FHM project manager seals trio of success at regional Pride in the Job Awards

Published by Diana Maccarthy for Frank Haslam Milan in Housing and also in Communities

FRANK Haslam Milan (FHM) Project Manager Gary Williams has scored triple success for a landmark construction project in Hull which included searches for unexploded WWII bombs and archaeological remains of a defence network built by Henry VIII.

The 12 month project, to construct a £5 million homeless centre for client Riverside-ECHG, saw Gary presented with a trio of awards in the 2011 National House-Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Awards for the North Eastern region, held on Friday (28 October).

Committed to the highest site standards, Gary was presented with a prestigious Pride in the Job Quality Award for the development. That was swiftly followed on the night with the higher accolade, a Seal of Excellence, presented to the top 130 site managers, split by region.

The award hat-trick came as Gary was then crowned North Eastern regional winner in the Multi-story Category, for the flagship centre named The Crossings, a 46 bed facility, which will provide temporary accommodation, support and training for homeless people in the city.

Gary, aged 44, who started his career as an apprentice bricklayer at the age of 16, said: “Receiving such a level of industry recognition at this year’s Pride in the Job Awards has been a highlight of my construction career. A site manager is only as good as his team and I want to thank everyone on site for their commitment to this award-winning project. Due to the history of the site, this really was a unique construction project and one that I was incredibly proud to have managed.”

The historical legacy of the site presented a host of challenges for Gary and his team. Hullwas one of the most severely bombed cities during WWII and the team had to accommodate specialist searches for unexploded bombs.

The site was also documented as lying in a part of Hull which contained town defences established by Henry VIII. The team also worked with archaeologists on site, who were searching for traces of the early defences, thought to consist of a curtain wall which linked a castle and an outer fort or blockhouse. 

Coupled with the physical location of the site, next to a dry dock, the River Hull and an occupied warehouse, The Crossings, which sits at Great Union Street on the city’s former maritime gateway, proved a unique project forGary, his colleagues at FHM and subcontractors.

Pride in the Job is the only award scheme that rewards site managers for the unique contribution they make to the house building process. It also recognises the role they take in delivering high quality homes by directing projects from start to finish.

Geoff Egginton, NHBC Regional Director for the North East of England, said: “Pride in the Job has been instrumental in raising the build quality of new homes in the UK for over three decades, with many house builders now routinely striving for perfection in their work. A Pride in the Job Award at any level marks the recipient out as a top performer, showing their true diligence and commitment to producing the best quality homes possible, but to win a Regional title demonstrates something just that little bit special.”

Martin Smithurst, FHM Managing Director, said: “The bespoke history of the site combined with its location presented a unique set of challenges that were circumnavigated by our dedicated Project Manager Gary Williams with support of a strong team. We are delighted to celebrate this hat-trick of esteemed awards.”

Andrew Williamson, Riverside Development Manager, congratulated Gary and his FHM team at the award success, adding: “This is a fantastic achievement by Gary and the team. We set out to create an iconic building which would inspire those who lived and work there and I believe we have achieved this. The quality of the finished building was always a major consideration and these awards recognise the efforts of all those involved in the project.”

The North Eastern regional win in the Multi-Storey Category means Gary will go forward to the national finals in January 2012.