friday update

I do hope my message to you all this evening finds you well, staying safe and managing your way through the continued lockdown with a degree of calm, recognising we can do no more than to accept the situation, follow the guidelines and appreciate that the ongoing restrictions are in place with our best interests at heart, and undoubtedly here to stay for the foreseeable future. Despite the snow forecast for the weekend, I am sure we have all enjoyed the return of the sunshine today, and with the birds starting to sing in the morning and the morning and evenings starting to show signs of getting lighter, we can at least allow ourselves to start to think about the onset of Spring and the milder temperatures that will bring.

As another week draws to a close there is plenty to report to you once again. Most encouragingly this week the number of people receiving their first dose of the vaccination has surpassed the 10 million milestone which is an incredible achievement and most certainly gives us hope that the government are on track to achieve their target of delivering 15 million vaccinations to those most vulnerable by the middle of the month, as a critical step towards overcoming the pandemic. Recent research is also highlighting that the vaccination is proving to be incredibly safe with limited side-effects, quashing any uncertainty and alleviating fears surrounding the speed at which the vaccine was developed and tested. It has also proven effective in overcoming the ‘Kent-strain’ which again is immensely positive news for us all. Whilst statistics show the R-Rate has fallen to 0.7 which is good to hear, the level of infection remains forebodingly high and with new strains reported so close to home in the Maidstone region we must remain incredibly vigilant and alert to the unabating risks at this time.

As promised last week, I am delighted to share with you some internal completion images as well as some incredibly positive client feedback, following the handover of Ivy Court Surgery in Tenterden on Monday, as pictured below with Frank Slegg and Andy West handing over the keys in a safe manner to the Doctors, ready for them to take ownership and occupation of their state-of-the-art new medical centre.

Scoring a top 10/10 for quality of product and service as well as for collaboration, value for money, environmental performance and health safety, the scheme was openly praised by our client who wrote to confirm they are “very happy” with their new premises. It was most heartening to read that they considered our team to be “very approachable at all levels” as well as “hardworking” whilst rating Jenner as ‘much better’ than competitor contractors. Alongside the wealth of positive feedback relating to our people and their delivery, our responses to concerns raised and attention to detail surrounding COVID-19 and the procedures we have implemented were also highly commended and this feedback gives us huge confidence that we are continuing our operations is the safest and most considerate manner. A huge well done once again must go to Frank Slegg, Dave Thomas, Richard Millwood and notably Andy West for steering this project to completion to the exceptional Jenner standards we are so proud of, amidst very challenging times caused by the ongoing pandemic.

The latest issue of ‘Construction Manager’ the Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) recognised publication features the construction of F51, the worlds first multi-storey skateboarding park, and the technical complexities of delivering this hugely challenging project. The article showcases how the knowledge and expertise of Site Manager Nigel Griffiths is driving the project forwards ready for completion later this summer and is an incredibly positive write-up. The magazine, whilst gaining a large readership from the construction industry online, is also delivered in ‘old-fashioned’ paper copy to 37,000 recipient’s homes (meaning they won’t miss their copy whilst working remotely during lockdown) and which ultimately generates huge exposure for the Jenner brand nationally, illustrating our capabilities to deliver such technically multifaceted projects and thus enhancing our reputation and respect amongst the wider industry. You can view the full published piece by following link below, with the article featuring on pages 32, 33 and 34 (and no, that’s not Nigel on the front cover!).

https://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CM-February-2021.pdf

More media coverage has since followed this week as our residential development of Folkestone seafront that will deliver 84 luxury new homes has featured in today’s ‘Kent Online’, updating on the progress made over recent months, and which is another incredibly positive piece that enhances our reputation more locally across Kent as a considerate contractor with relationships at the core of how we do business. You can read this article via the following link: Birdseye photos show Folkestone's multi-million pound seafront development taking shape (kentonline.co.uk)

Lastly, I would like to take a moment to address the very important issue of mental health given the current circumstances we face that potentially threaten our happiness and overall wellbeing. Yesterday marked national ‘time to talk’ day which highlights that even small gestures can have a hugely positive affect on others and I openly encourage you to please bear that in mind and consider if you can reach out to help others with a simple text message or phone call. It’s often those we least expect who maybe suffering in silence and your actions can make all the difference. As part of our commitment to making a difference to mental health and wellbeing throughout our industry, Jenner have signed the Building Mental Health Charter and in doing so we are proactively addressing our responsibility to adopt a culture that breaks down the stigma associated with mental health, encourages open and honest dialogue as well identifying as a clear route to get help for those who need it. This has been distributed to all sites and will be displayed in the office and on our new dedicated ‘Health and Wellbeing’ page on the company website to affirm our commitment to change. More resource, advice and guidance will be added to this page over time, including an excellent tool box talk which openly addresses mental health and wellbeing, the stigma associated with poor mental health and a few pointers about what we can do to help. Whilst this is targeted at site workers and will be rolled out as part of induction procedures when safety procedures allow, I do feel it can benefit us all in maintaining good mental health and in supporting those around us so please do take a look when you get a moment. The statistics included are quite alarming and act as sober reminder of how important it is that we all play our part in addressing this prevalent issue, which devastatingly kills more people within our industry than physical accidents.

Thank you to all those of you who do take the time to read my Friday updates and which I do hope you continue to find informative and engaging. Please do feel free to feedback to me as well as sharing your project and people focused news for inclusion in future weeks.

As always, I wish you all well for the weekend ahead and hope you will enjoy some time to rest and relax.

Stay safe and well.