cooper – Work Right to keep Britain safe To become a Working Minds champion click here: Working Minds – Champions – Work Right to keep Britain safe Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Seddon wraps up 125th birthday year with £1m now fundraised for The ChristieTeam runs, cycles, walks, swims and sky-dives the length of the UK’s coastline three times to raise the landmark figure…Other funds have also been raised to support local foodbanks, homeless… accommodation and schools as employees select charities close to their hearts… Family-owned contractor Seddon and its supply chain have come together to celebrate its 125th year in business by fundraising over £1m to cancer charity, The Christie, as well as raising funds for local food banks, through a series of inspiring pledges. A total of 14,220 miles – equivalent to a staggering 36m steps – were ran, cycled, swam, sky-dived and beyond across a momentous year that saw employees reconnecting with one another after a challenging few years. Together, the team’s fundraising feats represented one million ways to say thank you to a charity close to the hearts of so many. The Seddon family has a deep personal connection with The Christie, as two family members have received treatment at the specialist cancer hospital. The late Christopher Seddon (MBE) was treated at The Christie for lung cancer and just a few years later, his daughter, Nicola Hodkinson, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Nicola was treated by The Christie before being declared cancer-free seven months later. Marie Toller, head of major relationships at The Christie charity, said: “Seddon’s incredibly generous fundraising efforts mean a huge amount to The Christie, so reaching £1m in donations is outstanding. We really appreciate all the charity’s support over the last 25 years. “The money directly improves services and helps us to support patients, their families and loved ones during difficult times. It has also significantly contributed to the construction cost of our new centre in Macclesfield, making treatments even more accessible for our patients in the surrounding area for many years to come.” The distances covered by staff through a raft of events amount to travelling around the UK’s coastline three times. 1,700 staff members, along with supply chain partners and customers took part in fundraising events during a landmark year for the contractor. A total of 103 staff members completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge across the region’s three biggest mountains, Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in under 12 hours, with participants racking up a combined 2,678 miles. Seddon staff also took part in 850 park runs, 65 bike rides and 24 football matches with 250 food parcels and easter eggs were donated to local charities and food banks. In addition, managing director Peter Jackson completed a mammoth 125km canal walk between Birmingham in Manchester during the sweltering summer heat, whilst Seddon Homes donated £250 for every new home sold between September 2020 to December 2022. From Seddon Group CEO Jonathan Seddon running the London and Manchester Marathons dressed as Seddon mascot, Seddy Teddy, through to an employee sky-dive, efforts have come from all areas of the business. Each event was selected to amplify the sense of community that powers Seddon and all the work it does. “This is our culture, this is who we are,” said owner and director at Seddon, Nicola Hodkinson. “We’re a sociable organisation, so to come together to reconnect with each other after a difficult few years has been nothing short of inspirational. Together, we’ve walked across hot coals, jumped out of planes and climbed mountains. Every individual effort means so much to Seddon and shows one million ways to say thank you to The Christie for the life-changing work it does and to our local communities too.” She continued: “Few contractors have the heritage that we do; 125 years of business is something to be immensely proud of. As a family-run business that knows all too well of the impact cancer can have on our lives, we are proud to support them in every way that we can.” As well as the financial amount raised for The Christie, employees were encouraged to support charities close to their hearts. Other pledges included donations of gardening equipment to Rowley Hall Primary School, time and resources were donated to complete a garden refurb at the Gateway in Coventry and the donation of 125 tickets to the 2022 Commonwealth Games to employees, customers, and supply chain partners. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Last week YMCA St Paul’s Group, Thornsett and Neilcott Construction marked a major milestone in the redevelopment of the YMCA Wimbledon – a new state-of-the-art building facing on to The Broadway, Wimbledon. This ceremony marks the topping out of the new YMCA Wimbledon building, an exciting development that, when complete, will also provide 135 new homes and two ground floor commercial units. The project partners were joined for the ceremony by the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Joan Henry, the Deputy Mayor of Merton, Councillor Agatha Akyigyina OBE, the Deputy Leader of Merton Council Councillor Eleanor Stringer, and local ward representative Councillor Paul Kohler. The new YMCA Wimbledon building will provide a modern living space for residents including 121 hostel rooms with en-suite bathrooms and cooking facilities. This represents Phase 1 of the redevelopment of the current YMCA site. Residents and the wider community will be able to access enhanced facilities which include a gym, studio space, a children’s play area and new YMCA café. The new facilities are expected to open for use in Summer 2023. This new setting will enhance the quality of service and support that YMCA St Paul’s Group is able to offer to residents and represents a new chapter in the organisation’s work in Merton, which has been ongoing for almost 150 years. To progress the redevelopment of the site, YMCA St Paul’s Group partnered with specialist developer Thornsett and Neilcott Construction. Richard James, CEO of YMCA St Paul’s Group, said: “It’s brilliant to see the new YMCA Wimbledon building take shape – we’re over the moon to have reached this crucial milestone in the project. Meeting the needs of our residents and local community is vital and so we’re delighted to be another step closer to the opening. “We’re thankful to Neilcott, Thornsett, DLA, Merton Council, the Mayor of London and the local community for making this a reality and for their ongoing dedication and support of the project. Myself and the whole YMCA Wimbledon team are very much looking forward to welcoming our residents and the community into the building when it’s completed in 2023.” Gerard Cunningham, Executive Chairman of Thornsett said: “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone. We have worked closely with YMCA St Paul’s Group, Neilcott, Merton Council and the local community to reach this point. These new facilities will serve the community well into the future and further the YMCA’s crucial work.” “We look forward to marking the full completion and opening of the new YMCA building next year. We will then start work on the next phase, which will provide much-needed business space and homes for first-time buyers.” Phase 2 of the project will begin once installation and occupation of the new YMCA Building is complete. This will involve the demolition of the former YMCA building and its replacement with new homes and business units. This work is expected to take a further two years to complete. Merton Council’s Planning Committee resolved to grant consent for the redevelopment in December 2020. Since then, the project has progressed to schedule with all work on site due to be complete by early 2026. The work on site has been accompanied by a Construction Working Group that has provided a forum for local residents and businesses to receive updates and bring matters to the development team’s attention. The Working Group will continue to meet during the fit out of the new building and the next phase of works. As part of the community effort, four of the current residents at the YMCA are working with Neilcott on site and are playing a vital role as the scheme progresses Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals