Awards mean it’s time to celebrate

May 8 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

IT’S time to put on the party frocks – dinner suits for the men, unless they’re Scottish in which case tradition tends to dictate a bow tie and kilt combination – and celebrate.

For those who have forgotten what that word celebrate means, the Wordsworth Concise English Dictionary defines it as “to make famous: to distinguish by solemn ceremonies, as a festival or an event: to perform with proper rites and ceremonies, as mass, marriage, etc: to publish the praises of …to do something enjoyable because of a feeling of pleasure at some event, achievement, etc”.

Celebration is something which this industry needs to do more of here in the North East, and not just in the current economic downturn.

Tonight sees the biggest awards ceremony in the region with 530 leaders and friends of our industry coming together for the 2009 Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards at the Newcastle Marriott Hotel in Gosforth Park.

You may ask what we have to celebrate in such times of economic gloom and, admittedly, I am sure we will all take time this evening to reflect upon the effect it has had upon our industry.

However, there is a lot to celebrate in terms of the excellent work which has been carried out in the North East and by contractors based in the region.

Last week, I attended the Institution of Civil Engineers’ annual North East dinner and projects such as the Blue House Bridge at North Shields, the High Level Bridge restoration, and Infinity Bridge in Stockton were highlighted there.

Tonight aims to build upon that and I would like to think that it will inspire others to start thinking about the positives our industry is delivering – not only in the North East, but everywhere.

We have some excellent work being done by excellent individuals, who make excellent teams, who form excellent collaborations with other excellent teams.

Constructing Excellence exists across the North East, and not just in the name of our organisation.

We should celebrate excellence, because it is that to which we all strive and often in the North East it is achieved.

For more information on Constructing Excellence in the North East, please contact chief executive, Catriona Lingwood, on (0191) 383-7435 or catriona@constructingexcellence -ne.org.uk.

Catriona Lingwood is chief executive, Constructing Excellence in the North East