Focus completes project management role at Grade I listed hall

Kelmarsh Hall

A previously inaccessible area of a Grade I listed hall is being opened to the public following a conservation project which has been managed by Focus Consultants.

The scheme at Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens in Northamptonshire - entitled ‘Tunnelling through the Past’ - has conserved the former stable yard, laundries and the servants’ areas in the basement of the house.

Thanks to a £1.3 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and funding from Daventry District Council grant scheme, along with the charity’s own fundraising efforts, the history of the lives of the servants at the hall will now be showcased to visitors.

Nottingham-based Focus Consultants, which specialises in delivering high quality heritage projects across the UK, has been involved with the project from the end of 2015 until completion, undertaking a project management role.

Project manager at Focus Jo Hardwicke said: “The main opening of this exciting new interactive visitor experience will be on 1^st April 2018, when the hall reopens to the general public, but there will be an exclusive preview of the spaces next month as part of the National Lottery ‘Thank You’ week to lottery players, when Kelmarsh Hall holds a Christmas Fair on 17^th December.

“As a company, Focus has wide experience of conservation, restoration and other projects within the heritage sector, and we have been thrilled to have played a role in conserving and opening up these previously inaccessible areas at Kelmarsh Hall to give the public a glimpse into the history of the servants who lived behind the scenes at this wonderful hall.”

Currently just the main living spaces in the grand Grade I listed hall are open to visitors, and guided tours provide in-depth insight into the history of its famed past residents, such as designer Nancy Lancaster. But following the conservation project, undertaken by contractor Stone Edge, and after the introduction of the latest technologies, a full sensory experience of what life was like for those who formerly worked and lived at the property will be available. Tablet devices will help visitors to interpret the rooms in detail, whilst augmented reality will bring the spaces to life with period characters appearing to tell their story.

Lesley Denton, general manager for the Kelmarsh Trust said: “The conservation of the laundry and basement which are connected by a fantastically preserved tunnel has been a long road. It has been over six years from my first meeting with the HLF to the handover of the capital works by Stone Edge. The Kelmarsh Trust has been so fortunate to work with each and every one of the professionals involved, from our accountants and architects to the designers and interpretation experts. However, none of it would have been dealt with so professionally if we had not appointed Focus Consultants as our project managers. Jo and Steve have ensured we got where we are today by solving the problems, and there have been some, in a reassuring and effective manner. I cannot thank them enough.”

Focus, which has its headquarters at Phoenix Business Park, Nottingham, and branches in London, Leicester and Boston in Lincolnshire, offers a range of services, which include securing funding packages and project management. Since its creation in 1994, Focus has helped to secure more than £953 million of grant assistance for a range of projects and businesses across the UK and delivered more than £1.3 billion of projects and programmes – making it one of the most successful companies of its kind.

Focus also offers a range of services to the property and construction industry, including building surveying, quantity surveying, project management, and sustainable development support.

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

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

Deadline extended for East Midlands fbe Awards 2017

Overall winner of the East Midlands fbe awards 2016

Organisers of the East Midlands fbe Awards have extended the deadline for nominations by one week.

Companies now have until Friday 8^th September to put forward construction projects and nominate rising stars in the industry from across the region.

“We’ve had some exciting nominations for the East Midlands fbe Awards already and know that others are on their way, so we’re extending the deadline by one week to give applicants a little extra time in which to submit their entries,” said Eddie Mewies, regional chairman of the East Midlands fbe and MD of M-EC Consulting Development Engineers.

“In previous years, we’ve had a wide range of projects nominated, showcasing some of the very best development schemes that have been undertaken in the region. We are looking forward to highlighting some of the latest projects and also putting some of our brightest young professionals under the spotlight in our rising stars award category.”

The East Midlands fbe Awards recognise and reward the teams behind some of the best development projects across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

Free to enter, the awards feature the following categories: Regeneration, Residential, and Non-Residential developments, along with Rising Star of the Year. The winners of the first three categories will automatically form the shortlist for the Overall East Midlands Scheme & Team Award.

Tickets are also on sale for the East Midlands fbe Chairman’s Dinner & Awards night, held at the City Rooms in Leicester on 12^th October 2017, when the awards will be presented.

Around 150 professionals from the construction, development and property sector in the region are expected to attend the ceremony, which will raise money for Wooden Spoon - the children's charity of rugby, which aims to positively transform the lives of children and young people with a disability or facing disadvantage across the UK and Ireland through the power of rugby.

As well as award entries now being open and tickets on sale for the ceremony, two sponsorship opportunities are also still available for the event. Sponsors already on board include main sponsor DW Hicks, BSD who is sponsoring the drinks reception, M-EC, who is sponsoring the Non-Residential Award and Arthur J Gallagher, who is sponsoring the Regeneration Award.

Details and nomination forms are available from http://www.fbeonline.co.uk/east-midlands/events/fbe-east-midlands-chairmans-dinner-and-awards-2017.htm or by contacting Mary Daw on 07883 033552.

The deadline for award nominations is now Friday 8^st September 2017.

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 based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Focus Consultants stages charity golf day

Focus Consultant's Charity golf day 

Focus Consultants hosted the company’s annual charity golf day at the Belton Park Golf Club near Grantham in Lincolnshire - raising £180 for The Butterfly Trust, a local hospice based in Boston, Lincolnshire.

Attended by 16 different organisations, 18 players took part, with first prize being presented to Nick Piggott of the NatWest banking group who beat the rest of the field by 4 points. A number of prizes for achievements were also presented including longest drive and nearest the pin. In addition, a fundraising raffle was also held.

Focus partner Trevor Newton, who organised the annual tournament, said: “The charity Golf Day has become a regular event on the calendar for Focus Consultants and we are pleased that a number of clients and associates were able to join us and help us to raise money for Butterfly Trust – a deserving local good cause.”

Focus Consultants is based in Nottingham, with additional offices in Leicester, London and Boston, Lincolnshire.

It offers services to the property and construction industry, including building surveying, contract administration, party wall surveying, clerk of works, quantity surveying, project management, CDM services and BREEAM assessments, as well as energy calculations and modelling. 

The company also specialises in funding and economic development including area regeneration strategies, funding applications, economic impact appraisals, business plans, and research and evaluation. Since 1994 Focus has secured for clients more than £953 million of grants for projects and businesses across the UK and delivered more than £1.3 billion worth of projects and programmes – making it one of the most successful businesses of its kind in the country.

For more details about Focus Consultants, visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk  

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

Finalists in East Midlands fbe Awards 2016 revealed

The finalists for this year’s East Midlands fbe Awards have been announced and include four university projects, a fire station and new residential accommodation for a nationwide charity.

Organisers of the annual awards which recognise and reward the teams behind some of the best construction projects in the region have just unveiled this year’s shortlisted entries.

The finalists in the Residential category are Tur Langton in Leicestershire, a scheme of six new build family homes on the site of the Old Bull’s Head, nominated by SGP Architects; Green Lane in Nottingham, which is a development of five low energy one-bedroom single storey flats for Framework Housing Association, put forward by North Midland Construction; Cathedral Court in Derby, a 350-ensuite study bedroom student accommodation scheme for the University of Derby, nominated by D W Hicks; and an accommodation block for national charity Canine Partners, which trains assistance dogs for disabled people, at Osgathorpe in North West Leicestershire, which was nominated by North Midland Construction.

The finalists in the Non-Residential category are Nottingham University Science Library, the extension and refurbishment of the George Green Library, put forward by Galliford Try; Nottingham Trent University’s Heart of Campus project at the Clifton campus which has provided two zero carbon buildings with excellent BREEAM ratings and which was nominated by Pulse Associates; and GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratories for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham,  a building unique in the UK in its design and focus on ‘green chemistry’, which was nominated by Morgan Sindall.

The finalists in the Regeneration category are Hollygate Park at Cotgrave in Nottinghamshire, the first section of phase one of a total of around 450 homes being built on the site of the former Cotgrave Colliery, nominated by BSP Consulting; London Road Fire Station in Nottingham, a new three-storey, energy efficient building for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service on a former brownfield site, nominated by J Tomlinson Ltd; and Dakeyne Street, Sneinton, in Nottingham, a new creative hub following the major refurbishment and modernisation of 18th and 19th Century buildings that have created workspace for SMEs in creative and digital industries, nominated by architects Maber.

The finalists in the Best Rising Star category are Alexsandra Perobelli, graduate mechanical engineer at BSD, Joe Gent trainee electrical estimator at J Tomlinson Ltd and Sarah Grocock part II architectural assistant at RG+P.

The winners will be revealed at a sold-out awards ceremony on 6^th October at the City Rooms in Leicester – an annual event which has become a firm fixture on the calendar for the region’s construction, development and property sector.

“We had an excellent array of nominations from across the region and across a range of sectors, illustrating the high standard of developments that are being completed in the East Midlands,” said Jef Todd, regional chairman of the East Midlands fbe and business development director at civil and structural engineering company BSP Consulting.

“Our criteria for the nominated projects focused on sustainability, good design, and interaction and engagement with the local community.

“The judges were particularly pleased to read about the entries in the Best Rising Star category, our new category for this year, and to see the younger generation of professionals who are making a significant contribution to the built environment.

“I’d like to thank all the teams who nominated projects and individuals, and congratulate the finalists on their success.”

More than 120 professionals from the construction, development and property sector in the region are expected to attend the awards ceremony, which will be hosted once again by former BBC East Midlands political editor John Hess, who is now honorary professor in politics at the University of Nottingham.

All tickets have now been sold for the event. The awards have been sponsored by D W Hicks Building Co Ltd, integrated building solutions company J Tomlinson Ltd, civil engineering, mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineers BSD, engineering and environmental consultants M-EC Consulting Development Engineers and chartered accountants and business advisers Duncan & Toplis. Civil and structural engineering company BSP Consulting has sponsored the drinks reception.

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 organisation 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

Police contract for Focus Consultants

Focus Consultants has been appointed to project manage a key scheme for Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

The company is spearheading the development of a new sexual assault referral centre (SARC) being created at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, near Huntingdon.

The contract was awarded via the Eastern Shires Purchasing Framework and is the latest ‘blue light’ scheme that Nottingham-based Focus Consultants has been appointed on.

Work is due to get on site shortly at Hinchingbrooke Hospital and involves refurbishing a former hospital ward to create a special unit for investigating sexual assaults in a joint project for the police and the NHS. The one-storey building is undergoing a complete re-fit, with the installation of special areas for adults and children, as well as counselling rooms, lounges and showering facilities.

The project represents an £850,000 investment.

Focus, which has its headquarters at Phoenix Business Park, Nottingham, and offices in Leicester, London, and Boston and Aubourn in Lincolnshire, is project managing the scheme, as well as providing building surveying and design services.

Partner at Focus Consultants Keith Butler said: “This project requires specialist skills, due to the sensitive nature of the work that will be undertaken there. Focus is very pleased to be taking such an important role in this improvement and redevelopment for the police in Cambridgeshire, which is the latest in a number of projects we have been involved in for the emergency services.”

Focus offers a range of services to the property and construction industry, including building surveying, quantity surveying, project management, and sustainable development support.

The company also specialises in funding and economic development including area regeneration strategies, funding applications, economic impact appraisals, business plans, and research and evaluation.  Since 1994 Focus has also secured for clients more than £953 million of grants for projects and businesses across the UK and delivered more than £1.3 billion worth of projects and programmes – making it one of the most successful businesses of its kind in the country.

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

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

East Midlands fbe awards 2016, one month until nominations close

Winner of the regeneration category at the East Midlands 2015 fbe awards 

There’s just one month to go before the nomination deadline for the annual East Midlands fbe Awards. The awards recognise the teams behind some of the region’s best construction projects. 

Entries are expected to be received from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, with categories including Regeneration, Residential, Non-Residential and the new Rising Star of the Year award.

The new category aims to recognise and reward the construction and development sector’s most promising young professionals in the region.

Winners of the first three categories automatically form the short list for the Overall East Midlands scheme and team award. 

Entry is free and those wishing to be considered have just one month left to enter before the closing date of Friday 19^th August 2016. The awards will be presented at the City Rooms in Leicester, on 6^th October, at an event run by the East Midlands fbe (Forum for the Built Environment). 

The event is being hosted, once again, by former BBC East Midlands Political editor John Hess, with more than 120 professionals from across the construction, development and property sectors in the region expected to attend. 

“With just a month to go before the deadline closes we look forward to receiving candidates’ nominations to help us recognise and celebrate the achievements of those in the construction and development sectors in the region,” said East Midlands fbe chairman Jef Todd, who is business development director at East Midlands civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting.

“Each year we receive a strong set of nominations which reflect the work being undertaken in the East Midlands and we are looking forward to hearing more about the latest schemes being submitted.”

Details about the awards and entry forms are available here http://www.fbeonline.co.uk/east-midlands/events/fbe-east-midlands-chairmans-dinner-and-awards-2016.htm  as well as sponsorship opportunities and tickets for the awards ceremony. 

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

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

Launch of East Midlands fbe Awards 2016

Overall winner of the East Midlands fbe awards 2015

Nominations are now being invited for the annual East Midlands fbe Awards which recognise and reward the teams behind some of the best construction projects in the region.

New for this year is an additional category – Best Rising Star – which will shine the light on the construction and development sector’s most promising young professionals.

Entries for the awards are expected from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. 

The categories include Regeneration, Residential, Non-Residential and Rising Star of the Year. The winners of the first three categories will automatically form the shortlist for the Overall East Midlands Scheme & Team Award.

Free to enter, the awards will be presented at an event run by the East Midlands fbe (Forum for the Built Environment) on 6^thOctober 2016 at the City Rooms in Leicester. More than 120 professionals from the construction, development and property sector in the region are expected to attend the ceremony, which will be hosted once again by former BBC East Midlands political editor John Hess, who is now honorary professor in politics at the University of Nottingham.

“The East Midlands fbe Awards are a firm fixture on the calendar of the region’s construction sector, having been staged for several years now. They are the chance for us to recognise and celebrate some of the region’s excellent projects, as well as the teams behind them,” said Jef Todd, regional chairman of the East Midlands fbe and business development director at civil and structural engineering company BSP Consulting.

“I’m delighted that this year we are introducing for the first time the Rising Star of the Year Award, which is open to 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. We are looking for role models who have made a significant contribution to the built environment so that we can recognise and celebrate the next generation of leaders and influencers in the East Midlands construction sector.”

Details about the awards and entry forms, as well as sponsorship opportunities and tickets for the awards ceremony, are available from http://www.fbeonline.co.uk/east-midlands/events/fbe-east-midlands-chairmans-dinner-and-awards-2016.htm The deadline for award nominations is Friday 19^th August 2016.

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 organisation also organises a number of social and other events. The East Midlands branch covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

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

Awards shortlist announced by East Midlands fbe

The East Midlands fbe (Forum for the Built Environment) has unveiled the names of the shortlisted finalists who are in the running to receive an accolade at the organisation’s annual awards ceremony. 

The winners of the best construction projects from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire will be revealed at a special dinner on October 9^th. Around 120 people from the region’s construction sector are expected to attend the fourth annual East Midlands Awards evening at the City Rooms, Leicester. 

“Once again, we had some outstanding entries for the East Midlands fbe Awards. The number and standard of entries continues to grow each year, making the judges’ job more difficult,” said Jef Todd, regional chairman of the property, development and construction professionals’ group. 

The awards, sponsored by civil and structural engineering company BSP Consulting, construction firm North Midland Construction, civil engineering firm M-EC Consulting Development Engineers, and accountants Duncan & Toplis, reward the whole team on the project, as this reflects what fbe is all about … working with like-minded professionals. 

Divided into three different categories, regeneration, residential and non-residential developments, the shortlisted entries are as follows: 

Refurbishment and Regeneration; 

• Construction of a retail and commercial landmark development, Queen’s Place, Mansfield
• Third and final phase of the CODE student accommodation development on Western Road, Leicester
• Phase 1 of the mixed use development Castleward, Derby

 Residential;

•  New build housing development off Southworth Road, Breedon on the Hill, on the  Leicestershire/Derbyshire border
• Development of 165 new homes at St James Gate, Anstey, Leicestershire
• Ten new-build flats at Knighton Fields Road West, Leicester
• Eight new homes at Ruby Court, Southwell

 Non-residential;

• Structural repairs to Arnold Hill Academy, Nottingham
• Extensive refurbishment at Bagworth Community Centre, near Coalville, Leicestershire
• The development of the King Richard III Visitor Centre, Leicester

 As well as announcing a winner from each category, an overall winner will also be crowned at the awards ceremony, which is supporting the East Midlands NSPCC 'now I know' Appeal as its charity. 

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. Initially established in the East Midlands, as well as running the annual awards scheme, the organisation also organises a number of social and other events. It covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. 

For more information about the fbe and the branch visit www.fbeonline.co.uk.

The fbe’s twitter handle is @fbeonline and the hashtag #EMfbeawards is being used. 

Just a handful of tickets for the evening remain, and can be bought from http://www.fbeonline.co.uk/east-midlands/events/east-midlands-dinner-and-awards.htm

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

East Midlands fbe lines up events for 2014

Property, development and construction industries organisation the fbe (Forum for the Built Environment) has lined up a string of events in the East Midlands over the next few months. 

The organisation, which nationally is the longest established networking group for the sector, is planning a race evening at Leicester Racecourse on July 23^rd and a Golf Day at The Leicestershire Golf Club on September 11^th. 

Meanwhile, entries have now opened for the East Midlands fbe annual awards, which reward the scheme and team behind development projects in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Free to enter, the award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Leicester on October 9^th. 

Recently appointed regional chairman of the East Midlands fbe, Jef Todd, who is business development director at civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting, said: “The fbe events are open to members and non-members, and are a great way of networking and making new contacts for people who work in, or alongside, the construction, property or development sector. 

“The committee hopes to welcome new faces, as well as old friends, to the social events that have been organised, and is also looking forward to seeing entries for the East Midlands fbe awards, which have previously given accolades to developments such as One Friar Gate Square in Derby, Hibiscus Court, in the St Ann’s area of Nottingham and Albany House, a £8.5m ExtraCare housing scheme in Nottingham, as well as The Madrasah project in Evington, Leicester, and Silver Arcade in Leicester.” 

For more information about the events, the awards or joining the fbe in the East Midlands visit www.fbeonline.co.uk or speak to East Midlands regional director Nic Jepson, director of Nottingham-based InLine Property Consultants, or one of the committee members: Jef Todd, Louise Whitehead, legal director at solicitors Shakespeares in Leicester, Adrienne Vaughan, managing director at Lutterworth-based AVA PR, Eddie Mewies, managing director of civil engineering firm M-EC Consulting Development Engineers in Ibstock, and Mark Taylor, partner at chartered accountants Duncan & Toplis.

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