Time to celebrate our industry's best
Jan 29 2010 Constructing Excellence with Catriona Lingwood, The Journal
APPARENTLY, we came out of recession this week but times are still exceptionally hard for people involved at all levels of the construction sector.
However hard we are finding things, though, it is important to remember that our industry is not all doom and gloom.
Indeed, there continues to be excellent work carried out throughout the North East and, indeed, outside of the region by those who are based here.
Today, Constructing Excellence in the North East launches its 2010 Awards, once more celebrating some fantastic achievements because it is important to shine a light through the gloomy outlook.
Last year was a tremendous celebration - looking back over a time when the economic black clouds were already casting a dark shadow what we found was that there were beacons of light all across the region.
Winners included the Excelsior Academy in Newcastle, Saltholme Wildlife Reserve and Discovery Park near Middlesbrough, St Peter's Sixth Form College in Sunderland, the Lion House in Alnwick, The Work Place in Newton Aycliffe and the Infinity Bridge in Stockton.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors are already receiving a high level of interest in their annual awards which clearly demonstrates there is still much to shout about for our region.
It is important that those who work in the industry and are involved in the great work being done recognise what they are doing as worthy of celebration.
Categories for the 2010 awards cover leadership and people development, integration and collaborative working, sustainability, health and safety, innovation, heritage and value, as well as prizes for SMEs, individuals and project of the year.
Clearly, we are not alone in believing there is a lot to celebrate as a number of sponsors are already on board, eager to ensure that credit is given where due for excellent efforts in a time when there is more focus on the negatives than the positives.
An evening of well-earned celebration will see the awards presented at the Newcastle Marriott Gosforth Park Hotel on Friday, May 7, and more information about the awards is available at www.cene.org.uk/awards.
It is way too easy to keep our heads down and plough through the economic gloom, but we all need to celebrate our successes to acknowledge that what we, as an industry, are achieving is still at the highest standards - despite the recession.
For more information on Constructing Excellence in the North East, please contact chief executive Catriona Lingwood on 0191-3837435 or catriona@cene.org.uk
Catriona Lingwood is chief executive of Constructing Excellence in the North East
