Cyfle Building Skills, on behalf of the Region, is set to launch an innovative new programme in 2021 that will offer 780 fully funded onsite work placements within the construction industry over the next three years. Funded by the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Onsite Experience Commission, the programme is designed to
Over a fifth of companies that regularly hire apprentices took on fewer in 2020 A quarter of tradespeople and companies plan on hiring new apprentices in 2021 Percentage of female, BAME and apprentices with learning difficulties continues to grow year on year IronmongeryDirect launch competition to win £5,000 towards funding an apprentice A
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has launched a series of briefings exploring how Project Speed can improve delivery of hospitals, schools, homes and rail. The output from four industry roundtables hosted by ACE in partnership with construction firms Laing O’Rourke, Mace and Reds10, as well as Network Rail
Caddick Construction has been appointed by Wigan Council as its construction partner for a £11.7m extra care housing scheme for the town. The project is part funded through Homes England, through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Work is scheduled to begin this month with completion in late
Construction is almost back to pre-COVID levels, according to Eurostat, but this doesn’t mean that the construction industry will be back to its pre-COVID ways of working. The industry is rapidly adopting technology to increase productivity, safety, accuracy and traceability. Here Ian Barnes, Head of Business at SITECH UK & Ireland, a leading distributor of Trimble® machine control technology for the civil and heavy construction industry,
New service offer to address current lending challenges which are further adding to the housing crisis In direct response to the housing crisis in the UK and the increased challenges in developers securing funding to build homes – which has been further hindered by the pandemic – property facilitator and network
Kite Packaging is one of the UK’s leading packaging suppliers and the only employee-owned business of its kind within its sector. They have a broad team of in-house experts who are constantly bringing new and improved packaging solutions to market, with the latest being a focus on their range of
Green lawns are a staple of suburbia, but how much do you really know about grass? If you’re like many people, probably not much beyond what’s required to keep the lawn alive. The fact is, lawn, lawn care, and the history of lawns in the U.S. is actually rather interesting
If you’re using the internet to look for a job then you’re a very small fish in an incredibly large pond. With so many people on the internet these days, any listing on a popular job site is going to get swarmed with thousands of applications. Whether or not these
NATIONAL construction partner Stepnell has recently completed the multi-million-pound redevelopment phase of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Costume Workshop in Stratford-upon-Avon. The renovation of the Grade II listed site, which required retention and heritage remedial works and was valued at more than £6 million, included the stockroom and costume cottage
Cyfle Building Skills, on behalf of the Region, is set to launch an innovative new programme in 2021 that will offer 780 fully funded onsite work placements within the construction industry over the next three years. Funded by the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Onsite Experience Commission, the programme is designed to help tackle the skills gap within the construction industry and will allow Cyfle to develop the first construction training hub in South West Wales. Programme delivery will take place across the five Local Authority areas within the Region, which includes Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. Due to commence in March 2021, the programme will offer construction opportunities to 780 individuals over the three-year funding period. This includes onsite experience placements and associated training, and reskilling opportunities. A mentoring programme designed to help individuals take the next step into a career in construction, ensuring they benefit from the onsite experience, will also support the programme. The programme is open to individuals of any age considering a career in construction either as a first job or by retraining from a different profession. It will look to promote social mobility and provide opportunities to those under-represented within the industry, as well as those not currently in education, employment or training (NEET). Cyfle Building Skills Ltd is an innovative South West Wales initiative and registered charity enabling young adults to gain sustainable employment within the construction industry through shared apprenticeship training, mentoring and meaningful work experience opportunities. The South West Wales Onsite Hub involves an extensive partnership, which includes the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC), The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Regional Training Groups, Local Colleges, Construction Contractors and Local Authority Schemes. Onsite opportunities within the Hub will be linked to construction projects through Regional Housing Associations, Local Authority Frameworks, South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework and the Swansea Bay City Deal. Anthony Rees, Regional Manager, Cyfle Building Skills, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured the funding to develop the first construction onsite training hub in South West Wales. This is an important initiative that will make a big difference to the lives of hundreds of individuals while also encouraging many more people to consider construction as a career, tackling the industry’s skills gap in the process. “Over the next three years, 780 individuals will be given the opportunity to have a real-life taster of what they can expect from the construction industry and whether they should consider the industry as a longer-term career choice. We would now encourage companies interested in participating in the scheme to contact us.”
Over a fifth of companies that regularly hire apprentices took on fewer in 2020 A quarter of tradespeople and companies plan on hiring new apprentices in 2021 Percentage of female, BAME and apprentices with learning difficulties continues to grow year on year IronmongeryDirect launch competition to win £5,000 towards funding an apprentice A third of companies and tradespeople (31%)1 who regularly hire apprentices feel that the program has been made harder due to the pandemic, as new ONS figures2 show a 30% drop in new construction apprentices between August and October 2020, compared to the same period the previous year. Demonstrating the effect of Covid-19 on the scheme, more than one in five (22%) companies that usually hire apprentices took on fewer in 2020, despite a fifth (19%) of tradespeople believing that the program is more important now than ever. Commissioned by IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery, in the run up to National Apprenticeship Week (8th to 14th February), the study also reveals that one in 12 tradespeople (8%) believe that the government has not done enough to support apprentices throughout the pandemic. Looking at the year ahead, the positive news is that a quarter (23%) of businesses and tradespeople plan to bring on apprentices in 2021. Building surveyors (34%) and electricians (28%) are the most likely trades to be looking for apprentices this year, while painter/decorators and landscapers are least likely (15% and 5%, respectively). Men in the industry are more likely than women to think that an apprenticeship is a great way for people to learn skills (31% vs 23%). Contrastingly however, it is tradeswomen and female-led companies that are most likely to be looking for an apprentice in the year ahead, with a quarter of women (25%) planning to hire a trainee compared to only one in five tradesmen (20%). According to the Office of National Statistics, female apprentices in construction are also on the rise, increasing by 19% in the 2019/20 academic year compared to the previous 12 months. This represents a much larger trend in growth as there are a huge 333% more female construction trainees than in 2014/2015. So far in the 2020/2021 academic year, the percentage of female new starters has increased to 9%, suggesting that this growth is set to continue. The statistics also reveal a changing story for apprentices of colour. While BAME apprentices made up only 6% of new construction apprentices in 2019/2020, this represents a 16% increase to the previous year and an 82% rise since 2014/2015. What’s more, despite the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic, the proportion of BAME trainees continues to grow as they make up 8% of new starters so far this academic year. The proportion of new apprentices with learning difficulties is also on the increase, making up 14% of the 2019/2020 intake. This is a 53% increase from 2014/15. This trend seems set to continue as 16% of the 2020/2021 year’s new starters so far have learning difficulties. Commenting on the research, Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “It’s great to see many tradespeople and companies are still looking to make use of the apprenticeship program, despite the difficulty of the past year. “We think the apprenticeship scheme is an amazing way to help shape the next generation of tradespeople. That’s why we’ve launched a competition for a UK based tradesperson or company to win £5,000 towards funding an apprentice.” “There are so many people who do amazing work in the industry today who started out as apprentices, so it’s important that the program continues to be well-funded. More needs to be done to support apprentices throughout this pandemic to ensure that we continue to have great talent in the future, and we wanted to do our bit to help!” To enter the competition or learn more about this research, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/blog/apprenticeships-and-covid-19-looking-ahead-to-2021
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has launched a series of briefings exploring how Project Speed can improve delivery of hospitals, schools, homes and rail. The output from four industry roundtables hosted by ACE in partnership with construction firms Laing O’Rourke, Mace and Reds10, as well as Network Rail and housebuilder Thakeham, the briefings explore how the industry can meet aspirations to deliver “faster, better and greener”. Taking inspiration from the rapid delivery of NHS Nightingale hospitals, the briefings explore practical steps that need to be taken to unlock delivery. Case studies shared from across the UK demonstrate the tangible measures that can already be taken to make Project Speed a reality. Common themes that emerge from the four briefings on rail, homes, hospitals and schools include: Strengthening the evidence base and use of data in project development and decision making. The digitising of previously paper-based process such as planning consultations, assurance and approvals processes. Focusing projects on an new approach to value-based decision making which goes beyond the purely financial. A recognition that making time for good design can significantly improve health, education, housing and transport outcomes. Hannah Vickers, chief executive of ACE said: “I have no doubt that we have the vision, creativity, and problem solving skills to meet the Project Speed challenge head-on, which is why we brought the industry together for our roundtables.” “The briefings will form the basis of our engagement with Westminster over the coming weeks and months as we reinforce the message that our members, and the industry more widely, are key partners for Government if Project Speed is to become a reality.” The industry roundtable discussions covered a range of issues that are seen as vital to speeding up delivery in each sector: Hospitals – Programmes rather than distinct projects, project sequencing and early detailed design, and digital design models. Schools – More collaborative and value driven design and procurement, how a product mindset is needed to deliver with Modern Methods of Construction, and making use of live ‘performance’ data. Homes – The importance of the planning regime to this debate, how to create a sustainable vision, digitising the process to speed-up delivery, and the use of design codes and guides. Rail – How to best focus design on the start of projects, the role of the design integrator and a ‘one team’ approach, and how digital approaches lead to more efficient assurance. The four Project Speed briefings are available for everyone to download now at: www.acenet.co.uk/project-speed
Caddick Construction has been appointed by Wigan Council as its construction partner for a £11.7m extra care housing scheme for the town. The project is part funded through Homes England, through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Work is scheduled to begin this month with completion in late 2022. The ambitious scheme on Sandalwood Drive, off Forest Avenue, will deliver a mix of housing for the extra care scheme including 48 new build one-bed apartments, 3 two-bed apartments and 18 bungalows. Caddick Construction will also undertake all associated external works, drainage and services. As part of the Council’s sustainability commitment, the development will also feature heating through Ground Source Heat Pump technology and Solar PV technology, electric vehicle charging points to allow visitors and residents to adopt greener lifestyles, as well as installation of several discreet eco-habitat boxes to encourage local wildlife in the area. Caddick Construction Managing Director Ian Threadgold said: “We are delighted to be working with Wigan Council on such an important scheme that will bring much-needed extra care housing provision to Wigan. “The mix of one and two bed apartments along with the bungalows as part of the development means there will be a more choice locally for those who want to still enjoy independent living but with the assurance of extra care when they need it.” Councillor Keith Cunliffe, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for adult and social care, said: “We know having the right home in the right place has a direct impact on someone’s health and wellbeing and their quality of life. “That is why extra care housing developments like this in Sandalwood Drive are vital to our long-term vision of delivering a high standard of accommodation that is well designed, attractive, and affordable for residents.” “Once complete, the scheme should allow people who require extra support to live more independently in their own homes and help tackle social isolation issues.” Architects for the scheme are MHA Architects with designers AA Projects Ltd and structural engineers Sutcliffe.
Construction is almost back to pre-COVID levels, according to Eurostat, but this doesn’t mean that the construction industry will be back to its pre-COVID ways of working. The industry is rapidly adopting technology to increase productivity, safety, accuracy and traceability. Here Ian Barnes, Head of Business at SITECH UK & Ireland, a leading distributor of Trimble® machine control technology for the civil and heavy construction industry, shares his thoughts on the technologies we can expect to become more important in our the industry in 2021 and beyond. The construction industry can learn a lot from industries like manufacturing, where cutting-edge facilities are operating in an entirely autonomous way. Construction, historically, was a highly manual industry, but the industry continues to innovate age-old processes for the better. Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the biggest projects across Europe in the past 100 years, 2021 will be the year civil and heavy construction companies embrace a host of new technologies to connect and enhance their on-site operations. On-site project and progress tracking The industry has seen a significant uptake in technology, such as site positioning equipment, machine control and telemetry. Technology tracks, updates and maps the progress of operations, such as hydraulic control and cut and fill. Many operators choose machine control because of its benefits, such as reduced double handling, lower fuel consumption and improved accuracy and efficiency. Technology adapts on-site field-to-finish workflows into an office-to-field-to-finish for 360-degree operational awareness. The A14 improvements are one of the first projects to be delivered on time and to budget, largely helped by the investment in connected technology. The way the project was managed and the technology used resulted in some impressive statistics and gains, such as building 126 new lane miles in 14 million man-hours. Connected site technology allowed improvements in productivity and, on this large scale, caused a dramatic time and cost saving. Drones PwC’s membership network report, Skies without Limits, revealed that cost savings from using drone technology is expected to uplift the UK’s construction and manufacturing industries by £8.6 billion by 2030. Construction businesses are turning to drones to help with data analytics and as a visualisation platform for earthmoving applications, to improve surveying accuracy across large areas and to collect and share data. Operators can use drones to accurately collect and communicate relevant data between the site and the office. Access to real-time drone footage enables site managers to keep up to date with the progress of the project, which means they can organise the correct equipment and materials when required. Integrating data analysis into site management reduces lead times and avoids project delays because materials and equipment are on site exactly when they are needed. Connected software Intuitive, workflow software like Trimble® WorksManager can sync real-time data between the field and the office. This connected approach enables Site Managers to oversee a project remotely and make data supported decisions based off real-time data, without time lags. By integrating a connected approach with design software, such as Trimble® Business Center, changes can be wirelessly and automatically communicated, so that everyone is working to the most up-to-date design. When the design has been finalised in Trimble Business Center it will be sent to the cloud during the export process, ready for the operator to download. Once the operator has selected the new design, they will be able to monitor the correct cut/fill values against design to avoid over dig and work more efficiently. As-built data can be collected and compared against design back in the office as part of the QA process. Visuals of sites before, during or after can also be provided to avoid challenges in advance, or even progress versus design. Augmented reality (AR) Final designs can be hard to visualise in the early stages of a project, and it can be time-consuming to check if there are any clashes, such as underground pipes that restrict the amount of possible groundwork. AR-enabled devices, like Trimble® SiteVision, project designs in 3D over the existing landscape and quickly visualise separate phases of construction. AR allows the Project Managers, Engineers and Site Managers/Foreman to visualise designs more accurately to help get construction right first time. This reduces the risk of wasting time and money on correcting mistakes and helps the project meet relevant deadlines. Unified design Just as mobile phones now do much more than make calls, construction technology is also starting to offer additional functionality, giving operators and surveyors more information and control at the touch of a button. As the industry integrates more technology into its projects, construction companies will benefit from processes that are more cost effective, productive and safe. To remain competitive in a year that looks to be increasingly digital, Site Managers should consider drone technology, AR and software to create a more connected site. To find out more about how SITECH could help you create a connected site, visit our website https://www.sitechukandireland.com/products/.
New service offer to address current lending challenges which are further adding to the housing crisis In direct response to the housing crisis in the UK and the increased challenges in developers securing funding to build homes – which has been further hindered by the pandemic – property facilitator and network specialists, Land & New Homes Network, has announced the launch of LNH Funding, adding to its suite of services for its developer and estate agent members. With access to funding continuing to be difficult for developers, the need to meet clear targets for housing throughout the UK and many lenders being increasingly cautious due to the pandemic, Land & New Homes Network has created LNH Funding to unlock potential development sites, and drive forward house building. LNH Funding sees the introduction of a panel of specialist development finance brokers and insurance brokers, that are ready to help fund and insure schemes across the country. This new department is working to address the common issue that small and medium-sized house builders encounter; the struggle to access sufficient funding and insurance to complete developments for much-needed homes throughout the UK. The only property network of its kind in the country, Land & New Homes Network offers its members access to a large network of property sector contacts, as well as land and new home opportunities, best practice guidance, marketing, training, resources, workshops and now funding and insurance. Founder Kevin Ellis, said: “The addition of LNH Funding for our members is an important step in aiding developers to secure the funding streams they need to complete their housing schemes. “Failure to secure funding is one of the biggest issues causing major delays in the building of new homes and this new, trusted financial resource, is a strategic solution to fill that gap. “The need for this has never been stronger. The pandemic has caused many residential developments fail to secure funding, coupled with the demand for housing rapidly increasing and the surge of people wishing to move to take advantage of the current stamp duty holiday, there simply isn’t enough stock. “Through LNH Funding and our vast network of partners, we are able to connect industry professionals from all over the country to bring new homes and land deals to life.” Tim Downing, director at residential and commercial estate agency Pygott & Crone, and member of the Land & New Homes Network, said: “The network is as ever proving to be an innovative and vital resource for professionals in the industry. The introduction of LNH Funding is an important part of the puzzle which will aid the thousands of developers who are unable to get their schemes off the ground due to funding, as well as providing estate agents like ourselves with significant volumes of selling opportunities. “The demand for housing in the UK remains high and Kevin and his team are market leaders in enabling and facilitating deals, giving its members all they need to deliver much needed housing for the public.” DenCo Advisory is one of the founding LNH Funding partners. Managing director Mark Denney, said: “DenCo is proud to be partnering up with this fantastic network. 10 years on from the banking crisis the lending landscape has changed drastically. DenCo aims to assist developers and SME house builders in navigating this landscape. It’s not simply a case of providing terms, we aim to manage transactions through to completion. We advise at every stage of the deal with the sole aim of generating value for our clients.” With over 450 branch locations across the country, Land & New Homes Network has become a one-stop shop to find, facilitate and support opportunities for house builders to build homes, and estate agents to expand their portfolios of new homes. For more information about Land & New Homes Network and membership opportunities, please visit www.lnhnetwork.co.uk/.
Kite Packaging is one of the UK’s leading packaging suppliers and the only employee-owned business of its kind within its sector. They have a broad team of in-house experts who are constantly bringing new and improved packaging solutions to market, with the latest being a focus on their range of vacuum, bagging and shrinking equipment. Vacuum sealer Operating slightly different from vacuum chambers, vacuum sealers are operated different in that the bags are placed externally to the machine rather than inside it; air is then removed, and the bag is sealed, all of which is done outside of the machine. Particularly useful when packs need to be packaged in a certain way. Available in 3 different seal bar lengths 520mm, 720mm and 1020mm, they are suitable to accommodate a variety of different sized goods and can be purchased with a range of accessories to improve efficiency. Shrink hoods Designed to speed up packaging lines by providing both a heat and shrinking method in one unit, they are a quicker alternative to heat shrink guns or standard desk top sealing. Commonly used for products such as retail, as the clear wrap displays items professionally and is secure and tamper-proof. Available in the range are shrink hood chambers, suitable for smaller volume operations and shrink hoods, suitable for larger sized operations and shrink hood tunnels, which can be used in conjunction with the shrink hood machines to reduce time and labour time. Bagging machines Bagging machines are automated solutions designed to speed up the filling and sealing process and are suitable for a variety of products. They give consistency to your operations and reduce labour time. Typically used in conjunction with a conveyor or packing bench for speed and efficiency, we have two options available in the range to suit various operations. To find out more please visit kitepackaging.co.uk.
Green lawns are a staple of suburbia, but how much do you really know about grass? If you’re like many people, probably not much beyond what’s required to keep the lawn alive. The fact is, lawn, lawn care, and the history of lawns in the U.S. is actually rather interesting — and might even surprise you. Check out these fun facts. 1. George Washington Had One of the First Lawns One of the first lawns in America can be found at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home in Alexandria, Virginia. Washington was known as a farmer, and was one of America’s first landscape architects. After the Revolutionary War, he knew that he would be hosting many dignitaries at his home, and set out to make the landscape as impressive as the buildings. This included the building of a great lawn, or bowling green. Inspired by the drawings of such expanses of grass at European manors, Washington incorporated a large lawn in front of the home. The lawn was cut using scythes, and regularly rolled to keep it flat and even. 2. Grass is Food Grass is actually the most common food in the world. All grass is part of the Poeceae family, which includes everything from pasture grasses that feed livestock to varieties like wheat and barley that are processed into flour and other products. 3. Professional Lawn Care is in Demand More than 22 million Americans rely on a professional lawn service to take care of their grass. This gives them back an average of 70 hours of free time every year that would otherwise be spent on lawn care. 4. Without Grass, We Might Not Survive Grass is not only a major food source for most species, it also produces a significant amount of oxygen. In fact, the typical lawn is more efficient than trees when it comes to making oxygen. A 50 foot by 50 foot lawn produces enough each day oxygen for a family of four to breathe, while also helping to improve air quality by catching contaminants like dust. 5. A Healthy Lawn Increases Home Value If you’re trying to sell your home, a healthy lawn can attract buyers — and even spur them to make a better offer. According to the Lawn Institute, a healthy lawn can help increase your home’s value by 15-20%. And the National Association of Realtors notes that when you invest in lawn care, you’ll see more than a 250% return on investment when you sell the home. 6. A Lawn Requires a Lot of Plants Maintaining a thick lawn means lots of plants — several million of them, in fact. In a well-maintained, 10,000 square foot lawn, you can expect to find about 8.5 million individual plants. That breaks down to about six plants per square inch, or 850 plants per square foot. Given that every grass seed only produces a single sprout, that’s a lot of seed to cover an entire lawn. 7. Grass Isn’t What You Think By weight, the typical blade of grass is 75% water. However, the bulk of a grass plant’s weight, about 90%, is in its roots. The green color comes from chlorophyll, but each blade also contains carbon dioxide, ozone, hydrogen fluoride, and peroxyacetyl nitrate absorbed from the atmosphere. 8. Grass is a Natural Air Conditioner You might not realize it on a hot day, but your lawn actually helps keep your home cool. If you added up the cooling power of the front lawns of eight typical suburban homes, you’d have the effect of about 70 tons of cooling power. The average household air conditioner only produces about 3 to 4 tons of cooling power. In more practical terms, if your home is surrounded by grass, trees, and shrubs, they can lower the temperature by about 14 degrees. 9. Lawn Mowers Have Existed for About 150 Years Although there have been any number of devices and tools for cutting grass used over time, it wasn’t until 1868 that the first patent for a reel-type lawn mower was issued in the U.S.. The first patent for a rotary type lawn mower wasn’t issued until 1919. Although different types of sprinklers existed previously, the first sprinkler patent was awarded to J. Lessler in Buffalo, NY in 1871. 10. People Take Their Lawn Mowers Seriously Finally, some people are really into their lawn mowers. There’s actually a museum dedicated to lawn mowers in England, and in 1992, the US Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) was established, becoming the first sanctioning body for, you guessed it, professional lawn mower racing.
If you’re using the internet to look for a job then you’re a very small fish in an incredibly large pond. With so many people on the internet these days, any listing on a popular job site is going to get swarmed with thousands of applications. Whether or not these people are qualified doesn’t matter–it’s more applications that will end up competing with your own. There’s even a chance that the company is just going to pick the first person that seems qualified enough for the job. They’re not going to comb through every single cover letter and there’s a small chance that they’ll contact you. Sadly, things have gotten even harder due to the pandemic. Finding work certainly wasn’t easy before and it’s definitely getting harder as the days go by. Thankfully, there are a couple of golden rules when it comes to finding work on the internet that will help you uncover new opportunities. Look at job boards for specific industries Instead of just looking at a generic job board, it’s a good idea to look at job boards for specific industries as well. For instance, if you’ve got experience in driving trucks and logistics, then you can search for trucking work on specific websites instead of a general job board. The same goes for writing and other creative talents. You can look on job boards that are made specifically for creative freelancers, or you can even look at the careers page of various businesses to see if they’re recruiting. Consider using social media to search for opportunities These days, there are many businesses that use social media as a free way to get exposure for new job openings. If you follow specific types of businesses or people on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, then there’s a good chance that companies will post about job listings. You can follow the links that they post, or you can contact them directly on the social media platform or via email to enquire about the job opening. You don’t get opportunities on social media every day, but it’s a great place to set notifications and alerts so you can check it every now and then. Don’t just sit and wait for opportunities to come to you You need to be a lot more active when it comes to finding work. Don’t just post your resume on a website and hope that someone sees it. Don’t just post a listing on a website like Fiverr then hope that work comes in. You need to be more active and you need to start pushing yourself out there to get noticed. If you market yourself as a competent worker, then you’re more likely to find job opportunities. There are lots of different flexible working opportunities these days and it’s important to understand where you can find work. Don’t just look at typical job boards–there are hundreds of other places to search for work and it’s up to you to be more active when looking for a job.
NATIONAL construction partner Stepnell has recently completed the multi-million-pound redevelopment phase of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Costume Workshop in Stratford-upon-Avon. The renovation of the Grade II listed site, which required retention and heritage remedial works and was valued at more than £6 million, included the stockroom and costume cottage buildings that were originally constructed in 1850, and the scene dock building constructed in 1887. Stepnell also worked to remodel the internal spaces to create a new reception area, costume workrooms, costume stockroom and prop workshop, as well as a costume fitting and exhibition area – which in the future will be open as part of public tours Adrian Barnes, regional director at Stepnell, said: “This was an incredible project to work on and we’re so happy that we were able to play a part in preserving such an important era of British history. We have a wealth of experience in working on heritage projects, so we’re glad that we are able to add this to our growing portfolio of restoration schemes.” In 2019, Stepnell also completed the restoration of Stratford-upon-Avon’s 16th century Falcon Hotel, which underwent a comprehensive internal refurbishment while preserving its historic front. Adrian continued: “Although these projects are amazing to work on in terms of legacy and community value, logistically they can be incredibly challenging. While on site at the Costume Workshop, we had to work within the constraints of limited noise and vibration to ensure we didn’t disrupt local residents or damage the structure of neighbouring buildings, which also hold historic significance. “Not only did we need to consider the preservation of the surrounding area, we also had to navigate operations with limited access and space as the site was surrounded by the RSC cottages and head office, and a small road leading to a local school. “The issue of space was also heighted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines. The team did a great job of implementing stringent health and safety precautions that allowed work to continue throughout both national lockdowns – something that we think was pivotal in the project’s success.” Stephen Rebbeck, technical director and project lead at the Royal Shakespeare Company, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Stepnell on this challenging project to keep our world class Costume Workshop close to our theatres in the heart of historic Stratford- upon-Avon. The end result gives us a place to create the best facilities for our costume-making, as well as offering new training and apprenticeship opportunities and allowing visitors to experience our Costume Workshop for themselves in the future. “We are enormously grateful to all our funders and donors for their support including crucial local support from the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the National Lottery Heritage Fund”. Stepnell worked closely with architects Aedas Arts Team to blend the Workshop’s traditional aesthetic with more contemporary elements to help boost its functionality so that staff can properly utilise the creative space. The build, which is now fit for purpose, serves both the women’s and men’s costume workrooms, a dye workroom, an armoury, and a millinery and a jewellery workroom. Julian Middleton, executive director at Aedas Art Team, said: “Rather like a theatrical production, creating buildings to support the performing arts is a genuine team effort. Stepnell understood this from the very start and it was the cornerstone of their approach. The team worked collaboratively and proactively throughout the construction process as we tackled the challenges of working in and around important historic buildings. For us, they did a great job amidst the most extraordinarily challenging of times – with imagination, pragmatism and good grace.” The 19th century, two-storey build spans across 1,644sqm and the RSC has now begun work to recommission the Costume Workshop and move the Company’s skilled costume makers into their new home, which will re-open when government restrictions are lifted and the RSC is able to re-open the Company’s theatres. To find out more about Stepnell’s, visit https://www.stepnell.co.uk or join the conversation at @Stepnellltd.