Hat Trick at Longbridge

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

NEW Thwaites 9T Mach2290X Dumpers

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.

 

Colleagues nominate Laura Murphy for Outstanding Contribution Award

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.

O’Brien Charity Golf Day Raises Over £12,000

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.

Design & Build Contract Secured for Algeco Development

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.

Stratford upon Avon College Redevelopment Win

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.

 

Fairham’s Masterplan is shaping up

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/

Boosting Mental Health Awareness – MHA Week 9-15th May

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.

Outstanding Supplier Support for O’Brien Charity Golf Day 2023

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 7th 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.

The sponsors are as following:

Hole Sponsors:

 

Prize/Raffle Sponsors:

Cemex
Gallagher Insurance
Topcon
MKM Building Supplies
Burdens
Nationwide Concreting
Marshalls
Hauraton
Fletchers Waste Management
First Fence Hire & Sales
GRS
SDC
L Lynch
Keyline
Simson Aggregates
Stardom Ltd
IGS
Darlaston Builders Merchants
Tracey Concrete
Linsco
Cotterill Civils
FP McCann
HCL Legal
GH Fencing
Leedale
Coventry Timber
Zenzero
FGD Ltd
I2 Analytical
Bernhards Landscaping
Hanson
CMT Group
Readyfix UK
Lapwing
The Warwickshire GC
Active Digital
Gallagher Insurance
Map
Polypipe

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.

Gearing up for the Charity Bike Ride

Not long now until 14 intrepid cyclists take on the Charity Bike Ride – “Tour of Cambridgeshire.” The team will be cycling up to 100-miles each for O’Brien Charitable Trust.

We would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their incredible support. Jersey Sponsorship has raised an impressive c.£8,000, as you can see they look fantastic!

These sponsors include:

With the 4th of June approaching fast this leaves only 6 weeks to go. If you would still like to support our fundraising event, please donate here or email info@obriencontractors.co.uk.