Acorn’s Rail division has become the first Welsh SME in 2020 to receive a Trackside Principal Contractors Licence from Network Rail. Principal Contractors License is a requirement over and above CDM (Construction, Design Management), and whilst Principal Contractor requirements are specific to Network Rail it is deemed the gold standard
Torus is celebrating a double shortlisting at the TPAS Awards this year. The awards celebrate the tireless passion, commitment and impact the work of tenants and housing providers undertake day in, day out to drive lasting change for individuals and communities alike. Torus Tenant Board member and Landlord Operations Committee
Tickets for this year’s BALI National Landscape Awards, the largest landscaping Awards ceremony in Europe, are now on sale. With the Awards’ expert Adjudication Panel, led by Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe having completed their site visits for applicable schemes earlier this month and final deliberations set to
Ibstock Brick has been shortlisted for two prestigious industry awards which recognise its world-class apprenticeship programme. The leading brick manufacturer, part of Ibstock plc, has been named as a finalist in the Apprenticeship Employer of the Year category at the Personnel Today Awards as well as the Best Apprenticeship Programme
The future of the construction industry will be on show at an event next week when the hard work of some of most skilled and talented apprentices from across the region will be recognised at an awards ceremony. The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group’s inaugural awards ceremony will take place on 20
Twp prestigious Master Builder Awards have been scooped by Chester-Le-Street based building firm Radford Construction Services Ltd. The company took home the prize for best Commercial Project while Andrew Radford, owner of the company, has been named Heavenly Builder in the Federation of Master Builders’ (FMB) Northern Counties region. Since
The 2019 East Midlands RICS Awards have recognised the £30 million Lincoln Transport Hub, winning the top prize in the Infrastructure category. The Wilmott Dixon-built development garned praise from the judges for being delivered “on time and within budget”. In addition, this major win has also secured the project’s place at
The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the organisation established to improve the image of construction – has expanded to offer professional service organisations the opportunity to register with the Scheme. Eligible organisations providing professional services to the construction industry, such as architects, engineering consultancies, surveyors, accountants and lawyers, are now able
The Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards have confirmed the UK and Ireland’s best performing construction sites. Recognising the the highest-performing construction sites against the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice which monitors how considerate the site is being towards their local community, environment and workforce, the Awards took place at iconic venues
Considerate Constructors Scheme recognises highest-performing construction sites with top honours United Kingdom and Ireland, 15 April 2019: The winners of the best performing construction sites across the UK and Ireland have been crowned with the industry’s highest accolade of ‘Considerate Constructors Scheme, Most Considerate Site 2019’ at ceremonies across the
Acorn’s Rail division has become the first Welsh SME in 2020 to receive a Trackside Principal Contractors Licence from Network Rail. Principal Contractors License is a requirement over and above CDM (Construction, Design Management), and whilst Principal Contractor requirements are specific to Network Rail it is deemed the gold standard within the rail industry, and it recognises Acorn Rail’s ability to discharge Principal Contractor duties during construction work carried out on behalf of Network Rail. It also permits Acorn to tender for all maintenance, labour or contract work issued by the national body. The licence provides assurance that Acorn Rail, as a Principal Contractor, has appropriate and robust HSQE management systems to effectively discharge its duties under official construction regulations and meet all additional requirements of Network Rail. The licence is issued in accordance with the Network Rail Principal Contractor Licensing Scheme NR/L2/INI/CP0070. Kevin Morris, Director of Rail at Acorn Rail, said: “Our new status as a Principal Contractor for Network Rail is testament to the continued commitment that this highly successful division of Acorn has shown in operating responsibly, and to the highest of standards required by the UK rail industry today. Acorn Rail works with a broad range of clients to undertake rail projects across the UK including civil engineering, track renewals, signalling, power & telecoms, tunnelling, and mechanical and engineering. “Our Rail Division is supported by an experienced in-house quality management and compliance team, which has proven its robustness time and time again through ongoing audits. This Principal Contract Licence is a logical next step in our continued progression as a highly effective and well-respected supplier to the rail and civil engineering industries. Furthermore, we are now in a fantastic position to support our clients’ and our own visions of delivering the drivers of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, support sustainability and help create a thriving Wales. Acorn Rail is seeking to follow in the successful footsteps of its parent company Acorn Recruitment, which has a lengthy track record of organic growth, working with hundreds of UK and international businesses and supporting UK job seekers through its specialist teams and a network of more than 30 branches nationwide. Acorn places some 6,000 people every week into temporary roles and more than 1,700 people into permanent roles every year. Acorn’s Group Managing Director, Matt Southall said: “The Principal Contractors Licence that our specialist rail team has been awarded is a good reflection of the whole Acorn group, and our commitment to quality, safety and compliance in everything we do. “We are delighted for all those working within the rail division who support and help maintain such a vital part of the UK transport infrastructure, and we look forward to fulfilling this role even more effectively as a result of this new status we have been given by Network Rail.” For more information visit www.acornpeople.com
Torus is celebrating a double shortlisting at the TPAS Awards this year. The awards celebrate the tireless passion, commitment and impact the work of tenants and housing providers undertake day in, day out to drive lasting change for individuals and communities alike. Torus Tenant Board member and Landlord Operations Committee member, Ray Jones was nominated by the Group for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ray has been an active tenant since 2008 first with Liverpool Mutual Homes and latterly with Torus. Over the past 11 years, Ray has been a passionate advocate of tenant representation and decision-making. His sphere of influence has been far-reaching and embraces committees for assets, audit and risk, remuneration and financing. With a focus on the provision of high-quality, mixed tenure homes and investment in existing homes, Ray’s input has helped shape the delivery of Liverpool’s Marwood Towers and Torus’ award-winning development, Ogden’s Place, in Everton. For the past year, as a member of Torus Landlord Operations Committee, Ray has been the voice for nearly 40,000 tenants. However, Ray took his voice and those of all tenants to a national stage when he was successfully appointed to the National Housing Federation’s ‘Tenant Advisory Panel’. This critical role sees him helping to develop the design and policy for social housing associations and boards nationwide. Commenting on his nomination, Ray said: “I’m honoured and privileged to have been nominated; I enjoy excellent social housing accommodation and facilities. “I have become passionate in trying to make sure all social housing tenants of whatever age, can also enjoy clean, safe, affordable housing, which in turn, helps maintain health and wellbeing. Building up a transparent relationship between tenant and provider is the key to a successful partnership, both parties benefit accordingly.” Torus’ second nomination, Torus Talk, an innovative online tenant engagement and consultation platform has also been shortlisted for the Excellence in Tenant Communication Award. Designed and developed in consultation with tenants, the Customer Involvement Team and the Communications Team, Torus Talk harnesses the power of Facebook to give 38,695 tenants the opportunity to have their say without physically having to attend consultation sessions. By removing barriers to participation, Torus Talk has enhanced tenant involvement, scrutiny and empowerment. Torus Regional director, Jan Calland, said: “Torus celebrated its one-year anniversary in January and we worked hard to embed tenant involvement from the outset. Much of this is thanks to the combined vision of our board, leadership team and Landlord Operations Committee. “However, teams across the business and tenants alike have embraced tenant participation as a way to work together, make positive changes and keep improving. The fact that we’ve been shortlisted really recognises the value of the work that’s been done.” The TPAS Awards take place on March 27th in Manchester.
Tickets for this year’s BALI National Landscape Awards, the largest landscaping Awards ceremony in Europe, are now on sale. With the Awards’ expert Adjudication Panel, led by Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe having completed their site visits for applicable schemes earlier this month and final deliberations set to take place on 27, 28 and 29 August, excitement levels are rising for the industry event of the year. With a record number of entries submitted since 2009, the BALI Award Adjudicators have been busy over the summer judging schemes up and down the country, with early indications showing once again a very high standard of quality has been achieved. Looking to attend at a discounted rate? Early bird tickets are available, priced at £175 per person (full price £195) or tables of 10 for £1,550 (full £1,750) and 12 £1,860 (full price £2,100) ex VAT respectively. The early bird rate is only available until 23 September, so act fast to take advantage of the saving. The host for 2019, sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith, is looking forward to leading the ceremony on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London which also sees the return of Headline Sponsor Green-tech. With over 1,000 members, guests and VIPs expected to attend, tickets will sell quickly on a first-come-first-served basis. To purchase your tickets, visit baliawards.co.uk.
Ibstock Brick has been shortlisted for two prestigious industry awards which recognise its world-class apprenticeship programme. The leading brick manufacturer, part of Ibstock plc, has been named as a finalist in the Apprenticeship Employer of the Year category at the Personnel Today Awards as well as the Best Apprenticeship Programme at the Training Journal Awards. Ibstock Brick offers two engineering apprenticeship programmes, both four years in duration; Advanced Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Electrical Engineering. There are currently 35 apprentices within the business, ranging from 16 to 25 years old. The main objective of its apprenticeship programme is to build on its skills base by nurturing a new generation of highly qualified employees – who will bring new skills, energy, ideas and enthusiasm to the business. Such has been the success of Ibstock Brick’s apprenticeship programme, it is being rolled out to include Ibstock plc’s Concrete division. Paula Wardle, Group Learning & Development Manager at Ibstock plc, commented: “We are delighted that our apprenticeship programme has been shortlisted for these two prestigious industry awards. It recognises the investment we have made in developing a comprehensive programme focussed on delivering world-class engineering skills and knowledge. “Our apprenticeship scheme contributes to our goal of growing the business by investing in people – from the start of their careers – and helping them achieve their potential. It also ensures that we create a pool of engineering and technical specialists who will help drive forward innovation and manufacturing excellence. We believe this approach makes an important contribution to delivering excellence in the way we operate. It is only by nurturing our future talent that we will have people with the technical expertise and skills to manufacture our products for years to come.”https://www.ibstockplc.co.uk/careers/apprenticeship-schemes
The future of the construction industry will be on show at an event next week when the hard work of some of most skilled and talented apprentices from across the region will be recognised at an awards ceremony. The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group’s inaugural awards ceremony will take place on 20 June at the Village Hotel, Swansea to support and recognise the achievements of new entrants, apprentices and future talent within the construction industry in the South Wales region. The awards ceremony, which will be hosted by Swansea legend Kev Johns and includes a three-course meal, is also part of an overall objective to promote the construction industry’s image and showcase the benefits of considering the construction industry as a career path, and what skills individuals can gain from this profession. The evening will see awards presented to nominated apprentices from member companies of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group, including: ASW Property Services; John Weaver; Cyfle Building Skills; Hale Construction; Craftsman Flooring and V&C (SW). There will also be awards for the Best Overall Apprentice and Best New Apprentice. The awards ceremony is sponsored by AB Glass, Peter Lynn & Partners and Barry Training Services. Anthony Thomas, chairman of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards, said: “The construction industry is often overlooked by young adults about to leave school who are considering what career path they want to embark on. The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards will allow us to not only reward the hard working and dedicated apprentices who work for our members but will also allow us to spread the word and positivity about the opportunities available to other young individuals who are weighing up their options. “We look forward to celebrating the achievements of the nominated apprentices during the ceremony and hope that we continue to do so every year going forward.” Gemma Mineur, training officer at NPT Group, said: “It is a pleasure to organise the first Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards to showcase the achievements of local people beginning one of many career paths available in the construction industry.” Alan Brayley, managing director of AB Glass, comments: “We are thrilled to be supporting the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards and all those who have been recognised for their achievements in the construction industry. Encouraging new entrants and young people into this sector is incredibly important to the future of the construction industry, as it welcomes new talent and helps to build upon the unique skills and confidence of young people to the benefit of the sector in Wales. These awards will showcase the many opportunities and fulfilling career paths the industry can offer. We look forward to meeting the rising stars of construction in Wales at the awards ceremony.” Darren Lewis, partner and commercial property solicitor at Peter Lynn & Partners, comments: “We work with a wide range of businesses in the construction sector from individual tradespeople to multi-million-pound property developers, and we are proud to support this excellent event which recognises excellence within the sector.” Sean Boyle, director of Barry Training Services, said: “We are very pleased to be able to sponsor this event, which recognises the valuable role in which apprenticeships offer to the workplace and given the number of construction related courses we offer to this industry, we can see the value in developing these skills for the future.” During the evening, there will also be an auction and raffle to raise money for local charity Hands Up for Downs. This support group brings families, parents, carers and children with Down Syndrome together to share advice and support, and as a group ensure that children living with Down Syndrome are given access to services they need. Sam Fisher, a founding member and trustee of Hands Up for Downs, said: “At Hands up for Downs, our main mission is to bring together families with children who have Down Syndrome across the Swansea Bay area, ensuring they are united and supported, promoting inclusion and raising awareness so that our children can flourish.” “We are extremely appreciative of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group for choosing our charity to raise funds for during the evening and would like to thank everyone who donates in advance. These funds will go towards continuing to provide support for our members and their families, ensuring children with Down Syndrome are given access to the services they need to ensure they reach their full potential.”
Twp prestigious Master Builder Awards have been scooped by Chester-Le-Street based building firm Radford Construction Services Ltd. The company took home the prize for best Commercial Project while Andrew Radford, owner of the company, has been named Heavenly Builder in the Federation of Master Builders’ (FMB) Northern Counties region. Since 1999, the Master Builder Awards has been a flagship for high-quality building work, showcasing examples of fantastic craftsmanship and building excellence. Organised by the FMB, the awards programme is unique in that any project entered by the builder must be backed up by the customer – giving clients the opportunity to support those building companies that have delivered exceptional results. The awards programme recognises the hard work and contribution that small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms make to the UK construction industry. The Heavenly Builder category is one which the winner really epitomises what the awards are all about as it looks for evidence of professionalism, courtesy and exceptional customer service. Radford Construction Services Ltd was crowned winner in the best Commercial project for designing a purpose-built, 200-guest wedding venue to extend the popular South Causey Inn. This unique new venue has a reception bar area, brides’ dressing room, chapel/ceremony room, own kitchens, hot buffet serving room, large bar and barn hall for reception and evening. The reception space features a dramatic bespoke bar counter designed and built from reclaimed cast fireplaces and railway sleepers, while the fireplace in the entrance bar area uses reclaimed stone, brick and sleepers. All door frames were hand-built, while vast handmade windows overlook a fantastic view. What impressed judges most was that all of this high-quality build was achieved in just six months. Company owner, Andrew Radford was crowned Heavenly Builder for the Northern Counties region for his ability to take bare-bones ideas and nurture them into innovative designs, executing projects with craftsmanship that never fails to surpass expectations. When asked about working with Andrew, the client Philip Moiser, said: “I feel like Andy has become a much-valued and honest friend and in business these days, that’s a rarity. He is a fantastic ambassador for the FMB and sets a high standard that other builders can only aspire to. I’m already looking at new projects to work on with him.” Andrew and Radford Construction Services Ltd was selected by the region’s judges to win the Northern Counties awards, which were presented at a gala dinner hosted at The Midland Hotel, Manchester on 08 March. The firm will now go through to compete in the national finals for the chance to win the UK category title. The national ceremony will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane London on 20 September. If Radford Construction Services Ltd wins the overall national Master Builder Awards title, selected from all national category winners, the firm will drive away in a new Isuzu D-Max Utah Pick Up truck worth more than £30,000. Their client will also receive a cheque for £1,000 for their efforts.
The 2019 East Midlands RICS Awards have recognised the £30 million Lincoln Transport Hub, winning the top prize in the Infrastructure category. The Wilmott Dixon-built development garned praise from the judges for being delivered “on time and within budget”. In addition, this major win has also secured the project’s place at the RICS national finals in London later this year. “The Lincoln Transport Hub involved complex stakeholder engagement as well as presenting numerous operational challenges from the outset. By working in collaboration with the council and other organisations involved, we were able to collectively deliver a real success story for Lincoln,” said Nick Heath, director of delivery for Willmott Dixon. “We are delighted to have been recognised by our peers for this project, which we are certain will continue to be the bedrock of growth in Lincoln city centre. We have previously worked with Lincoln University Technical College (UTC) to refurbish and extend its iconic building and we are continuing to deliver a number of exciting schemes across Lincolnshire, such as a next generation emergency services hub for Lincolnshire County Council.” Thornton Firkin and John Roberts Architects worked alongside Willmott Dixon to deliver the hub to meet the needs of City of Lincoln Council. It is a vital element of the council’s plans to transform Lincoln’s city centre with a better integrated and improved interchange into the city centre which will also encourage further inward investment in Lincoln. The scheme included a new bus station with 14 bus bays and a six-level multi-storey car park housing 1001 spaces. “The transport hub scheme helps the city council achieve our vision of delivering Lincoln’s ambitious future and our priority of driving economic growth in Greater Lincoln. The new bus station and wider transport hub project will help revitalise the key visitor arrival point into the city centre. Our commitment to the Transport Hub project demonstrates to people locally, regionally and nationally that Lincoln is a thriving city and we are confident enough in this belief to invest significantly in its future,” added Kate Ellis, director of major projects at City of Lincoln Council.
The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the organisation established to improve the image of construction – has expanded to offer professional service organisations the opportunity to register with the Scheme. Eligible organisations providing professional services to the construction industry, such as architects, engineering consultancies, surveyors, accountants and lawyers, are now able to join the 7,000 plus construction sites, companies, suppliers and clients of construction projects who register with the Scheme each year. Professional services account for around 11% (£186 billion) of the UK’s Gross Value Added and employ around 13% (4.6 million) of the UK’s population.* This exciting development comes at the request of those already registered with the Scheme to ensure their entire supply chain is part of the Scheme, as well as an increasing number of professional service organisations wishing to be part of the Scheme to help improve their standards in considerate construction. Edward Hardy, Chief Executive of the Considerate Constructors Scheme said: “We are delighted to welcome eligible professional service organisations to the Scheme. This is a significant development for our entire construction industry, as professional services form an integral part of the industry’s supply chain. “The impact such organisations can have in becoming part of the Considerate Constructors Scheme to improve their standards will no doubt have a significant influence on improving the overall image of our industry.” Click here to find out more and to apply to become a Scheme Registered Professional.
The Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards have confirmed the UK and Ireland’s best performing construction sites. Recognising the the highest-performing construction sites against the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice which monitors how considerate the site is being towards their local community, environment and workforce, the Awards took place at iconic venues in Edinburgh, London and Manchester. The 2019 winners of the ‘Considerate Constructors Scheme, Most Considerate Site 2019’ title are: Carlisle Gas Holder Demolition Project – Northern Gas Networks (project value under £500k) Columbia Threadneedle Property Investments – Overbury plc (project value £500k to <£1m) Camden FRA Works – Mulalley (project value £1m to <£5m) University Centre, Rotherham – Willmott Dixon Construction (project value £5m to <£10m) Woodmansterne Secondary School – Willmott Dixon Construction (project value £10m to <£50m) One Blackfriars – St George City Ltd (project value £50m and over) In addition to the six Most Considerate Site Award winners, there were 336 Bronze, 252 Silver and 152 Gold, as well as 18 Most Considerate Site Runners-Up. “Congratulations to all the 2019 National Site Award winners. Each award winning site should be extremely proud of receiving this prestigious industry accolade, which recognises their invaluable contribution to improving the image of construction,” commented Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy. “Special congratulations must go to the highest performing construction sites winning the coveted title of ‘Most Considerate Site 2019’, which represent the very best of the construction industry in how they have raised their standards of considerate construction to the highest levels. We work with sites to push the boundaries of what is achievable and this year’s accomplishments by sites have certainly not disappointed, with over 764 sites receiving National Site Award recognition. We are always amazed by the increasing levels of performance on site across the country, and we look forward to performance continuing to increase through next year and beyond,” he continued. In addition, for the second year running, Ultra Sites, the Scheme’s highest attainment of registration, were also recognised for their outstanding commitment in collaborating with their supply chains, during the awards ceremonies.
Considerate Constructors Scheme recognises highest-performing construction sites with top honours United Kingdom and Ireland, 15 April 2019: The winners of the best performing construction sites across the UK and Ireland have been crowned with the industry’s highest accolade of ‘Considerate Constructors Scheme, Most Considerate Site 2019’ at ceremonies across the country. The 2019 winners of this prestigious title are: Carlisle Gas Holder Demolition Project – Northern Gas Networks (project value under £500k) Columbia Threadneedle Property Investments – Overbury plc (project value £500k to <£1m) Camden FRA Works – Mulalley (project value £1m to <£5m) University Centre, Rotherham – Willmott Dixon Construction (project value £5m to <£10m) Woodmansterne Secondary School – Willmott Dixon Construction (project value £10m to <£50m) One Blackfriars – St George City Ltd (project value £50m and over) The glamorous awards ceremonies welcomed thousands of guests and took place at iconic venues in Edinburgh, London and Manchester from 25 March – 12 April. The Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards recognise the highest-performing construction sites against the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice which monitors how considerate the site is being towards their local community, environment and workforce. This year’s awards were for registered sites that completed in 2018. Sites were eligible to win the ‘Most Considerate Site’ within the following six ‘project value bands’: Under £500k; £500k to <£1m; £1m to <£5m; £5m to <£10m; £10m to <£50m; and £50m and over. The Scheme presented only 764 National Site Awards from a total of over 6700 eligible sites. In addition to the six Most Considerate Site Award winners, there were 336 Bronze, 252 Silver and 152 Gold, as well as 18 Most Considerate Site Runners-Up. For the second year running, Ultra Sites, the Scheme’s highest attainment of registration, were also recognised for their outstanding commitment in collaborating with their supply chains, during the awards ceremonies. The highest performing Ultra Sites and their supply chain partners will receive recognition and a separate awards ceremony held in July. Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy said: “Congratulations to all the 2019 National Site Award winners. Each award winning site should be extremely proud of receiving this prestigious industry accolade, which recognises their invaluable contribution to improving the image of construction. “Special congratulations must go to the highest performing construction sites winning the coveted title of ‘Most Considerate Site 2019’, which represent the very best of the construction industry in how they have raised their standards of considerate construction to the highest levels. “Year-on-year, the Scheme places a higher level of expectation for the 7000 plus construction sites typically registered with the Scheme at any time. We work with sites to push the boundaries of what is achievable and this year’s accomplishments by sites have certainly not disappointed, with over 764 sites receiving National Site Award recognition. “We are always amazed by the increasing levels of performance on site across the country, and we look forward to performance continuing to increase through next year and beyond.” All award winners are available to view on the Construction Map here.
