Tag Archives: bellway

Awards, Construction, Construction News, London News, News, Property

Project manager wins prestigious award for housing project in Greenwich

A project manager from Bellway London has won a national award for overseeing the construction of high-quality new homes in Greenwich.

Jason Spink has been named as a recipient of this year’s Pride in the Job Quality Award in recognition of his work at The River Gardens development off Banning Street.

Construction work is nearing completion at the site, where all 264 homes for private sale have now been sold.

He is among the 443 winners who have been selected to receive the accolade by the National House Building Council (NHBC) from a pool of more than 8,000 site managers from across the country. These recipients will now be considered for the Seal of Excellence later this year.

Pride in the Job celebrates site managers who achieve the highest standards in construction and has become one of the most prestigious competitions in the housebuilding industry since it was first held more than 40 years ago.

This is the second time that Jason has won a Quality Award, having previously picked up the prize in 2014.

Jason, 52, who lives in Basildon, Essex, said: “This award is a very satisfying achievement for our whole team because it acknowledges the effort and care that we put into each home that we build.

“We have gone above and beyond to please our customers throughout our time at The River Gardens. That is why I believe that our team fully deserved to win the Quality Award.”

After starting out in the construction industry as a carpenter at the age of 17, Jason joined Bellway as a site manager in 2009.

He continued: “I first went into carpentry because my father and my elder brother were both working for a local developer as carpenters, and I have been employed in the construction sector ever since.

“The best thing about working for Bellway is that I have been able to build strong working relationships with those on my team because we all take pride in the homes we hand over to our buyers.

“My plan for the coming years is to keep performing to the high standards we have managed to achieve at Bellway so that our customers can continue to expect the best from us.”

John Haggerstone, Construction Director for Bellway Thames Gateway, said: “For our site managers, winning an NHBC award in any year is rewarding, but this year has been a special achievement in such challenging circumstances, ensuring our building sites are kept to the highest standards we set ourselves at Bellway, and keeping our customers and local residents happy with the work we are doing across those sites.

“Jason and his team have consistently demonstrated their excellence in delivering new homes to our customers over the past 12 months and Bellway is extremely proud of and grateful for their efforts, resulting in the Quality Award they have been deservingly given by NHBC. We would wish Jason all the very best for the next stage of the NHBC awards this year, as he progresses to the Seal of Excellence phase of judging.”

To find out more about the new homes being built by Bellway London, visit https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk.

 

CAPTION:

  • (Left to Right) Site Manager Nicolae Marius Cocos with Project Manager Jason Spink at Bellway’s River Gardens development

 

About Bellway Homes

Bellway Homes is a FTSE 250 Index listed residential housebuilder based in Newcastle upon Tyne, employing almost 3,000 staff across 22 Divisions across England, Scotland and Wales.

Bellway began as a small family business in the North East in 1946 – with a passion for building exceptional quality homes in carefully selected locations, inspired by the needs of real families. We are proud of our heritage in the North East, and remain one of the region’s largest employers, with our Head Office still being located in Newcastle upon Tyne.

To this day, we maintain these same core values, combining our decades of expertise with the level of personalised care that Bellway is known for.

We are delighted to have been awarded 5 star builder status by the Home Builders Federation for the sixth year running, with 9 out of 10 customers saying they would recommend us to a friend.

Awards, Construction, News, South East

Beckton site manager wins prestigious homebuilding award

A senior project manager who is leading the construction of new homes in Beckton has won a highly regarded industry accolade.

Bellway London’s Richard Brittain, 34, is among just 443 site managers from across the country to receive the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) Pride in the Job Quality Award for 2022.

The prize, which was awarded in recognition of his work at the Beckton Parkside development off Viking Gardens, places him in an elite group of site managers within the industry.

Pride in the Job was first held over 40 years ago, and it has since become one of the most prestigious competitions in the homebuilding sector. Richard and his fellow Quality Award winners will now be considered for the Seal of Excellence and Regional Awards later this year.

Richard, who lives in Essex, has now won the Quality Award three times in the past four years and brought his overall tally of awards up to four.

He said: “Bellway has always given me the opportunity to prove myself and advance my career within the company.

“I joined Bellway as a site manager at our development in Stepney all the way back in 2014, and I have been kept occupied with new challenges and responsibilities throughout my time here.

“I have a terrific team of hardworking individuals who have supported me every day for the last four years at Beckton Parkside, and it is our collective effort that has won us this award.

“We are constantly looking to improve everything we do at the site so that we can continue to create the best homes in the housing market for our customers.”

John Haggerstone, Construction Director for Bellway London, said: “For our site managers, winning an NHBC award in any year is rewarding, but this year has been a special achievement in such challenging circumstances, ensuring our building sites are kept to the highest standards we set ourselves at Bellway, and keeping our customers and local residents happy with the work we are doing across those sites.

“Richard and his team have consistently demonstrated their excellence in delivering new homes to our customers over the past 12 months and Bellway is extremely proud of and grateful for their efforts, resulting in the Quality Award they have been deservingly given by the NHBC. We would wish Richard all the very best for the next stage of the NHBC awards this year, as he progresses to the Seal of Excellence phase of judging.”

Bellway London is building 391 new apartments at Beckton Parkside. A selection of one, two and three-bedroom apartments are currently available, with prices starting from £265,000.

For more information about the development, call 020 3993 6183 or visit https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/beckton-parkside.

CAPTION:

  • Senior Project Manager Richard Brittain (centre) flanked by Site Manager Daryl Owusu (left) and Assistant Site Manager Joe Pugh (right) at Bellway’s Beckton Parkside development.

 

 

 

About Bellway Homes

Bellway Homes is a FTSE 250 Index listed residential housebuilder based in Newcastle upon Tyne, employing almost 3,000 staff across 22 Divisions across England, Scotland and Wales.

Bellway began as a small family business in the North East in 1946 – with a passion for building exceptional quality homes in carefully selected locations, inspired by the needs of real families. We are proud of our heritage in the North East, and remain one of the region’s largest employers, with our Head Office still being located in Newcastle upon Tyne.

To this day, we maintain these same core values, combining our decades of expertise with the level of personalised care that Bellway is known for.

We are delighted to have been awarded 5 star builder status by the Home Builders Federation for the sixth year running, with 9 out of 10 customers saying they would recommend us to a friend.

Awards, Construction, News, South East

Former labourer wins fourth site management award for work on new homes in Leighton Buzzard 

A construction site manager who joined the industry as a 16-year-old labourer has won his fourth building award.

Sean Pitkin has been given a Pride in the Job Quality Award from the National House Building Council (NHBC) in recognition of his excellent work at Bellway’s Lestone Mews development in Leighton Buzzard.

The 34-year-old has been site manager at the development since its launch in May 2019 and in February 2022 was promoted to contracts manager, overseeing five Bellway Northern Home Counties sites.

This is the second year in a row that Sean has won a Quality Award for his work at Lestone Mews, where work is due to be completed in August. He previously won two Quality Awards for his work as a site manager at Bellway’s Estone Grange in Aston Clinton, near Aylesbury.

The national awards recognise those who achieve the highest standards in construction, with only 443 out of 8,000 site managers across the country being selected to receive the prize this year. The winners will now be considered for the Seal of Excellence and Regional Awards in the autumn.

Sean, who joined Bellway in 2016, said: “It is brilliant to get this recognition for all the hard work I have put in at Lestone Mews but it is really an award for the whole team not just me. The secret to success is to have a great set of colleagues in place who buy into what you are trying to achieve.

“My philosophy is that I treat all of the homes on my site as if they were my own house. I want those new houses to be perfect so that I can stand there proudly as the keys are handed over to each and every customer of ours.”

Sean started his career in the construction industry as a teenage labourer.

“I was given a job as a labourer by a local builder in Olney and went into it straight from school, not really knowing what I wanted to do,” he said. “I was offered an apprenticeship and then became a qualified carpenter.

“A few years down the line, my bosses offered me the chance to become an assistant site manager and I haven’t really looked back.

“I have now been promoted to contracts manager which means I am overseeing five sites, including Lestone Mews, where my former assistant manager James Ratcliffe has been made site manager. Bellway is the best company to work for and my ambition is to carry on hitting the highest of standards.

“The target now is to maybe see all five site managers at the developments I am overseeing win Quality Awards. That would be really something.”

Iain Hunter, Construction Director at Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “For our site managers, winning an NHBC award in any year is rewarding, but this year has been a special achievement in such challenging circumstances, ensuring our building sites are kept to the highest standards we set ourselves at Bellway, and keeping our customers and residents happy with the work we are doing across those sites.

“Sean has consistently demonstrated his excellence in delivering new homes to our customers over the past 12 months and Bellway is extremely proud of and grateful for his efforts, resulting in the Quality Award he has been deservingly given by the NHBC. We would like to wish Sean all the very best for the next stage of the NHBC awards this year, as he progresses to the Seal of Excellence phase of judging.”

There is currently only one home remaining for sale at Lestone Mews – the Radcliffe showhome priced at £510,000.

For more information on the final homes available at Lestone Mews, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/northern-home-counties/lestone-mews or call the sales office on 01525 351317.

Caption:

  • Sean Pitkin, Bellway Northern Home Counties construction site manager, who has won his fourth prestigious industry award

 

 

About Bellway Homes

Bellway Homes is a FTSE 250 Index listed residential housebuilder based in Newcastle upon Tyne, employing almost 3,000 staff across 22 Divisions across England, Scotland and Wales.

Bellway began as a small family business in the North East in 1946 – with a passion for building exceptional quality homes in carefully selected locations, inspired by the needs of real families. We are proud of our heritage in the North East, and remain one of the region’s largest employers, with our Head Office still being located in Newcastle upon Tyne.

To this day, we maintain these same core values, combining our decades of expertise with the level of personalised care that Bellway is known for.

We are delighted to have been awarded 5 star builder status by the Home Builders Federation for the sixth year running, with 9 out of 10 customers saying they would recommend us to a friend.

 

Construction, News, South East

Schoolchildren given building lesson on visit to Barking Riverside development

Bellway London Partnerships welcomed pupils from nearby Southwood Primary School in Dagenham to its Fielders Quarter development to give them an insight into how the regenerations project in Barking Riverside operates.

The pupils visited the site offices at the development, where they were given a presentation by Bellway’s civil engineers about the construction process, the importance of health and safety, and career opportunities in the industry.

They also took part in an exercise to build basic structure models with straws and were then taken onto a rooftop viewing platform from where they were able to see the work being carried out at Fielders Quarter, where Bellway is building 371 apartments and townhouses.

The development is part of the wider Barking Riverside scheme which is transforming the former Barking Power Station site in East London, delivering 10,800 new homes to the area.

Tony Whitbread, Head of Technical at Bellway London Partnerships, said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome these excited and interested youngsters to Fielders Quarter and to be able to give them an insight into the work that is taking place at this landmark scheme.

“We pride ourselves on being part of the community and this day was a chance to explain what we do to a class of local schoolchildren, some of whom may one day live in a home in this rapidly growing neighbourhood.

“It was also an opportunity to teach the pupils the basics of construction and the importance of health and safety on site, as well as opening their eyes to potential future careers in housebuilding. The children were incredibly receptive, and we’d like to think we might just have inspired some of them to join us when they leave school or university.”

Miss Sultana, from Southwood Primary School, said: “This was a great opportunity for children at Southwood Primary to see what engineering is all about. Children enjoyed getting involved in the workshop and learnt a lot about construction.”

A selection of one and two-bedroom apartments are currently available at Fielders Quarter, with prices starting from £258,655.

For more information, call the sales team on 020 3993 4396 or visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/london-partnerships/fielders-quarter.

Charity & CSR, Construction, News

Housebuilder donates £500 to support charities food parcel project

A Bury St Edmunds-based charity was given an extra helping hand towards its Christmas project to provide 600 food parcels for vulnerable people throughout East Anglia.

Gatehouse, which is based at Dettigen Way, was given £500 by local housebuilder Bellway Eastern Counties, which is building new homes at Bronze Fields in Bury St Edmunds, as well as other locations across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Lincolnshire.

Amanda Bloomfield, CEO of Gatehouse, said: “In 2021 we delivered 600 food parcels to the vulnerable and the needy just in time for Christmas.

“The average cost of a food parcel is £10, so Bellway’s very kind donation directly impacted 50 families who are in need, across East Anglia.

“The project aims to deliver parcels to families from all walks of life, including those in emergency need. It is essential we try and help at a time which can be really difficult for many people.

“The charity has been running since 1986 and was originally set up as a Christian family service. We currently have some paid staff members and 25 longstanding volunteers.

“We have around 100 volunteers on Christmas Day, as we also provide a three-course meal and entertainment for people who would normally be alone at Christmas.”

The Christmas Project is one of four project areas covered by Gatehouse’s work. The charity also runs a foodbank, a community wellbeing project and a home store, which provides donated furniture and appliances to those on benefits or with low incomes.

Head of Sales for Bellway Eastern Counties, Rhiannon Jones, said: “The winter period can be difficult for a lot of struggling families and it’s projects like this that can make that time a little easier.

“The work Gatehouse does throughout the year is incredibly important and helps hundreds of people in need.

“As a local housebuilder, we are pleased to be able to help a charity that directly benefits those living in the local communities in which we build.”

More information about Gatehouse is available on the charity’s website at www.gatehouse.org.uk.

For details about Bellway’s new homes in the area, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/eastern-counties/bronze-fields or call the sales office on 01284 545375.

Captions:

  • Amanda Bloomfield, CEO of Gatehouse, with Rachael Gatehouse, Sales Manager for Bellway Eastern Counties
News, South East

New showhome now open in Wherstead

A showhome has opened its doors at a new development in Wherstead, where more than a third of the homes for sale have now been reserved.

The four-bedroom detached Scrivener has been unveiled at Bellway’s Bourne View, giving prospective buyers the chance to visualise the layout and quality of homes at the development.

With construction progressing well on the site off Bourne Hill, the first residents at Bourne View moved into their new homes last month (December) – and 20 of the 49 private homes have already been sold.

Bellway is also providing a further 26 homes at the development as affordable housing, available for local people through rent or shared ownership.

Jenny Walker, Sales Director for Bellway Essex, said: “Bourne View is already proving to be very popular with buyers and there has been an extremely positive response to the opening of our Scrivener showhome at the development.

“Visitors have been impressed with the spacious kitchen, dining and family area, which is ideal for family gatherings and entertaining. We’ve also received lots of comments about the practicality of the layout, which features a utility room and two large storage rooms.”

The Scrivener’s open-plan kitchen, dining and family room has French doors leading out into the rear garden, as well as a separate living room sand downstairs cloakroom. Upstairs, there are four bedrooms, including one with an en suite, and a family bathroom.

Jenny said: “The showhome is available to view by prior appointment, so we would encourage anyone interested in seeing the Scrivener to contact our sales team as soon as possible to arrange their visit.”

Bourne View comprises a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses in a range of designs.

There is currently a choice of three and four-bedroom properties available to reserve, with prices starting from £319,995. One four-bedroom Scrivener is available, priced at £407,995.

For more information about Bourne View and the Scrivener showhome, call 01473 877854 or visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/essex/bourne-view.

 

Captions:

  • A CGI of the Scrivener, the house type for Bellway’s Bourne View development in Wherstead
Charity & CSR, News

Furniture donation boosts coffers of homelessness charity

A homelessness charity which lost £250,000 in revenue during the pandemic has received a timely boost from a Cambridgeshire housebuilder.

Bellway donated all the showhome furniture from its sold-out The Furrows development in Warboys to Emmaus Cambridge, for sale in the charity’s shop in Landbeach.

The charity, which was founded in Cambridge and is celebrating its 30th birthday this year, now has 29 ‘communities’ in the UK which are helping more than 800 people work their way back into society.

Diane Docherty, chief executive of Emmaus Cambridge, said: “We have a site in Landbeach, near Cambridge, which is a social enterprise community.

“We are providing homes, work and support here for 44 people who have found themselves homeless due to a variety of reasons which can include family breakdown, spells in prison or addiction to drink or drugs. What we do is offer long-term support to our ‘companions’ by giving them a full-time job in our shop or café or by teaching them how to drive or allowing them to study for college qualifications.”

Diane said that the charity, which is self-funded, lost a quarter of a million pounds in revenue due to the coronavirus crisis.

“We had to close for seven months and had to furlough staff and we reckon that we lost about £250,000 due to that whole situation,” said Diane. “We need about £1.3 million to run this social enterprise each year so you can see that is a massive hit.

“This donation from Bellway is very much appreciated. We have a shop where we sell second-hand goods and people were wanting to buy the furniture before we had even got it off the van.

“The furniture was brand new and so stylish and lovely. It beautified our shop and made the place look good. The furniture flew out of the shop and made us more than £1,000. We need to try to make up what we lost during the pandemic and this is a great boost.”

Emma Thomson, Sales Manager for Bellway Eastern Counties, said: “Emmaus Cambridge does amazing work to try to help people get their lives back on track.

“As a local housebuilder we are always looking at ways we can support the local community. This charity, like most, was very badly hit by the pandemic. It receives no central funding and has to generate its own income to survive.

“We were happy to be able to donate the furniture from a showhome and are delighted to hear that the sale of it raised more than a thousand pounds.”

The Furrows development has sold out, but Bellway is currently building new homes at two other developments in Cambridgeshire – The Vickers in Witchford and Bassingbourn Fields in Fordham.

For information about these developments, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/eastern-counties.

CAPTION:

  • Bellway Sales Manager Emma Thomson and Head of Sales Rhiannon Jones with Emmaus volunteers Graham Haynes and David Westhead
Charity & CSR, Midlands News, News, Property

Foodbank receives support from city housebuilder

A city foodbank charity which fed 35,000 people last year has been given a funding boost by a local housebuilder.

Coventry Foodbank, which has the largest foodbank warehouse in the country and gave out 280 tons of food last year, has been given £500 by Bellway’s South Midlands division, which has its regional headquarters in the city.

The foodbank, which was set up 10 years ago, is based at the Halo Centre in Progress Way. It provides a box of three days’ worth of food supplies and toiletries to people who are given food vouchers by a range of agencies including the city council, the NHS and Citizens Advice.

Hugh McNeill, project manager at Coventry Foodbank, said: “We are funded by public donations which provide us with the financing to ensure we can carry on providing food at our 12 foodbank centres in the city.

“This very generous donation from Bellway will give us a much-welcome boost after a very hard time for everyone. The public have continued to support us incredibly well during the pandemic but things have been tough.

“In 2019, we fed 28,000 people and last year we fed 35,000 people. Of that number, approximately 14,000 will be children under the age of 16.

“In the first few weeks of the pandemic, with people being furloughed and laid off, we saw a 100 per cent increase in people accessing our foodbanks. That demand eased off but we have been busier than ever.

“We will use the £500 to support our commercial kitchen project. We are setting up a kitchen in the warehouse so that we can train people with catering skills.

“While we train the people they will be making ready meals or soup for use at the foodbank. The idea is to furnish them with skills that can be used to help them gain employment.

“We very much see this sort of training programme, which will also include any tutoring people may need to gain maths or English skills, as the future role of foodbanks.

“Our ethos is that this foodbank should be a hand-up not a hand-out and the money from Bellway will help us provide that.”

Elaine Brown, Head of Sales at Bellway South Midlands, said: “The pandemic lockdown must have put an incredible strain on charities such as the Coventry Foodbank for many reasons.

“This is a brilliant charity that is funded by public donations which allow it to carry on its work and can literally be life-saving. Their food boxes help put food on the tables of thousands and thousands of men, women and children in Coventry every year.

“We are always pleased to support local charities who do such good work to support people and families and there is no doubt that Coventry Foodbank is at the forefront of reaching out and providing immediate and much-needed assistance and support to the local community.”

For more information about the charity visit coventry.foodbank.org.uk.

Bellway’s South Midlands division is currently based at Oak House, Binley Business Park, having recently relocated to new larger premises in the city.

The housebuilder is also building new homes at developments in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire.

For more information about any of the developments visit bellway.co.uk.

CAPTIONS –

  • Jeané Izautenbach (left) from the Halo Centre, Coventry with Jess Bray (right) of Bellway South Midlands
Construction, News, South East

Bellway’s young stars rise through the ranks

A Milton Keynes-based housebuilder is leading the way in supporting the careers of young people in the area – and developing the next generation of employees in the construction industry.

More than 12 per cent of the 154-strong workforce employed by Bellway Northern Home Counties – which has its divisional headquarters in Caldecotte and is building new homes across the region – are aged between 18 and 30.

What’s more, 6.5 per cent of employees are in apprenticeships or training positions which are helping them to develop their skills and to rise through the ranks.

There are many different career paths to embark on at Bellway, from bricklayers building new homes to sales advisors selling them, and young people are employed within teams across the division, including technical, sales, construction and management.

Paul Smits, Managing Director for Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “It is great to see so many young people progressing within Bellway and starting their careers in construction as part of our company.

“We have a fantastic team of enthusiastic individuals within the division who are keen to learn and work and produce the best new-build properties for our customers.

“As a company, we are committed to helping support employment opportunities in the areas in which we build, as well as nurturing the housebuilders of the future by ensuring skills are passed down to the new generation coming through the ranks.

“I look forward to seeing our young employees building their careers in construction and continuing the high standard of work that our customers expect from Bellway as a housebuilder.”

Bellway Northern Home Counties is building new homes across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

The housebuilder is also proud to be part of the 5% Club, which comprises companies aiming to have five per cent of their workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions.

For more information on starting a career with Bellway, visit bellwaycareers.co.uk.

 

CAPTIONS –

  • Bellway Northern Home Counties is encouraging young people into housebuilding roles
Midlands News, News, Property

Mental health charity able to continue renovation thanks to housebuilder’s donation

A local housebuilder is supporting a Bicester-based charity providing mental health support for young people.

Bellway South Midlands, which is building new homes across Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, has donated £500 to Nai’s House, which will go towards the renovation of the charity’s new premises at Garth House, off Launton Road in the town.

The charity provides a blended youth and well-being service that offers a new way to access mental health support. The renovation work will include soundproofing to ensure the confidentiality of conversations between visitors and volunteers.

Gemma Barrett, founder of Nai’s House, said: “We are so grateful for Bellway’s generosity and support to Nai’s House.

“We want to be able to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our visitors and this donation will help us do that.

“I founded the charity in 2017 after I lost my daughter Dené and the charity is in her memory. I started developing the model in January 2019 and we opened the doors at Kingsmere Community Centre in September 2019.

“We have faced a lot of challenges – especially with Covid meaning we had to shut down – but we have started to gain momentum again and moved premises to Garth House.

“The main work we do is to provide one-to-one support and counselling for those struggling with mental health and suicide ideation. We are in the process of developing our relationship with local schools to start working with them to help their pupils.

“We think of creative ways of working with young people and concentrate on well-being and youth work, as our volunteers aren’t from a clinical or medical background. We offer holistic work such as massages, reiki, aromatherapy, yoga and meditation and similar activities which distract sufferers’ minds from their self-destructive thoughts.

“As well as supporting those struggling with mental health themselves, we also offer support for parents and caregivers looking after someone with mental health conditions.”

Elaine Brown, Head of Sales for Bellway South Midlands, said: “We are pleased to be able to support a charity which does such important work for young people in the local community.

“The past year has been difficult for many young people, as they’ve not been able to socialise or interact with others, and this has had a negative effect on some people’s mental health. Coupled with the lack of events allowed to go ahead due to restrictions, fundraising has been next to impossible for many charities such as this one, which is why we are glad to be able to help such a worthwhile cause.

“Gemma and her volunteers work for free, many alongside a full-time job, and the charity relies solely on fundraising and donations from the council and businesses like Bellway.”

To find out more about Nai’s House, visit the website naishouse.org.uk.

For more information about Bellway’s new homes across the region, visit bellway.co.uk.

CAPTIONS –

  • Clare Bricknell, Angela Nurse and Gemma Barrett
  • (Left to Right) Shiron McGregok, Gemma Barrett, Clare Bricknell, Angela Nurse (Bellway), Ali Allen, Amber Knewman