School gives top marks to Henderson Campbell
17th September 2010
Hand Over at Lockwood School
Staff members at an East Cleveland school were able to begin the new term in bigger and better surroundings thanks to building and civil engineering company Henderson Campbell.
The firm, which has its head office in Guisborough, has received high praise from both the school and Redcar & Cleveland council, which commissioned the work, for the professionalism of its workforce, high standard of work and for completing the job on time and in budget!
The 12-week project, valued at £110,000, has resulted in new offices for Lockwood Primary School’s headteacher Grant Hopkins and secretary Jan Pemberton as well as a much larger staff rest room, complete with fitted kitchen and storage.
“It’s all absolutely brilliant. Everyone is thrilled to bits with the new rooms,” said Mrs Pemberton, secretary at the school in Boosbeck for the last 22 years.
“The site manager Martin Slowther was fantastic and the Headmaster and teachers have all commented on the standard of work as well as the professional approach and pleasant manners of the workmen.”
The local authority’s Building Contracts Manager for Children’s Services, Dave Ashwell, was also delighted with the way the project was managed, especially during the first few weeks when the summer term had not ended.
“Henderson Campbell ensured firstly that the school could carry on as normal without disruption and then that all work was completed by the end of the summer holidays,” said Dave.
“Its men were all totally professional from day one. Nothing was too much trouble and the whole workforce, under the guidance of the site manager, was a credit to the company.”
Henderson Campbell MD Antony Henderson said he had been delighted to be awarded the Lockwood School contract – and not just because it was so close to the company’s head office.
“We are still busy with our work as a preferred contractor to the Home Office but, at the same time, we are keen to demonstrate that our experience and skills from prison work are equally appropriate for other sectors,” he explained.
“To be able to do this, on our doorstep as it were, and get such glowing testimonies has really boosted our confidence and ratified our decision to diversify.”
Lockwood School was Henderson Campbell’s first ever project for Redcar & Cleveland Council and only its second in the education sector.
A similar development at Stockton’s Abbey Hill School and Technology College in 2009 - the first time in five years that Henderson Campbell had tendered for a project in the education sector - brought equally pleasing praise for the family run firm, with the school’s Business Manager, Edwin Thorman, saying it was the first school project he had managed that had been completed on time.
“I have managed a lot of projects for the school in the last ten years and I can honestly say that this was one of the best,” he commented.