SITE manager Dave Hickman is feeling “proud and very pleased” after being awarded a prestigious accolade by his employer Redrow Homes.
Dave, who heads construction at the company’s Dukes Manor development of three and four-bedroom family homes in Walkden, near Manchester, has been given the title of ‘Build Person of the Year’ by Redrow Homes (Lancashire) as reward for his commitment and the quality of his work.
And the 52-year-old from Chorley is thrilled to receive the honour after 15 years with Redrow: “I always work hard and put everything into my job, and I enjoy doing that. But it is still wonderful when that effort and loyalty is acknowledged.
“I do my best and I like everything to be the best in terms of work level and quality, and people around me know that if they don’t get it right first time, they will be going back to it until they do. I don’t let things go.”
Apart from one year away from the company, the dad-of-two has worked for Redrow since 2002 – following a change in career.
“I started life building and repairing caravans,” explained Dave, “but I wanted a new challenge. I joined Redrow as a joiner before getting my HNC qualifications – which I was supported in and encouraged to do – and I first became a site manager in 2006.
“I learned a lot when I worked on the Vie apartments building in Manchester; I was a site manager at the time but my specific role for Vie was as the quality manager for the city-based development. I’ve been at Dukes Manor for the last six months and prior to that was in charge at Stone Book, in Standish. To have been chosen as the best in the site-based construction team this year feels pretty good.”
As well as the prestigious title, Dave receives a cash sum and has his name engraved on a silver trowel which takes pride of place in Redrow’s Lancashire headquarters at Buckshaw Village, near Chorley.
The title Build Person of the Year is a new one for Redrow, replacing the previous award for Site Manager of the Year so it could include assistant site managers and trainee site supervisors when judges were considering who should win.
Keith Collard, construction director for Redrow Homes (Lancashire), said: “Dave was chosen because he is a consistent and solid manager, someone who has a particular skill for managing his Redrow site staff, sub-contractors and trades teams.
“Dukes Manor is one of our busiest housing developments and, at every turn in the build process, Dave meets the tough targets which are set and sticks to the planned programme to ensure that completions occur in a timely manner. That’s great news for us and even better news for customers who are excitedly waiting to move into their brand new homes.
“Redrow can only deliver high quality customer service if we get the best from our team – and that means relying on people like Dave doing their job so brilliantly.”
The award-winning craftsmanship of Dave and his team is evident by viewing the three fully furnished show homes at Dukes Manor, off Hilton Lane, in Walkden. The popular development will eventually feature a total of 150 new homes from Redrow’s Arts & Crafts inspired Heritage Collection and current prices are from £239,995 for a three-bedroom semi.
