Author: Kathryn Hartless

What a day! O’Brien Charitable Trust Annual Golf Day raised over £12K for its charities.

Last Friday, set in the grounds of the extremely hot and sunny Warwickshire Golf course, seventy-two golfers headed off for a day of competition, with many of our suppliers and staff going head-to-head on the golf course.

The event was off to a great start with the highly amusing putting competition, using a mallet, piping, and a broom and more, instead of a regular golf club. It was a day for refreshments, with Linsco providing much-needed drinks to quench the golfer’s thirst. Beat the Pro was interesting with fourteen golfers proving their golfing abilities. Definitely a day to remember for some!

Overall, a fantastic day with unbelievable support from our suppliers, along with the Raffle, Beat the Pro and Silent Auction all adding to the pot to raise an amazing total. The Trust would like to extend a huge thank you to all who supported and attended the event, it must be our best one yet! Same again next year.

O’Brien has secured a contract for Algeco, formerly Elliott’s at Northampton Boys College, Moulton.

The £2.1 million design and build project is for the development of 40,000m2 of natural turf pitches, construction of a full size 3G synthetic surfaced football pitch with associated lighting and fencing along with a 62 X 36m “Leisuretex” surfaced MUGA, predominately used for tennis and netball.

The works are part of a £28 million new modular build campus for the school through the Department of Education awarded to Algeco.

The works are underway with completion by the end of October 2023.

O’Brien Charitable Trust (OBCT) has donated materials to the Stoney Stanton Scout Group HQ, Hinckley.

The materials were used for the foundations of the new fire escape that has been fitted to the Scout HQ. The new fire escape is significantly more robust than the previous one and will serve the club and the building for many years to come.

Tony Mitchell, Director at O’Brien Contractors Ltd, said: “We are pleased to see the improvements made and glad to have helped the Stoney Stanton Scout Group and its members”.

If you would like to see what our Trust has been up to or visit and donate, please follow the link here: https://lnkd.in/eazAXJRt

O’Brien Contractors Ltd have secured a new contract for Stratford upon Avon College (SUAC). The £1.2 million design and build project is to construct circa 10,000m2 of hard and soft landscaping as part of the college’s redevelopment.

 The 16-week contract duration commences early July 2023 and has been awarded on merit of our previous contracts for similar successful projects. The college plans involve a comprehensive staged refurbishment over the next three years, in which unsuitable buildings will be demolished and the campus rationalised.

The finished area will create links between the college facilities along with leisure and recreation zones, that are complimented by herbaceous borders and arboreal planting. O’Brien look forward to working with the college and bringing a new and exciting campus to its students.

O’Brien Contractors has successfully completed its first phase. The phase included the construction of a new access road and controlled junction for the new Fairham neighbourhood, along with improving access to the existing Park & Ride site.

The works have successfully been completed on programme, with the latest drone footage showing how far the project has progressed, over the last few months. We have now secured the next phase of infrastructure works and work on site is underway. The video below shows a full site overview of the neighbourhood and ongoing works.

Tom O’Brien, Director said: “We have completed our first phase at Fairham on programme and to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders. This has contributed to successfully securing the next phase of works at Fairham. Due to the positive relationships established; the same site team will continue. This is a great reflection of the quality and management of our teams, and we are extremely pleased to be working on this next phase with the client.”

The contract…
O’Brien has been conducting the work on behalf of Clowes Developments, the company behind the Fairham masterplan. The works are part of £100 million of infrastructure improvements scheduled for Fairham. Fairham is being brought forward in partnership with Homes England, the government’s housing accelerator.

The works involve improvements an existing access road and to create a new route into the £800 million Fairham neighbourhood in Nottinghamshire. The 606-acre site is in the process of becoming a whole new neighbourhood for Nottingham with 3,000 new homes, one million sq. ft of employment space and 200 acres of open green space.

Video content captured by: https://www.photos.co.uk/

To celebrate “World Bicycle Day” in style we are off to take on our Charity Bike Ride 2023!

The event is taking place tomorrow, 4^th June, in Cambridgeshire with eleven of our team members training hard and preparing for the 53/66/100-mile routes around Cambridgeshire. The routes have now been released by the organisers and the Lyra has been fitted, it’s true to say the sponsored jersey’s look fantastic!

So far, we have raised an UNBELIEVABLE £11,895.00 for the O’Brien Charitable Trust, but still need your help to achieve our target! If you are able to support our team, please donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/charitybikeride23obct

We wanted to say a huge, good luck to all our riders, the weather looks fantastic, and the event should be a brilliant challenge for all. Thanks to all our sponsors and to all those who have donated so far.

Best of luck team! Let’s get to £13K!

World Bicycle Day – 3^rd June 2023
The idea behind World Bicycle Day (WBD) is to recognize the versatility and uniqueness of the bicycle, as well as its reliability and sustainability as a mode of transportation. We support WBD due to its sustainability and green benefits and aiding both mental and physical health. We encourage our workforce to get on their bikes and cycle!

O’Brien values the skills, experience, and dedication of our site teams. In recognition of this, team members are rewarded with the ‘Employee Outstanding Achievement Award.’ The award goes to a member of the site team who has shown all of the above and is committed to project and their team.

Steve Hopkins won the Outstanding Employee Award for Quarter 1/2023. Steve was selected due to his great attitude on site and when working with his colleagues. He maintains a high standard of workmanship and always ensure that all he does is carried out safely.

These qualities are a great example of what is considered when recognising an O’Brien team member.

What does it mean to boost your mental health? These are the discussions we have been having at O’Brien’s, creating more awareness around talking, ways of coping and how we can, as a business, be more open to our workforce and what they might need.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week 9-15th May, we sat down and had a chat with Anthony Watson, our Pre-Construction Manager, who kindly offer to talk about how he manages his mental health, what works for him and simple advice that might help others.

1. Tell us about you…

I have worked in the construction industry now for over thirty-five years. After leaving school, I started working on building sites for a Regional Construction Company before deciding to get a Degree in Building Surveying. I have worked for a number of businesses from SME’s to Blue Chip organisations and irrespective of the size of business, or your position within them, your own Mental Health and Wellbeing is one thing we all need to be better at protecting.

2. What is your approach to mental health?

Getting that work life balance right is so hard to achieve, and when you think you have it mastered, something changes that tip the balance… and usually, not in your favour! Everyone is different, but I find that being open with people about my mental health, both at work and at home, really helps. I’m not afraid to talk about how I feel and what might be troubling me.

3. Can you offer any tips and advice that might help someone who is struggling?

Just remember, you are not alone, and speaking to someone isn’t a sign of weakness. If you don’t have anyone who you feel comfortable talking to, take advantage of the Construction Industry Helpline App which O’Brien Contractors make available for free. Any conversation you have via this App is confidential… and the people on the other end could really help you address the issues that are causing you to struggle with mental health.

4. If you could choose something to add that would help the construction industry boost Mental Health Awareness, what would it be?

Now, this is a tough one!! We might see mental health issues as being a weakness and we don’t like exposing our weaknesses to work colleagues, family or friends. However, a big boost to Mental Health Awareness within the construction industry would come if we all spoke out about it more! There is great traction already, especially with Days like today, but I feel we could do more.

5. How is O’Brien’s actively supporting mental health?

O’Brien Contractors show real empathy when it comes to our mental health and wellbeing. We are committed to the Building Mental Health Framework which underpins the values of our business and supports people in our industry, every day, and throughout their working lives. We are signatories to the Building Mental Health Charter and offer support through awareness campaigns and training. We also have champions from across our workforce to support keeping people safe. We also support the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity which is the only charity that provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families. We also encourage and promote an active lifestyle to help improve mental health and wellbeing. This year, a team from across our workforce, will be cycling up to 100 miles to raise money for the O’Brien Charitable Trust.

Our approach to Mental Health & Wellbeing at Work…
Listed here are some of the areas we have worked on in the last couple of years to increase our support with O’Brien Contractors:

We offer access to the “Construction Industry Helpline App” The app is the ultimate self-help tool and is aimed at those who would like more information about how they can help themselves or if necessary, take the next step in seeking professional help. 

Here at O’Brien’s, we have a number of Mental Health First Aiders, our “Mental Health Champions,” who are specifically trained in helping anyone who may need support, ensuring that out workforce always have a trained representative to offer advice and listen when it is needed.

“Building Mental Health Framework” is an initiative we have adopted, with our teams committing to the principles of the building mental health charter, which include areas such as reducing stigma and discrimination and encouraging open conversations while at work.

We ensure that our workforce communications always include a recommendation or links to helpful information should it be needed. Our dedicated page “Help Under the Hard Hat” is there specifically to offer this. Our Toolbox talks are specifically focused around these areas.

One of our chosen charities who helps us with our communication is a charity we support through O’Brien Charitable Trust is “Lighthouse Club.” They offer a helpline and are committed to helping the construction industry tackle its mental health. This is charity receives no public funding and relies on the generosity of those within in the industry to help to continue its vital work. 

Additional Links to Information & Help:

See here how you can boost your mental health in Spring… click here.

See link to the Construction Industry Helpline App and how to find it: click here.

See the Lighthouse Club here: click here.

The O’Brien Charity Golf Day is only a couple of months away and the team at O’Brien has been practicing their swings and avoiding the rough to ensure they are competitive on the 7^th of July.

The response from our suppliers has been fantastic, offering sponsorship and prizes for the event. We would like to extend a huge thank you to them for their support and helping us to create what will be a brilliant day.

The money raised from the event will go to O’Brien Charitable Trust and help to raise money for our local charities and the worthy communities they support.

If you would like to sponsor our Charity Golf Day for 2023 or support O’Brien Charitable Trust, please contact info@obriencontractors.co.uk or follow the link here.

O’Brien have recently carried out several contracts for allotments in Wolston, Cubbington and Tiddington, Stratford upon Avon. With “Earth Day” this month, it got our team thinking about sustainable living and how facilities, such as allotments allow us to consider how we impact the environment and encourage us, once again to grow our own and step away from convenience.

With many of our clients, particularly the housing industry encouraging greener living and investing in the new homes they are creating, our client Spitfire Homes is a great example of this and the space they are creating on their site in Wolston, Rugby to encourage sustainable futures.

The team were instructed by Spitfire Homes to clear the site of overgrown existing allotments and disposing of the site’s waste to allow for 79 new plots. The site required stripped and levelled topsoil with the existing topsoil screened and reused to cover the area. This avoided bringing new topsoil in and allowed us to recycle what the site had, reducing deliveries to site. Stone roads were built around the allotments to allow access and bases/slabs were laid ready for sheds and greenhouses. O’Brien supplied and erected all sheds and greenhouses and constructed perimeter fencing. The contract was successfully completed and handed back to the client for the next phase of the development.

O’Brien’s Commitment

Net Zero: With over fifty years of history delivering civil engineering and construction across all sectors of the Built Environment, O’Brien Contractors have always shown a commitment to their Corporate Social Responsibility and the Environment.  Our Net Zero Champion, Vicki, is responsible for setting net zero carbon targets and defining the businesses strategy to de-carbonise future operations.

Vicki commented: “Protecting our Environment and climate change represents some of the greatest challenges we face today in Construction. At O’Brien Contractors Limited, we understand the behavioral change needed across our Industry.”

Plant: O’Brien Contractors Limited continues to invest in the latest plant and technology to help improve operational efficiencies and reduce Green House Gas emissions. O’Brien’s continue to lead the way in Modern Methods of Construction for groundworks and civil engineering.

An example of this is our EC300E Hybrid Fuel Efficiency / Reduced CO2 Emissions. The result is up to 17% increase in fuel efficiency on standard EC330E, but also the same levels of controllability and performance as the standard EC300E. That allows the EC300E Hybrid to reduces its CO₂ emissions by up to 15%* making it a more environmentally respectful choice, especially when working in built-up areas.

What is Earth Day? Earth Day, 22^nd April, is meant to demonstrate support for environmental protection through global events coordinated by the Earth Day Network. Whether it is changing your diet for a day or shrinking your carbon footprint, there are many ways to participate in Earth Day. Food for Earth Day Earth Day is less about celebratory foods and more focused on the food we eat often. You can celebrate Earth Day by being cognizant of what you are eating and how it impacts the environment.