Hobson & Porter was delighted to receive a runner’s-up trophy in the Ivor Goodsite Hoarding Competition, a national initiative from the Considerate Constructors Scheme.

The site team at Woodford Leisure Centre received the trophy in recognition of the artwork from three local schools displayed on the hoarding around the site. Pupils from St. Anne’s Community Special School in Welton, and Estcourt Primary Academy and Mersey Primary Academy, both in Hull, produced artwork which is currently on display around the site perimeter on Holderness Road.

Hobson & Porter is approximately halfway through a major project to extend and improve facilities at Woodford – one of Hull’s largest local authority recreational centres. From the beginning, Project Manager Kevin Harrison and his site team have engaged with the local community, in particular with education providers, hosting numerous visits from school and college students. As a result, the three participating schools produced a fabulous array of artwork on the theme of healthy living and health and safety.

Kevin said: “The children from all three schools showed real keenness to learn about the work we are doing at Woodford and the importance of site safety in the construction industry. It was great to see their eagerness to understand more about the work at Woodford, and their artwork was wonderfully thoughtful and creative.

“It is clear that they put a lot of effort into their work and they have been rewarded by having their designs named the second-best site hoarding in the country. Congratulations to them all!”

Winners of the Ivor Goodsite competition receive a range of prizes, including personalised t-shirts and other goodies. All pupils who enter also receive a medal and fun pack for taking part.

Dave Blades, Hobson & Porter’s Business Development Director, said: “The Ivor Goodsite Hoarding Competition is a brilliant initiative which helps construction companies educate children about site safety while also allowing them to be creative and learn more about the industry.

“It is also an early introduction the construction industry, and can inspire future generations to consider a career in construction. Congratulations to all the schools that worked with us on the Woodford Leisure Centre site hoarding, they can be very proud of their achievements.”

Summary:

• The Guild of Bricklayers Yorkshire heat took place at Hull College on Friday 16th June
• The competition was attended by colleges from across the region entering construction students into the senior and junior categories
• Hobson & Porter, Jewsons and Buck & Hickman have pledged support to the competition

Construction students from across the region have battled it out in an intense one-day competition to test their bricklaying skills against the clock.

The Yorkshire heat of the Guild of Bricklayers competition was held on June 16th at Hull College’s construction workshop. As part of the competition, students were presented with drawings and were given five and six-hour blocks to reproduce a live brickwork model.

The Guild of Bricklayers is an organisation which promotes and maintains the highest standards of craftsmanship in brickwork. The Yorkshire region competition has garnered support from a host of local and national businesses and organisations. Hull-based construction firm Hobson & Porter teamed up with national materials supplier Jewson and national tools supplier Buck & Hickman to provide branded t-shirts for competitors to wear during the event.

David Blades, Business Development Director for Hobson & Porter, said: “The Guild of Bricklayers competition is a great opportunity for young builders to showcase their bricklaying skills. The high standards of workmanship we saw at this year’s competition was very impressive, and a testament to the dedication of the students to their trade. This year’s competition builds on the positive reaction to last year’s event, which was hosted at Bishop Burton College.

“Hobson & Porter is a keen supporter of any initiatives that develop the skills of young construction students and the Guild of Bricklayers is one of the most prestigious events on the calendar. We are delighted to have been able to attend the regional event and team up with our friends at Buck & Hickman to provide the students with t-shirts for the competition. It was great to see some of the future tradespeople we are developing in our region.”

In the competition, students are judged on the quality of their brickwork by a panel of Guild appointed judges. Entrants for the senior category must be trainees who are working towards their S/NVQ Diploma level 3. Entrants for the junior category are students with little or no site experience who are working towards S/NVQ/Diploma level 1.

The senior category of the competition was won by York College’s Lewi Greenwood, with Goole College’s Joe Harrison and Leeds College’s Sean Durkin finish runner up and third place respectively.

In the junior category, Barnsley College’s Morgan Chambers took first place, followed by Timothy smith from Leeds College and Nathan Jamieson from York College in second and third place.

Winners from the regional heats progress into the national competition, which took place at Derby College on 21st June.

Summary:

• Rooted in Hull enterprise project continues to progress thanks to support from local businesses and organisations
• Work on café and shop containers taking place at Hull College
• The scheme, based on St Peter’s Street in Hull City Centre is aiming for completion late summer 2017

30 Hull businesses and organisations have partnered up to support a city farm project which aims to teach people in the area about food, farming and the environment.

Rooted, Hull’s “farm in a box” project taking place in the city centre, is aimed at creating a community space for the growing of fresh fruit and vegetables and rearing livestock to help local people learn more about food and nutrition, farming and distribution.

The next stage of the project has been taking place at Hull College’s construction workshop. It consists of two shipping containers, one which will act as a shop to sell fresh fruit, vegetables, salad and other local produce, and one which will become a café selling affordable, good quality health food products.

The concept has garnered support from several Hull and East Yorkshire-based companies and organisations, which have been involved in the development and fitting out of the farm’s containers, which will house food growing and processing facilities, conference space, and other on-site amenities.

Hull-based construction firm Hobson & Porter has helped with the formation of Rooted, establishing contacts for the project, and has partnered with national building supplier Jewson to provide materials for the building structures.

Other businesses involved include Bonus Electrical and Boston Renewables, which have pledged support through providing electrical fit outs of the containers, while CFI and Tarkett Ltd are providing materials for flooring. VIP Communications is providing internet access for the scheme, and Imperio Solutions are supplying LGP water heaters. Students from Hull College have also been involved in the joinery works, with Bishop Burton College in discussions about working on the project in the future. A host of other businesses are involved in the development of the scheme, which is targeting completion in late summer 2017.

Nick Wiles, Contracts Manager for CFI, said: “We have quite a few members in our team that come from a challenging background, so helping out with such an inspiring project to help the youth of this generation was a pleasure. Knowing that our efforts, both as a company and as a city collectively, is going to make a difference for a number of families across the city is the driving factor for our workers.”

Adrian Fisher, Co-director of Rooted, said: “We now have 30 Hull businesses who are supporting us in some way, and also Hull College’s students who have shown great commitment to the project.

“Rooted is based on innovative design and thinking and we are passionate about helping people to reach their potential. Our ultimate aim is to connect people back to their food and improve their health and wellbeing, while also encouraging enterprise to all elements of society.”

Hobson & Porter’s Business Development Director, David Blades, said: “We have been working closely with Jewson and other local businesses to help get this project off the ground and it’s great to see the stages coming together.

“There has been input from Hull College’s construction department, and this has given the students some excellent work experience towards their education in the industry.

“The project has benefits for all parties; it is great for the city and provides an opportunity for local businesses to get involved in a community initiative while working in unison with industry partners.

“Hobson & Porter is proud to support Rooted and will continue working with Adrian and the stakeholders throughout the scheme.”

Hobson & Porter is currently running the Foundations scheme, which involves initiatives run for people to gain valuable experience in the construction industry into bridge the skills gap and inspire more young people to start a career in construction. It has recently hosted several supplier exhibitions at Bishop Burton College to improve students’ knowledge of leading industry materials and suppliers.

For more information on Rooted visit rootedinhull.org.uk

For more information on Foundations visit https://www.hobsonporter.com/foundations/

Media Contact: For more information please contact Philip Loades on 01482 782287. E: philip.loades@mercury-group.co.uk

Hobson & Porter, one of Yorkshire and the Humber’s leading construction contractors, has cemented its reputation for being a safe and responsible employer by receiving a Gold Medal at the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards 2017.

The Gold Medal is presented to companies achieving five or more consecutive gold awards through the prestigious annual initiative by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

Construction is one of the most safety-critical of all industries, so it is vital that contractors and employers take a meticulous approach to safeguarding both its own people and everyone who comes into contact with a live site. The ROSPA Gold Medal underlines how Hobson & Porter consistently makes health and safety its overarching priority, with best practice in areas such as leadership, learning and workforce involvement.

The ROSPA Gold Medal was awarded just days after Hobson & Porter launched its new Safe Works brand. Safe Works is Hobson & Porter’s vision for a zero-accident safety culture, and is communicated through the business’s 12 lifesaving rules.

The initiative is based on the slogan ‘make TIME for safety’, with 12 key rules relating to the letters T (travel) I (In advance) M (moving around sites) and E (Executing work). It has been implemented to ensure that Hobson & Porter operates to the most robust safety standards to reflect best practice with the industry.

Joe Rymer, health and safety manager for Hobson & Porter, said: “As a responsible employer, we want to make sure every member of our team maximises his or her safety and minimises the risk of accidents on site. Over the recent weeks and months our Health & Safety Management team, in conjunction with the board of directors, has identified the 12 prominent risks which our people and our supply chain face on a daily basis.

“By following the 12 Lifesaving Rules – which cover getting to work, entering a live site, moving around a site and using equipment – our people will contribute towards a culture which reduces risk and aims to eliminate all accidents.

“It is our belief that anything other than a target of zero accidents demonstrates a willingness to accept levels of ‘inevitability’ and ‘unavoidable harm’, something we consider to be a complete failure of our duties to protect. Zero is the only acceptable level.”

Richard Hunter, managing director at Hobson & Porter, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the Gold Medal from RoSPA, which is one of the most sought-after health and safety accolades a business can receive.

“Our corporate ethos surrounding health and safety is one which encompasses continuous improvement, best practice, and consistent levels of effort and resource. Health and safety is business-critical and our number one priority. Safety always comes before delivery, meaning if we can’t do it safely, we won’t do it.

“To continue driving forward our commitment to improving our safety culture we have now implemented our 12 Lifesaving Rules, with a robust set of communication KPIs to ensure Safe Works remains dominant throughout our business and our supply chain.”

Hobson & Porter is currently involved in a number of high-profile projects in the Humber region, including a multi-million-pound refurbishment of Hull’s popular Woodford Leisure Centre, and (insert relevant projects).