Category: News

Anthony Watson Pedals Through France on a  Cycle Challenge to Raise Money for the Royal British Legion

Our Pre-Construction Manager, Anthony Watson is busy on his bike at the weekends training for his forthcoming charity ride to Ypres, Belgium with the Royal British Legion Cycling Group.

This annual charity event passes through the historic Somme region of France before crossing into Belgium and finishing at the iconic Menin Gate in Ypres.

This event is truly about the journey as the riders visit several historic battlegrounds and war memorials to remember those who gave so much to defend our freedom.

Starting from Dunkirk beach, he will be visiting the moving memorial to the Wormhout Massacre, the trenches and scenic memorial at Vimy Ridge, visiting St Mary’s A.D Cemetery, the Tunnelers Memorial, Ploegsteert Memorial as well as the Missing, the Australian Memorial in Fromelles, Mesen, the Caterpillar Crater, Hill 60, Tyne Cott the Aeroplane Cemetery and finally we will pass through the spectacular Menin Gate in Ypres.

Anthony is raising much needed money for the Royal British Legion and would be grateful if you could visit his JustGiving page to donate.

The link to the page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/pedaltoypres2325july2022-craigsigley?fbclid=IwAR2nULnJdT04x8RcL3-U6WAeWqYPyrN6XFEA0BGddPIdCYTt_nkfr7TNZ3Y&utm_id=124

Anthony would also like to thank the businesses who have given generously and sponsored his Team WCA cycling jerseys this year.

These are;

• O’Brien Contractors Ltd
• Auctus Management Group Ltd
• Cordia Blackswan
• Nolan Associates Consulting Structural and Civil Engineers
• Clancy Consulting
• Dragonfly Consulting
• Briggs & Forrester Group
• rg+p Ltd
• Barclays, who are matching fundraising up to £1,000.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.

O’Brien welcomed Luke and Mason, 2 Year 10 students for a taste of construction life on a week’s work experience out on site and in the office, an experience they both enjoyed, confirming an interest in groundworks for Mason and sparking an interest for Luke.

O’Brien have for many years had a longstanding commitment to encouraging and developing young people in the construction industry, providing them with opportunities to gain experience with our company with work placements, work experience and apprenticeships.  We believe it is important that we encourage and support the next generation of construction workers.

Mason

Mason is 15 years old and a Year 10 student and has an interest in working in groundworks when he leaves school.

Mason really enjoyed his week with us and commented, “It is hard work but being out on site with the lads, who were brilliant with me, has shown me what to expect when I choose this career when I leave school.”

Luke

Luke is 15 years old and a Year 10 student and really enjoyed his week of work experience and commented:

“I was fortunate enough to spend a week working at O’Brien Contractors as part of my work experience in 2022.

After a thorough health and safety introduction I spent some time in the finance office as well as at various construction sites. Finance was my very first office experience and it gave me an insight into the financial workings of a company. The remainder of my time was spent on site, sparking an interest in civil engineering. This was by far the favourite part of my week; I found the work both interesting and enjoyable.

O’Brien staff were professional and helpful, I really appreciate the opportunity. I would like to thank them all for their encouragement and time.”

O’Brien Welcomes the Opportunity to Provide Young People with Work Experience Opportunities

O’Brien welcomes the opportunity to provide young people with the opportunity to overcome concerns around the world of employment, giving them insight and understanding of the workplace through work experience placements, particularly if they have an interest in the construction and civil engineering industry out on site or in support functions that make up our head office.

A live working environment gives our work placements the opportunity to experience the work life routine.  The experience gives them knowledge and confidence along the way, which is important when making the transition from education to employment, a prospect which some young people find daunting and even particularly difficult.

O’Brien have for many years provided short- and longer-term work experience opportunities in both our office and site environments, which for many students have confirmed their choice of working within our industry, encouraging a new generation of construction workers.  Providing work experience placements also forms part of our commitment to social value within our business.

 

 

 

O’Brien win a place on PAGABO Civils and Infrastructure Framework

Following the award of a place on the ‘National Framework for Demolition and Land Remediation’ on the 10 May, the company is delighted to be awarded a place on a second PAGABO framework.  After a rigorous tender exercise we have now won a place on the  ‘PAGABO National Framework for Civils and Infrastructure’.

The PAGABO framework place will provide O’Brien’s clients with the confidence that we have proven high standards of health and safety, commitments to social value, and net zero targets, proven expertise, and financial stability as well as a proven track record of completed projects.

The framework will allow our clients who utilise the PAGABO frameworks to appoint us to carry out works through direct award or invite us for further competition for their projects.

Director Tom O’Brien commented “we are delighted to have secured a place on a second PAGABO framework. We are now able to offer a straightforward procurement route for our clients, whilst giving them the confidence to place orders with us as an approved contractor with a proven track record. We look forward to working in collaboration with clients to deliver schemes through the frameworks.”

Better Procurement

The PAGABO frameworks makes procurement quicker, easier, and more effective. They help public sector organisations across the UK, by providing EU compliant framework agreements, – delivered and backed up by a team of MCIPS qualified procurement professionals with a vast range of experience who support clients throughout the procurement of projects and beyond.

Simpler Procurement

The PAGABO system provides a simplification of the procurement process, which is less onerous, less costly and time consuming, whilst making the processes more transparent, simpler, and faster.

Embedded Social Value

Pagabo aims to embed Social Impact and Social Value through every procurement and guide suppliers of how to deliver more Social Value through their contracts, as well as provide Social Value guidance to suppliers.

https://www.pagabo.co.uk/news/pagabo-reveals-winners-for-l1-56bn-civils-and-infrastructure-framework

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/obrien-win-a-place-on-pagabo-demolition-and-land-preparation-framework/

World Bee Day – Concentrating on the Solitary Bee Species Today

Having done some research on Bees for World Bee Day, I found that there were bees that lived solitary lives, with no hives (I was a poet etc…), so decided to concentrate on the solitary bees for todays awareness day!

We love bees at O’Brien so much we have beehives in our garden at the office for our honeybees!

Over 200 out of 275 bee species in the UK are solitary bees, the rest are bumble bees and we have just one species of honeybee.  That surprised me!

Solitary bees do not produce honey and don’t live in a hive, however they are very important! Female solitary bees are prolific pollinators, carrying out the majority of pollination in Britain, (the males are purely for breeding and then unfortunately, they kick the bucket after completing the task)! They are also quite small in size, with an extremely weak or ineffective sting – even more reason to welcome them into your garden.

Let’s Get Planting for the Bees!

Bluebells, hellebores, forget-me-nots, crocuses, grape hyacinth, mahonia japonica and rhododendrons, hollyhock, snapdragon, aquilegia, aster, delphinium, foxgloves, fuchsia, geraniums, heather and lavender abelia, anemone sylvestris, dahlias, salvias, sedum and  verbena bonariensis, alliums, astrantia, deutzia, erysimum, lavender, pulmonaria. They particularly love blue, yellow and purple flowers! Let’s get planting!

Bee Bombs are Great for the Bees, Throw it and Grow it!

 

Let’s Get Building for the Bees!

Building a bee hotel is one of the ways you can help or using just one Bee Brick in your building project is the other.  We are installing a bee hotel on one of our current projects and will update you on this when the project is completed!

Build a bee hotel and involve the kids!

Bee hotels can be made for pretty much pennies, with most of the materials lying around the average garden or a good rummage in the local woods or park, so a great project to involve the kids in.

Use a plant pot or old tin can and put pieces of cut cane inside, or one full of leaves, an old fence post with drilled holes or use some basic carpentry skills,  or you can buy some luxurious style ones.  Whatever you decide the bees will love you for it!  A couple of links below for simple bee hotels.

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-make-bee-hotel.html

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/04/how-to-build-a-bee-hotel/

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bees/make-a-bee-house

Use a Beebrick in your construction project

Bee Bricks come in all sorts of colours, with each brick containing cavities in which solitary bees can lay their eggs before sealing the entrance with mud and chewed-up vegetation, which will hatch the next spring with no further involvement from the queen.

O’Brien will be encouraging our clients to include a bee brick in their construction projects, to be used in replacement of a standard brick, adding an ecologically friendly twist to their project .

 

 Some of the Solitary Bee Species

• Carpenter Bees – found in logs and tree stumps
• Masonry (or mason bees) – found in mortar joints or brick walls
• Miner Bees – found in the ground
• Leafcutter bees – nest in soft, rotted wood, thick-stemmed pithy plants
• IVY bee – nest suitable sloping sandy banks
• Flower Bees – nest in the soil, & high-up sites.

 

Following a robust competitive tender exercise, O’Brien are delighted to have been awarded a place on the brand-new £1.1 billion demolition and land preparation framework.

The framework has been developed to provide clients with confidence that the  organisations on the framework are monitored and audited, ensuring that they maintain a high level of safety and provides clients with compliant access to suppliers with expertise, allowing the client to redevelop existing estate stock and develop on brownfield sites.

Director Tom O’Brien commented “we are delighted to announce we have successfully secured a place on the PAGABO Demolition and Land Preparation Works Framework and look forward to working in collaboration with clients to deliver schemes through it”.

https://www.pagabo.co.uk/news/breaking-things-down-pagabos-l1-1bn-demolition-framework-awards-announced

The framework is now live.  If you have schemes that you want to procure via this Framework, please get in contact.

It’s award time again!

Owen Keogh has been awarded our quarterly ‘Outstanding Employee Award’ for the first quarter 2022, for his hard work on our Shire Lodge Cemetery Extension project in Corby.  Owen was presented with an award certificate and will also receive a cheque for £500 in recognition of his hard work.

Project Manager Kevin Brennan said “I would like to nominate Owen due to always working diligently and safely on all tasks asked of him on the Shire Lodge Cemetery Project”.

The project that Owen is working on involves extension of the grass cemetery, construction of internal roads, footpaths, drainage, visitors car park, hard and soft landscaping and an amenity building.

O’Brien values the skills, experience and dedication of our site teams.

In recognition of this, we have for many years run the ‘Employee Outstanding Achievement Award’. The award goes to a member of one of our site teams each quarter to coincide with our quarterly newsletter.

Project Managers nominate the operative that they think has gone above and beyond for the previous quarter and the candidate with the most recommendations wins the award. In recognition of their outstanding contribution, the winner gets a £500 cheque and a certificate in recognition of their hard work.

O’Brien Contractors are delighted to be working with St Modwen, Wakemans, and Rodgers Leask on one of the largest regeneration schemes in the UK, at their exciting West Longbridge mixed use development site, next to the River Rea. Longbridge is a long-term £1 billion initiative to breathe new life into one of Britain’s most famous industrial areas. As home to ‘The Austin’, Longbridge was once Europe’s largest car factory and gave birth to visionary automobiles including the iconic Mini. Today, a new identity is being forged for an thriving mixed-use hub of workplaces, homes, shops, cafes, event spaces and parkland, where residents, businesses, students and visitors can live, work, study and play.

Our works include S38, S104 which consist of earthworks, full carriage/cycleway, utility services, storm/foul water drainage, and landscaping works to form green areas for public use. These works unlock building plots to allow future development to commence which will bring additional employment to the local area.

For more information on the development at Longbridge

https://longbridgebirmingham.co.uk/work/work-space/

Using the latest machine technology on site.

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/the-latest-technology-on-board-our-two-brand-new-ec220-volvos-in-action-in-the-midlands-this-week/

 

Bedford Town Park Project Vision Continues to Shape Up Nicely!

O’Brien started on site late 2021 to carry out works, including earthworks, multiple bridge constructions and hard and soft landscaping to create a brand new and very impressive town centre park and a greenway recreational area.

The scheme is really starting to take shape on this project site with the works on The Town Park and The Greenway showing massive progress on site.  The Town Park and The Greenway will connect the 4 new village communities together on this wonderful development when completed!

Our Project Manager said “The project is progressing well and we are beginning to see signs of the finished product. We have recently installed a new playground and the bulk of the planting works have been completed site-wide, the site team continues to work hard towards our completion.”

We have had some great weather in recent weeks, which has been of great importance for progressing the works on site.

It will certainly be very exciting to see the finished project completed in the next few months!

Our two brand new EC220 Volvo’s in action out on site in the Midlands this week.

O’Brien Contractors have once again invested in the latest state of the art GPS X-53x Auto Machine Control System which guarantee accurate dimensional and level control.

This ensures our right first time approach is achieved, with minimal engineering input.

Integrated power

The X-53x system features fully integrated, multi-constellation GR-i3 receivers for precise positioning of the boom, stick and bucket. The GR-i3 is designed as an integrated GNSS receiver and antenna, providing powerful performance in harsh environmental conditions. The automatic option includes custom joysticks and an integrated hydraulic control valve.

Accurate and Efficient Systems with Remote Technology

O’Brien’s use of these systems alongside our centralised IT systems and mobile communications allows our engineers to remotely monitor, measure, and make changes quickly in ‘real-time’ as a response to changing conditions or any changes in design.  The system also allows our engineers to provide remote support to drivers, helping them deal with any problems which may arise.

As part of National Apprenticeship week, we decided to put the spotlight on our apprentice Bradley Walters who is currently working on our Shire Lodge Cemetery Extension project in Corby.

At O’Brien, our apprentices get on the job experience and training and spend 1 day per week at a training centre or university so will come away with an industry recognised qualification or degree. There are no limits or boundaries in terms of progression within the company and we encourage everyone to take an initiative-taking approach to their job, to put themselves forward for training that will develop their skills and discuss ways in which they can advance their career.

We asked Bradley some questions on his apprenticeship with O’Brien Contractors:

Bradley came on board with the company in 2019 age 25 after a member of staff recommended the commitment of O’Brien to its apprenticeship scheme and also told him about the company’s values and commitment to staff training and progression. Bradley has been working on various sites for the last 3 years for four days a week to gain practical experience and studying one day a week at Solihull college for his qualifications.

Collaborating with different staff members on site, for around 6 months at a time, he has found this helpful to gain different experiences and approaches to the tasks he conducts on site.

Bradley has so far completed his HNC Civils and is currently working on his NVQ Level 4 in Construction Management and HND Civil Engineering. He has also received Buried Services, Cable Detection qualifications and is a qualified First Aider on site, as well as having his CSCS card. Bradley gets about in his company van to attend site and his college courses.

Bradley said “I really enjoy working at O’Brien as everyone is friendly, helpful and they make me feel involved and included. I find it easy to approach all members of staff including the Directors, who are involved with the projects. If I need someone to speak to or need assistance everyone is extremely helpful, and nothing is too much trouble.”

His long terms plans are to complete his NVQ 5 & 6 as well as SSMTS qualifications, and a selection of other courses that are available through the O’Brien training programme to eventually become a Project Manager.

See our careers page for details of apprenticeships: https://obriencontractors.co.uk/careers/

For further details on NAW2022 see: https://neaan.org.uk/naw2022/