Company wins
national title
by Mark Hemmings
A MAJOR Warrington employer has been recognised for its excellence in management at a prestigious national awards ceremony.
Engineering and environmental consultancy MWH, which employs 615 people at its Birchwood-based UK headquarters won one category and was short-listed for three others.
The Association of Project Managers (APM) is the premier professional body in the field of project management – covering many different industries in both private and public sectors.
More than 600 representatives of the biggest project management companies in the UK attended its awards ceremony, held in London last Tuesday.
MWH, whose work includes major engineering design and project management contracts for United Utilities, was the only company nominated for more than two awards, with representatives short-listed in four of the seven award categories.
MWH employee Gareth Mills (pictured)took one of the evening’s major honours, winning the coveted title of ‘UK Project Manager of the Year’. The judges praised Gareth for the combination of sound project management techniques applied in leading a major project to decommission two nuclear reactors at Winfrith, Devon.
Ian McAulay, Managing Director of MWH UK, says: “Gareth modestly explained how most of his success was down to the people who worked with him on the project, but to win this individual award against huge competition is a major accolade and testament to the highest level of project and people management competence.”
All MWH finalists received praise from the judges, particularly for the demonstration of competence, innovation and delivery in the face of significant challenges.
Bronze medals for
young athletes
by Terry Johnson
Two Warrington athletes have stepped onto the winner’s podium at the country’s largest indoor sporting event.
Chris Johnstone,15, and Olivia Oakes,16, took bronze medals in the Concept 2 British Indoor Rowing Championship in Birmingham.
The teenagers were among more than 2,200 challengers in the thrilling National Indoor Arena event, watched by 7,000 people.
Racing over 2,000m on the Concept 2 Indoor Rower, Chris notched an impressive time of 6 minutes 30.8 secs in the men’s junior-16 event, to win bronze.
Olivia also took bronze in the women’s junior-18 race with a time of 7 minutes 21.3 secs.
The crowd was wowed by amazing performances – from Olympians to schoolchildren, paraplegics to World War 11 veterans.
Pyjama party
fundraiser
by staff reporter
Babies and toddlers at University of Chester’s new Warrington nursery staged an all-day pyjama party – to help disadvantaged youngsters.
The campus nursery turned day into night with ?1-a-head fun and frolics for Children in Need.
Parents were asked to donate to the innovative fund-raising appeal.
Said nursery manager, Kerry Bewley: “We came up with the idea because it was something that everyone could do without breaking the bank. We also needed to appeal to all ages, up to five years.”
Opened just five months ago, it is the Ofsted-inspected nursery’s first Children in Need event.
Mayor looking for
green businesses
by Mark Hemmings
WARRINGTON’S Mayor, Coun Linda Dirir is looking for Warrington businesses to “go green” and has launched a special awards initiative.
The Mayor as a keen environmentalist said: “There is a lot of good work going on already in various industries but no-one was recognising it.”
The awards are open to any Warrington company regardless of its size and it is free to enter.
With the Mayoral theme for this year being earth and climate, and climate change, Coun Dirir is keen to get businesses involved because of the huge impact they can have.
The Mayor’s husband, Alin is from Somaliland in East Africa where climate change is already visible.
She said: “The desert is encroaching on the country, the waterholes are drying up and cattle are dying.”
There are five award categories:
Reducing the impact on climate change
Making use of environmental technology
Protecting the natural environment
Environmental champions in the community
Overall winner These “alternative” business awards are already proving to be equally as popular as the town’s normal business awards.
Judging will take place in the spring and awards given out in April 2007. Companies need to complete an entry form and submit any appropriate supporting information.
Contact Julie Pickering on 01925 442143 for more details.
Child agency’s
global link
by Terry Johnson
An agency charged with the task of safeguarding Warrington children has launched a global link.
The helping hand on-line is spearheaded by the Warrington Safeguarding Children Board.
The website offers advice on what to do if there is suspicion of child abuse and offers help for parents and carers finding it difficult to cope with children.
WSCB draws together community ‘caring strands’, including Children’s Services, the police, education and health professionals.
These are meant to provide a safety umbrella for children who may be suffering abuse, or are in need of protection.
Said Clr Sheila Woodyatt: “Launch of this new website is a great way of promoting the services and advice available from WSCB, whose work is of great importance to every young person, child, parent and carer across the Borough.”
The site can be found on www.safeguardingwarringtonchildren.org.uk.
MP welcomes climate
change bill
by staff reporter
Warrington South MP, Helen Southworth, has welcomed moves to bring in the Government’s first Climate Change Bill.
This will enshrine in law the long-term target to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.
Said Helen: “I am really pleased that Govt is strengthening its efforts to tackle climate change. I know that people in Warrington will be too.”
Tackling this issue was one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
“The Bill sends a strong message to other countries that we must act now to ensure we reduce carbon emissions and secure our future environment.
“A large number of Warrington people have supported the campaign for climate change. Small lifestyle changes can collectively make a difference.”
