It’s been another busy year for Millcroft, and another busy decade! As we continue to build on more than 40 years’ experience in the scaffolding sector, we’re looking forward to starting the 2020s in great shape with a talented team, a busy project pipeline and a great reputation for safety, quality and training.
Projects to be Proud of
The past year has seen some of the major projects that we have worked on for years come to fruition.
Continuing our Journey in the Rail sector
We’re really proud of the role we have played in the construction of the new Paddington Station, which will be the terminus for Crossrail’s Elizabeth Line. It’s been a technically demanding project that has drawn on our experience in the rail sector and our culture of working collaboratively with delivery partners to ensure our activities are responsive to the needs of the programme in real time.
We’re now moving on to deliver the scaffolding and access requirements for enabling works at the HS2 infrastructure improvement works at Euston Station. This will be a key project for us in 2020 as we continue to build on our track record in the rail industry and support progress on the HS2 initiative.
Building on our Heritage in Conservation
2019 has also seen our work at Athlone House on the edge of Hampstead Heath draw to a close. This inspirational project to bring a derelict building former hospital back into use for a 21st century resident has drawn on our specialist expertise in the heritage sector. Our in-house design team and technical abilities have played an important role in managing the needs of the conservation and construction project safely and efficiently, with numerous adaptations along the way.
The project adds to our impressive portfolio in the heritage and conservation sector and this will be a major focus for the Millcroft team in 2020, with a number of challenging projects due to begin.
Top of the Class in the Education Sector
Education sector projects have been amongst the many highlights of 2019 for Millcroft, with our work at Richmond-upon-Thames College (RuTC) now nearing completion and coming in under budget thanks to our innovative and agile approach to designing and delivering the programme.
We remain on site in Hackney at The Olive School, which combines our experience in both the education and heritage sectors in a project that includes both re-purposing a dis-used 19th century police station and constructing a new extension.
We are looking forward to starting on site on some new education sector projects during 2020.
An Award-Winning Year
Not all of our achievements in 2019 have been linked to a specific project; some of the recognition we have gained this year has been linked to our continuing focus on quality and health and safety.
RoSPA Gold Again
As a business that has always been focused on excellence in health and safety - for our own team, our clients, our delivery partners and the general public - we were delighted to receive a RoSPA Gold Medal Award again this year. The Gold Medal is awarded to organisations that have achieved RoSPA’s exacting ‘Gold’ standard for at least 5 consecutive years and this was the 7th consecutive year for us. It’s testament to the hard work and conscientious approach of the whole Millcroft team and the success of our safety culture.
More RoSPA Recognition
In addition to our RoSPA Gold Medal, we have also achieved a RoSPA Fleet Award this year, following a rigorous application process. The award recognises the measures we have taken to make our vehicles are as safe and environmentally low impact as possible. It also rewards our achievements in ensuring that our drivers are trained and monitored on a continuous improvement basis.
Going forward, we will continue to invest in our fleet and utilise the latest green technology to support operational management that’s as eco-friendly as possible.
FORS Gold
The safety, maintenance standards and environmental profile of our fleet has also been recognised by our success in gaining FORS Gold accreditation this year. We have previously sustained a Silver award for this industry-leading fleet management quality assurance scheme, so our Gold accreditation demonstrates how we are continuing to invest and improve in this important element of our business.
Training for the Future
A commitment to training continues to lie at the heart of our company culture, ensuring we have an enviable skills pool within the business and supporting our commitment to health and safety.
Supporting Improved Mental Health
For the first time this year we have introduced mental health training as a core part of our training programme, and this has now been rolled out to all members of staff, including those in office-based roles and the leadership team. The workshop-based training has focused on helping people recognise the symptoms of poor mental health in themselves and others and raising awareness of the fact that it can affect anyone at any time.
The training has been well-received and we’re taking a sustainable approach to ongoing support with improved mental by appointing mental health champions, who can signpost members of the team to sources of help, and by including mental health in our toolbox talks programme.
Indeed, the initiative has been so successful that we are now rolling out the workshops to clients and delivery partners, which has also resulted in excellent feedback and will continue to be a focus in 2020.
Skills for the Next Generation
Alongside our health & safety programme, we’re also maximising the value of our in-house training centre by continuing to train the next generation of scaffolding professionals. The skills gap continues to be a major talking point in the construction industry but our approach is to bring on new apprentices and to embed training into a career development programme for every employee. We will continue to invest in this programme in 2020.
Looking Forward
On the cusp of a new decade, 2020 is set to be a milestone year for Millcroft and we look forward to building on achievements in the scaffolding sector, working with partners across construction, rail, civil engineering and industry.
