Shortlist for East Midlands fbe Awards 2017 revealed

The organisers of an awards ceremony that recognises some of the best construction projects in the East Midlands and some of the industry’s brightest young stars have unveiled the list of finalists.

Among the shortlisted projects for the East Midlands fbe Awards 2017 are a number of university and school developments, as well as a museum and a renovated 18^th Century hall.

“We’re delighted to reveal the finalists for our 2017 awards ceremony, and look forward to announcing the winners at the East Midlands fbe Chairman’s Dinner & Awards night, held at the City Rooms in Leicester on 12^th October,” said Eddie Mewies, regional chairman of the East Midlands fbe and MD of M-EC Consulting Development Engineers.

“The event is an excellent opportunity to highlight the great work that goes on in the construction and development sector in the East Midlands and to network and catch up with acquaintances and meet new contacts. We would urge anyone who is keen to attend to snap up a ticket, as in previous years the event has sold out in advance.”

Around 150 professionals from the construction, development and property sector in the region are expected to attend the awards evening, which is being compèred by former England international rugby player and ex-Leicester Tiger player Peter Wheeler.

The shortlisted projects are:

Residential:

·       A Rural Housing Exception Scheme located on the edge of the village of Brant Broughton in Lincolnshire, providing affordable housing consisting of affordable rent and shared ownership tenures to meet an identified local need, nominated by architects Halsall Lloyd Partnership

·       A scheme to regenerate a once disused and overgrown 13.2 acres of land off Heathcott Road, Saffron Lane, Leicester, into a £7m community of 68 eco-homes that have been built to Passivhaus standard - one of the biggest Passivhaus affordable housing scheme in the country - nominated by architects rg+p

·       Six and seven-storey student accommodation development in London Road, Leicester, creating 132 bed spaces for Abode, incorporating a Fusion panel system – an offsite light gauge superstructure – which has brought a range of benefits to the scheme, including swift and efficient build time. Nominated by civil and structural engineer BSP Consulting

Non-residential:

·       Birkett House SEN School, Wigston, Leicestershire, a co-educational special school for 175 pupils aged four to 19, with a range of learning needs. This new facility - secured via Scape Procure - facilitated a collaborative approach from the start of the scheme. The new build consisted of additional support facilities to adjacent education campus, including hydrotherapy pool, new tennis courts and part refurbishment of the existing Academy. Built for Leicestershire County Council, it was nominated jointly by civil and structural engineer BSP Consulting and Willmott Dixon Construction

·       The £3 million redevelopment of Constance Stewart Hall at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln consisted of: phase 1 – the conversion of the existing catering facility into state-of-the-art teaching rooms, and phase 2 – a striking contemporary addition built over the existing building. It was nominated by architects LK2

·       Loughborough University STEMLab - a gateway development in a highly prominent position on the Loughborough University campus. It is the cornerstone of a £25m ‘student Learning Zone’ that will transform the West side of the campus. The £12m scheme involved the construction of a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths facility. It was nominated by Henry Brothers Midlands Ltd

Regeneration:

       The £2.3 million refurbishment and renovation of the Grade II listed Bridgford Hall, West Bridgford, near Nottingham, to create a luxury aparthotel and a civil wedding venue. Situated in West Bridgford’s heart, overlooking Bridgford Park, the former mansion had most recently been used as council offices and needed renovating, having been vacant since 2014. The scheme, which has breathed new life into this iconic building, was nominated by civil and structural engineer BSP Consulting and Robert Woodhead Ltd

       The Engineering Building at the University of Leicester, which in 2016 to 2017 underwent major work to replace the 2500 pieces of glass to the roof and façade and create an internal environment fit for modern-day teaching needs. One of the most architecturally important buildings of its era, the Engineering Building is utterly distinctive and the scheme was nominated by Pulse Associates Ltd

       New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester, which has received a grand new entrance following a six-month programme which encompassed the redevelopment of the ground and first floor and also included the foyer to the Grade II listed building. It was nominated by consulting engineer BSD.

The finalists in the Rising Star category, which recognises individuals working within the construction sector in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire or Nottinghamshire who are under 30 years of age and who have shown outstanding achievements in their field, whether that be in construction, design or associated professional or support services for the industry, are:

Civil engineering technician Jake Poulton, from M-EC, trainee M&E quantity surveyor Joe Gent and bid manager Tom Sowerby, both from J Tomlinson, and senior consultant and chartered surveyor Tom Spink from Pulse Associates Ltd.

Sponsors for the evening include the main sponsor, building company DW Hicks, consulting engineer BSD, which is sponsoring the drinks reception, consulting development engineer M-EC, which is sponsoring the Non-Residential Award, insurance expert Arthur J Gallagher, which is sponsoring the Regeneration Award, integrated building solutions firm J Tomlinson, which is sponsoring the Residential Award and accountants, business and tax advisor Duncan & Toplis, which is sponsoring the Rising Star Award.

This year, for the first time, the ceremony will be supporting the Wooden Spoon charity, an organisation dedicated to providing rugby coaching for disabled, or disadvantaged, children. The charity aims to positively transform the lives of young people across the UK and Ireland.

For the remaining few tickets for the awards evening and more details, visit http://www.fbeonline.co.uk/derby/events/fbe-east-midlands-chairmans-dinner-and-awards-2017.htm or contact Mary Daw on 07883 033552.

The fbe is a national organisation, with branches across the UK and is the longest established networking group for the property, development and construction industries. As well as running the annual awards scheme, the East Midlands branch also organises a number of social and other events. The East Midlands branch covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk 

Cherizena Coffee celebrates its 10th anniversary on the Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire border

Coffee specialist Cherizena is celebrating ten years since it became the first business to move onto the Wartnaby Estate on the Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire border. 

Kate Jones and husband Tom bought the business in 2004 from two Northamptonshire women who had launched it some years earlier. After running it in its existing premises for a few months, the couple moved the business to a converted cow shed on the Wartnaby Estate – becoming the first enterprise to move into what is now a small rural business hub. 

Since then, Cherizena has steadily grown and now supplies premium, speciality and flavoured coffees across the UK and abroad to both consumer and trade customers. 

“We were looking for somewhere to run the business from that was not too far from our home near Melton Mowbray so we asked Wartnaby Estate manager Geoff Johnson if there was a unit, barn or suitable space on the estate somewhere that we could rent,” said Kate. “It was agreed that we could move into a former cow shed. When we saw it the first time it still had straw on the floor and a trough in the corner. 

“The estate converted it into a unit, with an office and other facilities, and we were literally the first business to move onto the estate in January 2005. We used to have cattle and sheep looking out at us across the farm yard when we first moved in.” 

Cherizena sends out 6.5 tonnes of coffee from its premises every year. It specialises in flavouring its own coffees, and has more than 20 different flavours available ranging from salted caramel flavour, sticky gingerbread flavour coffee and its most recent blend, banoffee pie flavoured coffee. 

“There’s been a definite increase in demand for coffee over the years, both in premium and speciality coffee, and in flavoured coffees, which are particularly popular with the younger generation,” said Kate. “The British public has a real taste for coffee at the moment. 

“The amount we sell has steadily grown and we’re delighted with the way we’ve been able to expand from our home on the Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire border.” 

As well as specialising in flavoured coffees, Cherizena at times also supplies rare and unusual coffees from far flung places in the world, depending on availability. 

The company sells direct to customers via mail order, with regular customers all over the UK and further afield such as Australia, USA, Cyprus and EU countries. It also supplies to trade customers such as coffee shops, hotels, pubs, restaurants and farm shops and regularly sends to trade customers as far afield as Singapore and India. 

Cherizena is a regular at food and drink fairs across the country, as well as those closer to home such as Melton Mowbray Food and Drink Festival. 

As part of its 10^th anniversary celebrations, Cherizena is offering 10% off everything on its website including coffees and coffee equipment during January 2015. For more information visit www.cherizena.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

World’s largest gathering of Shire horses event – date for 2015

The world’s largest gathering of Shire horses will take place on the weekend of March 21^st and 22^nd 2015, it has been announced.

The Shire Horse Society’s Annual Show, which attracts horses from across Europe and spectators from around the globe, is being held indoors at Arena UK, near Grantham, in Lincolnshire.

Around 250 Shire horses are expected at the event and it is billed as the best display of Shire horses in the country. 

“The Shire Horse Society’s Annual Show is the perfect place to see these magnificent gentle giants of the horse world and find out more about the breed,” said Shire Horse Society secretary David Ralley-Davies. 

“It’s the largest event of its kind in the world, and is the chance to celebrate a breed that was once in danger of dying out but is now experiencing a resurgence in popularity, both as a working animal and a riding horse, thanks to a dedicated group of enthusiasts who work hard to ensure that the breed survives.”

As well as the competitions, there will be a range of stands and stalls for visitors to explore.

The annual show, taking place at its new home at Arena UK for the second time, is the opportunity to find out more about this noble breed, see Shire horses shown in style - in-hand, ridden and turned out – and to support the work of the Shire Horse Society, which is the only charity dedicated to the protection, promotion and improvement of the Shire horse. Since 1878 the organisation has been working to protect the breed, which was then known as the Old English Breed of Cart Horse. 

The show runs from 8am until about 10pm on the Saturday to include the championship in the evening. It will be open from 8am until 4pm on the Sunday. Adult day tickets cost £8 in advance, with under 12s and seniors £6, and are available from sales.webticketmanager.com/ShireHS Day tickets will be £10 and £8 on the gate. Free admission to Shire Horse Society members on presentation of their society badge.

Sponsors for the event include botanical brewers Fentimans, Fullers Brewery, Young's Brewery, Boldscan and Fosters Foods.

For more information visit www.shire-horse.org.uk or follow the charity on Facebook or Twitter - www.facebook.com/shirehorsesociety and @saveourshires
Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop sausages score for charity

Generous customers of Croots Farm Shop have raised £260 for charity after supporting the Derbyshire farm shop’s World Cup sausage range. 

While the England football team failed to make a mark at the tournament in Brazil, the butchers’ team at Croots scored success with its Bangerooney, Costa Rican, Italian and Uruguayan-themed sausages. And it was the Italian sausage – made of pork, tomato, mozzarella and basil – which got the greatest cheer from customers. 

It brings the total raised by Croots so far this year for its adopted charity, Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, to £1,050. 

The shop pledged to donate ten per cent from the sale of the sausage squad during the duration of the World Cup to the charity, which was established in 1891 to give disadvantaged Derbyshire children holidays in Skegness, Lincolnshire, and currently provides 450 holiday places per season for boys and girls aged from eight to 14. 

“We were delighted with the support Croots’ customers gave to our World Cup sausage range, which has helped us to raise £260 for Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre,” said Croots Farm Shop owner Steve Croot. “I’d like to thank them for their generosity, and also thank our creative butchers for once again designing such a tasty range of sausages.” 

Over the past few months, Croots has held a number of fund-raising events in aid of Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, including an Easter draw. The charity also receives a share of the money that’s raised from the sale of carrier bags at Croots, with the shop also supporting the Shire Horse Society. 

Croots Farm Shop has won scores of awards for its sausages and meat products, including Great Taste Awards, the ‘oscars’ of the fine food industry. Two years ago the farm shop in Wirksworth Road developed an Olympig range of sausages to mark the London Olympics, which also raised several hundred pounds for Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre. 

Opened in 2008, Croots was a runner-up in the Best UK Independent Food Retailer 2010 category of the Observer Food Monthly Awards. The year before, it was named in The Independent’s top 50 best food shops.

Croots Farm Shop is open daily from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm). Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

@crootsfarm_shop

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

70th anniversary of the Dam Busters raid brings back memories at Lindhurst Innovation Engineering

Not many people can talk about what it’s like to build a bouncing bomb. But the team at Lindhurst Innovation Engineering can.

Eight years ago, the Sutton-in-Ashfield company built a replica bouncing bomb.

The bombs were invented by Barnes Wallis and used seventy years ago by the RAF in one of the most ingenious and daring air raids of the Second World War.

The replica is now housed in a museum located in the west tower of Derwent Dam in Derbyshire - in the section dedicated to the 617 “Dam Buster” Squadron and its crews.

A service takes place on May 16th at 10.45am at the museum to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Dam Busters raid, with an unofficial fly past expected by spitfires, tornadoes and other aircraft.

Lindhurst happened to be carrying out work for Severn Trent Water at Derwent Dam in Derbyshire in 2005 when Lindhurst project engineer Les Abbs, now retired, spotted that the existing replica bomb at the museum was made of wood.

“He tapped it, which everyone does, realised it was made of wood and then Lindhurst offered to make a replica bouncing bomb in metal,” recalls Vic Hallam, who runs the museum.

Lindhurst managing director Martin Rigley explains: “The museum had all the old paper technical drawings. We turned the original pencil drawings into electronic drawings using AutoCAD.

“Obviously we were manufacturing the unit – not a complete bomb – so we had to use a bit of poetic licence and we applied a few modern techniques to make it look like the original.

“The museum’s a charity and we were proud to create a replica bouncing bomb and donate it to them. Since we handed it over, it’s been seen by thousands of visitors to the museum.”

An apprentice fabricator and welder at Lindhurst at the time and aged 18, Karim Mahamdi was given the task of producing the bouncing bomb unit, under fabricator George Asbury, also now retired.

Karim recalls: “At the time, I knew about what had happened with the Derwent Dam and the history behind it. As we were putting the replica bomb together I remember thinking ‘when they were building this all those years ago, what was going through their minds?’

“It was quite special to be involved in putting some history back into the country. All in all it wasn’t too bad to build. I can’t remember any challenges that we came across that weren’t sorted.”

Karim, now 26, who lives in Sutton-in-Ashfield, and who is now mechanical project manager at Lindhurst, recalls how the team worked out the bend of the metal, and how the steel plates were rolled into the shape of the bomb.

“We made it in sections and then put it all together,” he adds. “It was certainly a very different project…a one-off.”

Lindhurst specialises in one-off engineering projects and no request is too off-the-wall – from light-weight lifting platforms for the heavy metal group Iron Maiden’s stage shows to large-scale engineering for landmark projects such as London’s Canary Wharf Underground Station and anaerobic digestion technology to generate power from food and farm waste.

The full-scale replica bouncing bomb is one of the most unusual items that the firms has ever made, however.

The exhibit has been very popular with visitors to the museum, which is open Sundays and bank holiday Mondays.

Vic adds: “It’s the one thing that people are photographed standing against. It’s photographed nearly as much as the dam is. It’s treasured and always will be.”

 www.lindhurstinnovation.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop presents money to Derbyshire children’s charity

Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre is £1,100 better off thanks to the customers and staff of Croots Farm Shop near Duffield.

The charity, which provides holidays in Skegness for disadvantaged youngsters from the county, was supported by Croots during 2012.

Throughout the year, staff staged a number of fund-raising events, and now the proceeds have been handed over to David Harris, fund-raising officer at the charity.

“I’d like to say a really big thank-you to the customers and staff of Croots Farm Shop who have helped us to raise this magnificent sum,” said farm shop owner Steve Croot.

“Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre needs to raise more than £150,000 every year to fund 450 holiday places for disadvantaged youngsters from the county, and we hope this contribution will be a good help.”

The team at Croots raised £600 during a sponsored cycle ride on exercise bikes to mark the shop’s fourth birthday last summer, and collected a further £70 by staging a raffle.

The shop also donated 20% from the sale of its Olympig sausages which were created to celebrate the 2012 games, and held a range of other fund-raising events at Christmas, which brought the total amount raised to £1,100.

The farm shop, which is based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, will continue its support for Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre during 2013 alongside its other adopted charity, the Shire Horse Society.

Croots Farm Shop and Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

Press release issued by Louise Duffield, Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Focus Consultants involved in straw bale sustainable homes

Experts at Focus Consultants are involved in a unique green housing scheme where future residents are building their homes using straw bales and timber.

The development in Leeds is the UK’s first affordable green co-housing project, and Focus Consultants in Boston, Lincolnshire, has been appointed as the assessor to verify the scheme’s green credentials.

The Focus team, based at Endeavour Park in Boston, will carry out SAP calculations and final energy performance certificates for the 20 houses and apartments, as well as carrying out the Code for Sustainable Homes assessment which is expected to be Code Level 4.

“This is a really interesting project to provide affordable homes, and is the first time in the UK that a complete housing development has been built using Modcell prefabricated panels with straw bales for insulation,” said Trevor Newton, partner at Focus Consultants’ Lincolnshire offices.

“We’re proud to be a part of it and hope that such examples of innovative housing will help to inspire future developments across the nation.”

LILAC – Low Impact Living Affordable Community – is a co-housing project in the Bramley area of West Leeds, which is self-funded by its members with help from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

The 20 new homes are owned and managed by a fully mutual co-operative housing society and are being built around a community ‘common house’ designed with shared cooking, eating, laundry, leisure and meeting facilities that will allow all members of the community to live together in a way that will drastically reduce their carbon footprint.

The development uses the latest innovative modern methods of construction (MMC), and has a sophisticated timber frame design with pre-stressed straw bale infill panels finished with an external lime render system. The walls have been assembled off site at a ‘flying factory’ with help from LILAC members.

The Modcell system of panels has been used for schools and public buildings in the UK before but this is the first residential project of its kind.

All houses and apartments on the LILAC scheme have been designed to maximise comfort and well-being, while also achieving a 25% improvement over the latest Building Regulations Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) introduced in 2010. State-of-the-art technologies have been implemented, which include whole house mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, high efficiency gas boilers, triple glazing and solar photovoltaic arrays to help offset energy use and heating demand.
“Focus has had close communication with the project team, ensuring that design principles are achieved under all nine categories of the Code for Sustainable Homes Assessment. The scheme has successfully achieved Code Level 4 at design stage in line with the client requirements,” added Trevor.

Contractor for the development is Lindum Construction, and the scheme is due to be complete by March 2013.

Focus Consultants, which also has a Lincolnshire office at Aubourn near Lincoln, offers a range of construction and property services, including project management, surveying, design, party wall services, energy and environmental assessments, CDM co-ordinator, contract administration and employer’s agent.

For more information visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Cherizena Coffee launches Christmas coffee for trade customers

Leicestershire-based speciality coffee supplier Cherizena has launched its popular seasonal Christmas coffee.

Available in packs with own-brand labels or branded as Cherizena, the coffee is available as beans or ground, regular or decaffeinated.

Last year around half a tonne of Christmas coffee was sold by the company.

The flavoured blend is a real Christmas cracker…. with a delicious aroma reminiscent of plum pudding... and has been created by flavouring the Colombian Excelsior medium bean with a tasty combination of rum, hazelnut, cinnamon, vanilla, orange and pecan nut flavours.

Cherizena also has a range of coffee-based gifts to suit all budgets – from 60g packs of chocolate-coated coffee beans to sets featuring a selection of different coffees.

Offering up to 30 single origin coffees and blends, and 20 different flavoured varieties, Cherizena has coffees to suit all tastes. It is a leading UK specialist producer of coffee, and sources premium, rare and speciality coffees, as well as creating its own range of superb flavoured coffees.

The Christmas coffee is one of its limited edition flavours.

Cherizena supplies shops, bars, coffee shops and restaurants and is able to provide full colour label printing at its base at Wartnaby, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

Discounts of 10% are available on the Christmas coffee for trade orders received before the end of September 2012.

Visit www.cherizena.co.uk for more information.

Award-winning Anila’s Authentic Sauces secures Hong Kong contract

Premium curry sauce producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces has gained a contract to supply a prestigious group of stores in Hong Kong.

The range has just launched in the flagship ParknShop food hall store, Great, in Central Hong Kong, as well as the ParknShop’s Taste store, in Stanley, Hong Kong.

The products are currently featuring as part of a British promotion in the retail outlets.

The news comes as Anila’s Authentic Sauces scoops another award for its curry sauces – this time for the Goan Green Curry Sauce, which has been named a winner in the FreeFrom Food Awards 2012.

It is the latest award given to the Goan Green, which was also named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

At the FreeFrom Food Awards 2012, the judges said: “Anila’s sauces are always so wonderful as she uses such beautifully fresh and pure ingredients in such perfect balance. Lovely, subtle flavours, gently permeated by the coconut milk. Deep green flavour and fantastic ingredients.”

Eighteen of Anila’s products are now on sale in the Hong Kong stores, including curry sauces and accompaniments. The firm also exports to Germany and Ireland.

“I am very pleased to have secured an order to supply to such a well-regarded group of stores in Hong Kong,” said Anila Vaghela, who runs the company with husband Dan. “And of course we are delighted that our Goan Green Curry Sauce has won another award. It’s our most popular product.”

Anila’s Authentic Sauces, which is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with a production unit in Hounslow, produces a range of eight varieties of curry sauce and 17 types of a mix of pickles, chutneys and dips, including a new spicy Indian salsa which has been launched in 2012 to mark 20 years since Anila sold her first curry sauce at a local fair.

Anila’s sauces are free from artificial colours, additives and preservatives, are sugar, dairy and gluten free, contain no onion or garlic, and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The accompaniments are made with single fruits and vegetables, and natural ingredients.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces supplies hundreds of outlets that include speciality food halls, garden centres, delis, farm shops, gift shops and also health stores. The firm also sells direct to the public at farmers’ markets and at food shows and festivals as well as online via www.anilassauces.com

Products are on sale at places like Harrods, John Lewis Oxford Street and Bluewater, Chatsworth Farm Shop, and Booths in Penrith and Manchester.

Visit www.anilassauces.com for more information.

Issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk