World Cup winning rugby star guest of honour at awards night

Sunday 16 October 2016

The redevelopment of one of Jersey’s best recognised buildings, Weighbridge House (formerly the Southampton Hotel) led the field at the Jersey Construction Awards last night, winning two awards – the Ogier Best Use of Innovation and the Benest and Syvret Project of the Year over £3million.

The awards, which took place at the Hotel de France, hosted by Karen Rankine, saw over 300 people gather to recognise the very best in Jersey’s construction industry over the past year.

As well as enjoying the awards presentation, guests were inspired by the words of the keynote speaker for the evening, 2003 England World Cup winner Matt Dawson MBE. 

The gala event also rounded off a very successful Construction Week which encouraged hundreds of Islanders to learn more about the industry through a series of site visits and talks. Trips included a visit to the Jersey Finance Centre site and the Household Reuse and Recycling Centre. 

Dozens of members of Jersey’s construction sector also gave their time during Construction Week to help with the refurbishment of the Scout Hut at St Ouen, on behalf of the Construction Council’s charitable community programme, the Brick Foundation. 

As in previous years, the Brick Foundation was also a key beneficiary of the awards evening, which held a raffle and auction that raised over

There’s no doubt that the full range of skills and talents that make up the island’s construction sector was on display at the gala event. There were 11 awards available to the many nominees who were recognised for their contribution to the continued health and success of the industry. 

Representing people at either end of their career, Michael Ruane of Andium Homes won the Highlands College Star of the Future Award whilst Edward Baker of Hacquoil and Cook was delighted to receive the Jersey Construction Council Lifetime Achiever Award. 

To recognise developing talent within the industry, a new award was created this year and sponsored by the Economic Development Department for the Best Training and Development Programme, which was won by Romerils, 

As well as Weighbridge House, the project winners included the Desalination Valve Replacement which won the Ronez Award for Project of the Year up to £1 million, and the refurbishment of 2–10 Library Place won the Channel Island Lines Project of the Year between £1 million and £3 million. 

One of the evening’s most eagerly awaited award announcements, the Comprop Business of the Year Award, was won by Camerons. 

“There’s no doubt that the annual Jersey Construction Council Gala Awards evening is a vitally important part of the industry’s calendar,” said Martin Holmes, Chairman of the Jersey Construction Council. 

“The evening gives us all a chance to reflect on the year, to applaud the incredible contributions made by the many talented people who thrive within it and to recognise the successes that we’ve all had in 2016. 

“Construction is a challenging industry, but it is one that brings our island. When you look at the enthusiasm of people like Eddie Baker, who has been involved in dozens of major projects that play a role in defining our island or Michael Ruane and his fellow Star of the Future nominees, who are actively shaping the future of construction, then you begin to see that we have a great future ahead of us.” 

The awards were attended by over 300 people at the Hotel de France with eleven awards being presented to: 

Highlands College Star of the Future 

Michael Ruane – Andium Homes 

Insurance Corporation Industry Achiever of the Year 

Greg Morrison – ROK Construction Limited 

Economic Development Department Best Training and Development Programme 

Romerils 

Rossborough Health & Safety Award 

Hacquoil & Cook 

JE Sustainability Award 

Les Cotils Farm - National Trust for Jersey 

Ogier Best Use of Innovation Award 

Hartigan for Weighbridge House 

Comprop Business of the Year 

Camerons 

Ronez Project of the Year up to £1 million 

Desalination Valve Replacement

Channel Island Lines Project of the Year between £1 - £3 million 

Refurbishment of 2 – 10 Library Place 

Benest & Syvret Project of the Year over £3 million 

Weighbridge House 

JeCC Lifetime Achiever of the Year 

Edward Baker – Hacquoil & Cook