Lighthouse Christmas lunch raises £210,000 for construction community

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Lighthouse Christmas lunch raises £210,000 for construction community
Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity Christmas event has raised a massive £210,000 to help support the construction community. It was a long anticipated event in the construction calendar and expectations were high as over 1000 guests were welcomed through the doors of the Westminster Park Plaza on Friday 3rd December for the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity’s annual lunch in London. Former cricketer Chris Cowdrey was MC forr the day and opened proceedings with Charity CEO, Bill Hill saying how good it was to be back which was met with huge applause and cheers. The fun started with a ‘heads and tails’ competition and the lighthouse lotto. The top two winners of the lighthouse lotto very generously donated their prize money straight back to the charity. A gourmet three course meal was enjoyed by everyone and later in the afternoon competition was hot for some fantastic live auction prizes, all of which helped towards raising an amazing £210,000 from the event. The event also gave the charity the opportunity to announce their partnership with the Careys Foundation and a specially liveried truck was on display at the venue promoting the charity’s helpline and the new partnership. Normally, each year, the Charity awards the ‘Peter Capel’ Cup to recognise organisations that have made a substantial contribution to the Charity’s work and with nominations in 2020 to consider as well, competition for the prized accolade was stronger than ever. Well deserved winners were HQR London (High Quality Residential) who despite not being able to hold their annual summer ball last year, still managed to raise over £64,000 for the charity. Andrew Crispin (founder and Trustee of HQR London) said, “HQR London are delighted to have been awarded the Peter Capel Cup for the second time since the HQR Charitable Trust was conceived six years ago.  It was our absolute pleasure to accept the Award on behalf of our members who have collectively been able to provide year on year support and our aim is to continue doing so over the coming years. The Lighthouse Club provides much needed emotional and financial support to so many workers and their families who are in crisis in our industry.  An industry that we all know and love, which makes it an easy choice for me, my fellow HQR’s Trustees; Darren Size and Chris Butler and our members to continue our support”. Top celebrities from the world of sport were lined up to entertain the guests and rugby legends Mark Regan and Paul Wallace kicked off with amusing tales from their British and Irish Lions tours. TalkSPORT’s presenter Laura Woods then took to the stage with Ally McCoist, Sam Torrance and Darren Gough who followed with equally funny stories of playing with Gazza at Rangers FC from Ally, childhood memories from the golf course from Sam and antics on and off the pitch and ‘strictly’ dance floor from Darren. The crowd demanded more and got more with the VIP guests egging each other on to tell more daring stories! Tenor Martin Toal rounded off the afternoon with a rousing performance which had people up on their feet cheering for more with enthusiastic napkin waving. Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said, “We were so disappointed at having to cancel last year’s event and so the pressure was on this year to make it an afternoon to remember. It certainly lived up to that and I am staggered that even during these difficult times, our event raised over £210,000 to help us support our construction community in need and to make a real difference to people who have nowhere else to turn. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers that helped on the day and our sponsors who make these events possible. The money raised will go towards continuing our vital helpline services, supporting our national awareness campaign “Help Inside The Hard Hat” and developing the  Building Mental Health programme, so that we can continue to support our construction families in need and make a real difference to people who have nowhere else to turn.” The festivities continued well into the evening with guests embracing the Christmas spirit and making the most of the networking opportunities.

Timber shortage is abating says suppliers

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Timber shortage is abating says suppliers
The timber industry expects there to be no more mass shortages in 2022. The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) has reported that more than 3.32 million m3 of timber and panel imports were imported in Q3 of 2021, as the market achieves greater balance between supply and demand after nearly a year of record imports. Statistics show these import levels are more than 23% over Q3 2020 and, significantly, more than 10% higher than the last time Q3 volumes exceeded three million m3 – in 2007. Softwood is being imported in larger amounts from a more diverse range of countries over the past quarter, with Latvia, Finland, and Germany growing to account for 61% (1.1 million m3)of the 1.8 million m3 of softwood imported in Q3 2021. Other timber products, including hardwood, plywood, particleboard, OSB and MDF, have also seen clear increases in Q3 2021 as compared with the previous year. While some goods continue to be under pressure amidst buoyant demand, and logistics issues, the timber supply chain overall has proven resilient, with the timber industry in a strong position to meet demand in 2022. Nick Boulton, TTF head of technical and trade policy, said: “These latest statistics continue to reflect the incredible demand for timber products seen over the past year which have kept the UK on track to surpass previous import records. “After this record period the stock levels have returned back towards their pre-pandemic levels and the logistics supply chain is struggling to find sufficient space for further volume – so much so that in Sweden we are seeing some sawmills reduce their overall production volumes. “However, while we can see stock levels returning, the UK market is clearly in a different place compared to where it was two years ago, with the likes of HGV driver shortages, port delays and Brexit changes likely to continue to impact the market in the coming months. “Despite these challenges, these past 21 months have proven that the timber supply chain is resilient. We are in a strong position to meet growing demand for sustainable, low-carbon construction materials – both now and in the future. “As a low-carbon, low-energy construction material, timber is likely to grow as the material of choice among climate conscious architects, engineers, developers and planners in the UK. “With the tightest period of tension between supply and demand likely behind us, we can expect a return to more ‘regular’ activity in 2022.”

Job vacancies hit new high in run-up to Christmas

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Job vacancies hit new high in run-up to Christmas
The number of job adverts in the UK has hit a new record of over 3.5 million in the run-up to Christmas according to a new report. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) said that 210,000 new job adverts were posted in the UK last week alone. After three of the best weeks for new adverts on record – over 270,000 new adverts were posted in the first week of November. According to the data, there was a particular rise in demand last week for Scaffolders, dentists and vets as the UK’s labour shortage shows no sign of easing. Evidence of the growth in job ads can also be seen on our own Scaffolding Jobs Board with many scaffolding businesses rushing to hire staff ahead of Christmas. Well-known industry firms like WellMax, Rilmac, JDC, MR Scaffolding and QFS are all urgently seeking qualified scaffolders for a flurry of new projects across the UK. The ongoing labour shortages had been predicted previously with the CBI in September fearing the shortages could last for years. REC’s new report shows that scaffolder job adverts increased by 6.9% and five out of the UK’s top ten hiring hotspots were in Scotland last week. Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, said: “The growth in job adverts shows no signs of slowing as we reach the Christmas peak. We’ll have to wait and see how this week’s news on the Omicron variant affects the market. “More broadly, this is very much a candidate’s market now. Firms need to think about how they will attract staff facing greater competition than ever before. Professional recruiters are a vital tool for businesses at times like these, helping them to find the best staff by reviewing their workforce plans and reaching out to new pools of candidates. Government can help by working with business organisations on skills, immigration and unemployment policies that boost labour supply, helping businesses grow and the UK to prosper.”

SkillBuild gold medallists excel at “UK’s Construction Olympics”

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SkillBuild gold medallists excel at “UK’s Construction Olympics”
The winners of SkillBuild ’21 – the “UK’s construction Olympics” – have been described as having “the skills everyone is crying out for”. Fifty-three competitors from across the UK took part in SkillBuild, the annual construction contest, held this year at the National Construction College in Bircham Newton. Over three intense days of competition the best construction trainees & apprentices from across the UK were tested, against the clock, in their chosen trades. The SkillBuild medallists were announced on Friday at an online national celebration event and crowned (virtually) by TV presenter Steph McGovern from her Packed Lunch studio. Announcing the medallists Steph said: “The winners would be part of the best contact book you could ever have. If you’re looking for a bricklayer, you’re going to go for one of the country’s best. These are the skills that everyone is crying out for.” Sam Dean, 19, from Ashton-in-Makerfield won the gold medal in the plastering competition. Sam, who has just finished his apprenticeship, has been working for Chorley-based IB Plastering Ltd for two years. Sam said: “SkillBuild was a good experience. I was nervous going into the competition, but the judges were helpful. “SkillBuild taught me not to panic, rush or concentrate on what others are doing, but to go at my own speed and get the job right.” Sam says he enjoys being a plasterer and would like to run his own company one day “employ people and make lots of money!” SkillBuild is managed by the CITB, in collaboration with WorldSkills UK. Commenting on this year’s competition CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon said: “SkillBuild brings the best out of the UK’s most promising construction trainees and apprentices. It teaches them to use their skills under pressure, to work to deadlines and to produce high quality work. The talent on display in this year’s competition was a credit to competitors and their trainers. It augurs well for industry, too. “There are great opportunities for skilled construction workers in the UK. Demand for labour is high as the economy recovers from the pandemic. CITB estimates that over 40,000 new construction jobs will be created between now and 2025. It’s important that we increase the number of people in construction, the example of SkillBuild competitors will help do that. I wish all the competitors the very best in their careers.” Deputy CEO of WorldSkills UK, Ben Blackledge, says that success in UK-wide finals is a litmus test for the future of the economy. He said: “These young people are a real inspiration. They are an example to us all and are to be congratulated. To have excelled after such a difficult year shows their dedication and drive is second to none. Skills are the lifeblood of every economy, creating high quality jobs, rewarding careers, inward investment and growth.” SkillBuild Gold medal winners (from England): Bricklaying: Mitchell Proctor. Preston’s College Carpentry: Charlie Reeve. E N Suiter CBM Furniture and Cabinet making: Michael Jack. Talbot Burnley College Joinery: Sam Abbott. North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College – Harrowbrook  Plastering: Sam Dean. Wigan and Leigh College – Pagefield Centre Stonemasonry: Lewis Evans. Bath College – Radstock Gold medal winners (from Wales) FSW – Foundation Skills: Woodworking: Ben Thewlis. Coleg Gwent – Newport Gold medal winners (from Scotland) Painting and Decorating: Nicole Smith. Bell Group UK Gold medal winners (from Northern Ireland): Plastering & Drywall systems: Ignas Kurasovas. Errigal Contracts Wall & Floor tiling: Aaron Gillespie. Southern Regional College – Newry Campus The full list of Gold, Silver, Bronze & Highly Commended contestants is on the Go Construct site.

Brogan Group launch Christmas Game

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Brogan Group launch Christmas Game
Brogan Group, the Scaffolding and Powered Access Contractor are running a Christmas Game this December where players in the UK and Ireland have a chance to win £150 in Amazon Vouchers operating a Jetpack Santa delivering presents at rooftop level. Like the Jetpack Santa in the game, which you can play on www.brogangroup.com, Brogan Group are used to operating at rooftop level, but on a more serious note they are matching entries to the game with a £1 donation to their longstanding Construction Charity of choice, The Lighthouse Club. The Lighthouse Club is the only Construction Charity that provides emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families. 2021 has seen Brogan Group raising £2,000 for the Lighthouse Club with the Brogan initiative, The Tall Building Challenge, clocking up over 2,800km walking or running a set distance based on a multiple of the height of 8 tall buildings Brogan Group have provided access on. The Lighthouse Club charity specializes in mental health support for construction workers and Brogan Group have recently committed to further supporting its own workers by signing up to the Building Mental Health Charter with Building Mental Health as well as training up a new batch of Mental Health ‘First Aiders’ in November, joining our existing team, to support our office as well as site staff. Bill Hill CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said, “A huge thank you goes out to the Brogan Group for their continued donations through our Company Supporters programme and for their additional fundraising support. We love the idea of a jetpacking Santa so hope everyone will get involved with this great idea!”  Find out more about the Lighthouse Club here https://www.lighthouseclub.org/

British Steel scaffolders enter ninth week of strike action

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British Steel scaffolders enter ninth week of strike action
Unite leader joins striking scaffolders in Scunthorpe as they enter the ninth week of strike action. The boss of the leading workers union Unite, Sharon Graham, has shown ‘steadfast support’ for Actavo scaffolders striking at British Steel in Scunthorpe. She joined the picket lines with workers this morning (Wednesday 1 December) who have a long-running dispute with employers over pay. The leader has also called on British Steel, which has the power to intervene and end the row. More than 60 Actavo (UK) scaffolders have been on continuous strike action for nine weeks. Unite says their employers are significantly underpaying the workers and breaks the national agreement that sets fair rates for the job. But Unite says that the client, British Steel, must also take responsibility for this long-running dispute.
Credit: Twitter/United Scaffs
Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham said: “The workers on strike have their union’s steadfast support. My priority is to defend Unite members’ jobs, pay and conditions.  Actavo and British Steel need to stop playing pass the parcel by blaming each other for underpaying the workers. It’s clear British Steel now needs to come to the negotiating table and resolve this dispute. “Unite will not allow employers to break national agreements and erode workers’ pay for greater profits. We are prepared to fight tooth and nail to stop the race to the bottom.” The dispute, which began in 2019, is a result of the scaffolders not being paid in line with the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI).  The rates for the workforce are currently between 10-15 per cent (depending on specific roles) below these rates. The workers maintain 500 scaffolding structures at the British Steel site.

Alcumus faff-free winter webinar 

Alcumus
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Alcumus faff-free winter webinar 
Shorter days, bad weather, increased illnesses with added pressures of a pandemic and Brexit will make winter difficult for many businesses Now is the time to get your business ready for winter. Have you considered:
  • Do you need to change your sickness policy to include Covid-19?
  • Are you continuing to follow Covid-19 measures?
  • Have you considered the risks of employees working outdoors?
  • Have you assessed the risks associated with working at height during the winter?
  • Do you have clear lighting and pathways in the winter months?
  • Do you know when it is considered unsafe for employees to attend the site?
Now’s the time to watch Alcumus’s winter webinar to get those questions answered Watch the webinar here: https://www.alcumus.com/en-gb/winter-webinar/ Their expert panel  You’ll gain a HR and Health & Safety perspective on each of these and more from our panel
  • Robin McCloy – Health & Safety Consultant
  • Anil Champaneri – HR Consultant
  • Susan Barker – HR Consultant
Cut out the faff We’re here to help you cut out the faff and our Alcumus Consultants can support you with all your risk assessment needs to help you ensure that they comply with current statutory and regulatory requirements. Call 01484 439930 or visit www.alcumus.com/faff-free to find out more.

CHAS urges construction sector to embrace building safety scheme

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CHAS urges construction sector to embrace building safety scheme
CHAS, the supply-chain risk management expert, has become a registered signatory of Building a Safer Future and is encouraging other members of the built environment sector to do the same.  The Building a Safer Future Charter was launched in response to Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations and fire safety to instigate the cultural and behavioural changes required to achieve a safer building system. Signatories must make five commitments to prioritise safety first in the built environment. These include:
  1. Collaborate to spearhead culture change and be the voice of building safety across the sector.
  2. Be transparent in the interests of safety, sharing key information with residents, clients, contractors and statutory bodies in a useful and accessible manner in the design, construction and occupation phases of the process.
  3. Make safety a key factor of choice in who they work with, ensuring that building safety is placed at the centre of selection decisions without compromising quality or value for money.
  4. Ensure that the voices and safety of residents, visitors and employees are central to their decision-making process.
  5. Set out and communicate clear responsibilities within their organisation and with their partners, ensuring everyone with a stake in the building during design, construction and occupation understands their role and has the time and resources they need to achieve and maintain building safety.
Any organisations or individuals who work in or have a professional connection or interest in the UK built environment can sign up to the Building a Safer Future Charter. It applies to any organisation involved in pre, during and post-construction activity (including maintenance and residential/community organisations). CHAS Managing Director, Ian McKinnon, comments: “As an authority and trusted advisor on health and safety compliance, responsible for setting industry benchmarks, CHAS is committed to the continuous improvement of health & safety standards in the UK. “We therefore fully support the commitments set out in the Building a Safer Future Charter and actively encourage our contractors and other members of the construction community to do the same. “The more widely the scheme is embraced, the more successful it will be in driving the culture change required to improve building safety.”

Double success for City Scaffolding firm at industry awards

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Double success for City Scaffolding firm at industry awards
Edinburgh based City Access Scaffolding is celebrating its double success at a major industry awards event in Wales. The firm took home two of the coveted trophies at the NASC Awards 2021, beating 72 entries from across the UK to win both the Apprentice of the Year award and the Health & Safety Award for firms with fewer than 66 employees. Established in 2014, City Access Scaffolding (CAS) has grown rapidly, earning a reputation for professionalism and reliability.  The firm has secured several significant projects recently, including Edinburgh’s new Gleneagles Townhouse, intricate work on Scottish Government headquarters at St Andrews House and a Historic Environment Scotland contract to provide scaffolding services for sites including the iconic Edinburgh Castle. Recognising that they operate within a high-risk sector, the company has always placed health and safety at the heart of operations, ensuring that teams and projects are run safely, and with an eye on consistent improvement. In common with other industries, construction was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  CAS developed a way of working in line with social distancing measures, allowing the team to continue to erect scaffolding safely while adhering to government requirements. A video produced to demonstrate this to their operatives was picked up by a client, global construction specialists ISG Plc and shared to their subcontractors nationally. Alongside steps to prevent physical injury and death,  CAS has long been a champion for mental health among its workforce, mindful of the fact that suicide is the biggest killer of men aged 20-49. CAS Performance Director Kirsty Allan has built a strong relationship with the Joshua Nolan Foundation, with the firm fundraising over £2000 for the Edinburgh-based charity. All CAS staff are encouraged to reach out if they require support, and through this initiative, several members of the team have been connected with trained counsellors on programmes that develop strategies with the individual to cope with thoughts of suicide or self-harm.  The company also offers all staff an 8-week mindfulness course delivered by skilled practitioners from The Mindful Enterprise. Commenting on the award, CAS QHSE Manager Ryan Scott said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won this NASC Health & Safety Award.  There’s nothing more important to us than ensuring that we can work safely on-site, while also caring for our employee’s wellbeing in a much wider sense. We have close relationships with various services locally and we’ll always act as a link to help staff get any help they need.  We look at well-being in a really holistic way, including putting a partnership in place with Capital Credit Union which offers our team a structured way to save money from their weekly wage.  All of these things add up to a happier and healthier workforce which is the best way for us to continue to grow in a way that we can be genuinely proud of.” The second award of the night recognised one of the newer recruits to the CAS team, Adam McLennan, as NASC Apprentice of the Year 2021.  NASC judges noted that 22-year-old Adam’s entry stood out in a field of high-calibre submissions, with his work ethic, initiative and selfless attitude shining through. Commenting on the award, CAS Performance Director Kirsty Allan said: “Adam is organised, efficient and an absolute credit to City Access Scaffolding.  He has made a material contribution to the company over a very challenging time for everyone and we couldn’t be prouder of him.  We’re looking forward to watching him progress within the industry and are sure he has a bright future ahead of him.” “Not only do we want to help our 8 apprentices to become the best scaffolders they can, be but we also work closely with them all to help navigate their personal lives and development.  If people feel happy, safe and supported at work they’ll be more productive and effective so it’s something we take very seriously. We’re excited about what the future holds for City Access Scaffolding and can’t wait to see how our team members continue to grow personally and professionally.” The 2021 NASC Awards took place at Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, on Friday 19 November 2021, hosted by stand-up comedian Jimmy Carr, and recognised the very best of the UK’s scaffolding industry, marking achievements in seven categories.  From a long list of 72 entries, the winners, runners up and highly commended submissions were revealed in front of a packed ballroom of more than 550 guests.

Study finds 60% of Scaffolders love their job

Daniel Norton
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Study finds 60% of Scaffolders love their job
New research shows that almost two-thirds of UK scaffolders enjoy their job and nearly a half of scaffolders say they are proud of the work they do. The research which forms part of a wider study by IronmongeryDirect shows that tradespeople are significantly more likely to love their jobs than the average working Brit. UK tradespeople were asked about their level of job satisfaction and found that 56% are happy with their careers, compared to just 37% across all industries. Additionally, nearly half (47%) of tradespeople are proud of the work they do and around a third say they are happy with both their work-life balance (32%) and level of income (31%). Tradies were also asked exactly which parts of their work they find the most enjoyable. The most popular answer was interaction with customers (22%), while the ability to continually learn on the job also ranked highly (21%). The top five things tradespeople enjoy about their work are:
  1. Interacting with customers – 22%
  2. Learning something new – 21%
  3. Working outdoors – 20%
  4. Job variety – 20%
  5. Seeing visible accomplishments each day – 19%
When it comes to individual trades, bricklayers are the most likely tradespeople to say they enjoy their job (69%), but interestingly are also the least likely to feel proud of their work (19%). Electricians (63%), Plumbers (61%) and Scaffolders (60%) also have really high job satisfaction, while at the other end of the table, building surveyors are the least likely tradespeople to enjoy their work (43%). Painter decorators and electricians are the most likely tradies to feel a sense of pride about their work (58%). The study also found that Millennial tradespeople are the least likely to enjoy their job, with only 43% stating that they like their work, whilst those over the age of 65 have the greatest career satisfaction (69%). More men said they enjoy their job (60%) than women (50%), but women are more likely to be proud of their work (51% vs 45%). Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: “It’s great to see that so many tradespeople enjoy the work they do, and feel a real sense of accomplishment for their projects.  “We’ve always believed that for many tradies, their work isn’t just a job, but truly a passion and a way of life, and that was echoed by the majority of tradespeople in our study.” 
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