Category: News

O’Brien visited Stratford Upon Avon Foodbank today to present a cheque for £2,000.

The donation is linked to the recent work we have carried out at Stratford Upon Avon College for their new campus. Having worked closely together over the last few months we discussed possible charities/causes in the area that might be worthy of a donation and the Foodbank was highlighted as a great recipient.

Having spoken to the team at the foodbank today it was interesting to hear that they are feeding 59% more people in 2023 than in 2022. Although well supported by the local area, they are in need of donations to maintain the level of support that is required across the town at present.

Kate Morris, Foodbank Manger, said: “We are hugely grateful for the support of O’Brien Contractors Ltd, and thankful to the college for nominating us, as we discussed donations are down and the demand is ever increasing.”

Stuart Chamberlain, Executive Director, said: “It was great to meet the team today and hear how our donation will help them. Community collaboration is part of our social value commitment, we believe in the power of working relationships, and we actively seek aiding local organisations, charities, and community groups. By working together, we can leverage our skills, resources, and expertise to address the unique needs of the communities in which we operate.”

If you would like to support The Trussell Trust Foodbanks please click here: https://www.trusselltrust.org/make-a-donation/

O’Brien Contractors has won its third contract with Clowes Development, working as the principal contractor on the delivery of essential highway infrastructure works in Fairham, a new £800 million mixed-used development in Nottinghamshire.

Following the success of two previous contracts for the completion of development phases two and three, the newest contract will see the completion of the fourth stage of the £100 million infrastructure improvements to the 606-acre site. Previous works on the site have included improving public access through the reconfiguration of Clifton Park & Ride with a new dual access road and a roundabout, plus a number of additional roads and access routes.

The next phase of work will involve the construction of new roads, footpaths, and cycleways to allow access to the site as the later phases of the development begin. Upon completion, the scheme will provide new employment opportunities, 3,000 new homes and 200 acres of green space.

Tom O’Brien, Director at O’Brien Contractors: “We are extremely pleased to have secured a third contract with Clowes Developments. The routes are taking shape and allowing access to new areas of the development, it is great to work on this exciting project and to see the masterplan coming to life. Once again, this is a brilliant reflection of the consistency of our team and the standards O’Brien Contractors offers.”

Ali Malik, Director at Clowes Developments, said: “The decision to work with O’Brien Contractors on the third phase of works is a direct result of the success of our two previous projects. The team has proven to us that they are more than capable of handling the job and we trust them to deliver the project on time. It is great to have them on board for the next stage of this major development in the Nottinghamshire area.”

For more information, see here.

Fairham’s Masterplan October 2023:

O’Brien has won its third contract at Longbridge, Birmingham.

The team has successfully secured a contract for a boulevard landscaping scheme on West Works Way. The first visit has commenced on site with further landscaping visits in March to complete the seeding.

The Longbridge projects has been made up of three individual contracts including West Longbridge, Dalmuir Road and most recently West Works Way.

Below is a link to our earlier contract at West Longbridge which is part of one of the largest regeneration schemes in the UK.

O’Brien Infrastructure Works Progress at Old Rover Site, Longbridge

O’Brien has taken stock of 4 new Thwaites 9T Mach2290X Dumpers.

The new additions will be added to the extensive fleet of company owned machinery. This ensures O’Brien continue to make use of the latest technology as well as providing safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly vehicles for our staff.

The team look forward to getting the shiny new kit out on site.

Laura Murphy has been selected by her colleagues for the first ever office nominated Outstanding Contribution Award. This award is normally only awarded to site staff, but due to the level of support and help she has given to the office, she was put forward by her teammates.

Many of the comments made by her colleagues included how proactive, diligent, and helpful she is in her work and her ability to get the job done efficiently and on time.

O’Brien would like to extend a huge well done to Laura for her hard work and are delighted to see the comradeship between colleagues and wanting to highlight those who get stuck in.

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 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/

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.