Building Briefs – February 10th

Work experience programme launched at Edinburgh housing development

An Edinburgh housing development is providing 11 local students with work experience within the construction industry and related sectors.

Urban Union is constructing over 700 new homes for the City of Edinburgh Council’s 21st Century Homes programme and has partnered up with Edinburgh College to provide a series of week-long work placements for students based in the capital.

One of Scotland’s largest housing led regeneration projects, the construction of the Pennywell development is delivering community benefits that include jobs, training and work experience opportunities.

Over 20 applications were received for the new work placement programme and students were selected following an intensive recruitment process. The scheme will see successful students placed on site at Pennywell, in the north of the city.

Four of the students have secured placements at Edinburgh based architects Barton Wilmore and WSP Engineering, both firms providing Urban Union with their respective services for the Pennywell development.

Exova Group buys asbestos and nuclear specialist firm

Testing business Exova Group has bought an asbestos monitoring specialist for an undisclosed sum.

The deal for Environmental Evaluation, which has its head office in Oldham with other sites in Stirling, Birmingham, Luton and Cardiff, will add more than 80 staff to Exova’s roster.

The Stirling team will be moving into Exova’s existing asbestos management facility at Hillington, Glasgow, in the coming months.

Environmental Evaluation, which was founded in 1991, specialises in advising on asbestos for the nuclear decommissioning sector as well as other hygiene sampling, stack emission monitoring and inspection services. It has a full-time presence in seven nuclear power stations around the UK

Fundraising hope for Orkney art and design centre

A major fundraising campaign has been launched to raise cash for a new art, design and crafts centre for Orkney.

Organisers behind the Orkney Creative Hub project are looking to raise £1 million by April to buy and adapt the former Ortak workshop and visitor centre in Kirkwall.

The Creative Hub aims to provide a central location for education, development and enterprise opportunities for artists, designers and crafters of all ages and abilities, across many disciplines, from within and outwith Orkney.

Persimmon raises thousands for end of life care charity

An end of life care charity has received a welcome fundraising boost thanks to the efforts of Persimmon Homes East Scotland.

The Bathgate-based builder handed over a cheque for £30,000 to Marie Curie Partnerships manager Georgina Bushell to support the valuable service that Marie Curie provides for people living with a terminal illness across the country.

The money was raised at a glittering black tie event held at the Sheraton Grand Resort and Spa in Edinburgh involving over 350 guests and compered by Scottish comedian and radio presenter, Fred MacAulay.

Marie Curie offer care to terminally ill people in their own homes and in one of the charity’s nine hospices. Over 2,000 nurses work in the community to provide end of life care to 94 per cent of the country.