Ryebridge is awarded cyber security certification

Ryebridge has been awarded top cyber certification, part of a government-backed scheme to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber-attacks.

Our company, this month confirmed as a Cyber Essentials Certificated Company, is a Luton-based specialist civil engineering company with expertise in airports, ports, sports stadiums and general maintenance works.

 Daniel Coyle, MD of Ryebridge, said: “It is essential for us that we can confidently prove to our customer base that we have strong cyber security. This certification does just that. It will help protect our business as we continue our strategy of growth and will be a great help when we bid for public sector opportunities, where this type of certification is virtually mandatory.”

 The Cyber Essentials scheme provides businesses with five security controls that can prevent around 80% of cyber-attacks, according to the UK government.

 With the number of recent scares involving personal data, customers are looking for cyber aware providers now more than ever.

 Daniel added: “By proving we have the necessary controls in place Ryebridge is gaining an edge over competitors and putting our customers at ease.”

 Did you know? The government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2018 found that more than two fifths (43%) of businesses and almost one fifth (19%) of charities experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the previous year. The financial effects of these breaches can be considerable. For medium-sized businesses, the average (mean) cost of a data breach is £16,100. For large businesses it is £22,300.

What a party! Thousands raised for charity

Spice Girl Mel C and a host of sporting celebrities have this month helped Luton based Ryebridge Construction raise more than £31,000 for charity.

The company, which celebrated its 10th birthday in September, joined forces with swimmer and former Olympian Greg Whyte OBE to organise a golf day and black-tie dinner to raise funds for local charity Age Concern Luton.

Ryebridge Managing Director Daniel Coyle said: “I wanted the whole team to celebrate but also wanted to make sure anything we did had a positive impact on the wider community. We did it in style and are so grateful to Greg and his friends for helping us make this happen.”

Greg Whyte, OBE, is a former Olympian and a Sports Scientist. He won European bronze and World Championship silver medals, also competing in two Olympic Games, representing Great Britain in the Modern Pentathlon. Greg has been involved in Comic Relief., training and coaching celebrities who do challenges for charity, such as comedian David Walliams, John Bishop, James Cracknell, Cheryl Cole, Gary Barlow, and Eddie Izzard.

Greg, patron of Age Concern Luton, said: “What an amazing amount has been raised, every penny of which will make a real difference to elderly people in and around Luton.

“The charity’s strapline is #LonelinessIsCurable. Quite simply, getting older should not mean isolation or loneliness. These funds raised by Ryebridge will directly help the older members of our community and help us tackle and alleviate loneliness.”

As well as a performance from Mel C, sporting celebrities including Olympic silver medallist/ swimmer Jazz Carlin, BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker, the UK Invictus Games Team Captain Mark ‘Dot’ Perkins and Luton’s former professional boxer Billy Schwer all joined in the celebrations, all waiving their usual appearance fees to ensure as much money as possible was raised by Age Concern Luton.

An auction, which included a host of Strictly Come Dancing prizes and the chance to sing with Mel C, raised several thousand pounds – and Ryebridge is now pledging to raise yet more funds.

Daniel added: “We aim to hit the £40,000 mark so a charity cycle ride will be our next challenge.”

Pop star Mel C set to bring some musical spice to Luton

Singer songwriter Mel C is on her way to Luton – set to help Ryebridge Construction raise much needed funds for local charity Age Concern Luton.

Former Olympian and Sports Scientist Greg Whyte, OBE, is the charity’s patron and is helping Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle organise a sports-themed black-tie birthday party this September.

As well as confirming a performance from Spice Girl Mel C (dubbed Sporty Spice during her years with the girl band), there will be a host of well-known sports names attending.

These include rowing champion and double Olympic gold winner James Cracknell, double Olympic silver medallist/ swimmer Jazz Carlin, BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker and the UK Invictus Games Team Captain Mark “Dot” Perkins.

Daniel said: “To mark our birthday we wanted to have a party so what better way to do this than to support this incredible charity. We are pledging to raise at least £40,000 for Age Concern Luton and our golf day and sports themed dinner will be key to this.

“This will be an evening with a difference – with a sports star on every table, the brilliant ‘3 Minute Rockstar’ band and an auction that will include the chance to sing then and there on stage with Mel C.”

Greg Whyte, who has helped raise over £30million for Comic Relief and famously trained celebrities including David Walliams for his Channel and Thames swims and Eddie Izzard who ran a remarkable 43 marathons in 50 days, said:  “Age Concern Luton is an exceptional charity and we are delighted that Ryebridge is so keen to raise funds, which will make a real difference to the lives of older people. Lots of famous sporting faces will be there to join us at every step of the way.”

There will be two events on Friday, September 13th, 2019: a daytime Charity Golf Day at Luton Hoo and the evening black tie sporting celebrity dinner in the Walled Garden of the Luton Hoo Estate - all in aid of Age Concern Luton.

To take a table at the evening event (one sports star will sit with you) the cost is £1,000 (+VAT).

To find out more about the golf day or to book a table for the evening event (seating is limited so we would advise booking early) please contact Daniel Coyle by emailing ageconcernluton@ryebridgeconstruction.com or call the office on 01582 451525.

We will continue to update this page as celebrities and sports stars as added to the guest list.

To find out more please visit www.ryebridgeconstruction.com/ryebridge-is-10

Ryebridge scoops top award

Ryebridge Construction has been crowned Business of the Year (less than 50 employees) and praised by judges for its ‘outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination’ as well as its ‘exceptional commercial success’.

The Luton based construction company, which celebrates its 10th birthday this year, was one of eight companies shortlisted for this top award - with the SME Luton and Bedfordshire Business Awards celebration taking place at the Bedford Corn Exchange in May 2019.

Director Daniel Coyle collected the award on behalf of his team: “What an incredible achievement, made even more special by the fact that this year marks our 10th anniversary.

“Many of our staff have been with us since the beginning and promoted within. We are committed to the local community, we recruit locally, give back to charities and community groups and we work hard to reduce any environmental impact.”

Most recently Ryebridge joined forces with Luton Town FC to sponsor the Hatters new navy kit and in September the company will be celebrating its birthday with two events: a day time Charity Golf Day at Luton Hoo and an evening black tie sporting celebrity dinner.The company aims to raise more than £40,000 for Age Concern Luton

Here are just a few more highlights from the last year that helped Ryebridge win this top business award:

London Luton Airport: A £3.2million project and 14,000 man hours worked – our London Luton Airport project saw us design and build a new temporary drop off zone. The works were delivered in a fully operation environment - to enable the drop off, deliveries, multi storey car park and bus providers to continue working as usual.

Safe and secure: We launched a new safety app for mobiles, which enables staff to easily report everything from health and safety hazards, incidents and near misses, along with environmental issues such as fuel spillages at the click of a button. Ryebridge is one of only a few companies to do this in the UK.

Punching his way to success: We have loved helping local boxing legend Jordan Reynolds punch and spar his way to the top – providing sponsorship to help the 22-year-old achieve his dream of reaching the Olympics. We are now supporting Jordan with his new venture, a boxing academy to keep Luton youngsters safe and off the streets.

Oaklands College: The multi-million-pound redevelopment of Oaklands College in St Albans is underway – with Ryebridge preparing the groundworks. Our director Daniel Coyle is a former student at the college, having studied construction management.

Inspiring students: Our staff have been visiting secondary schools in Luton, teaching year 9 and 10 pupils all about the construction industry. This is part of Luton Borough Council’s commitment to promoting construction as a career choice.

Apprenticeships: We have continued to invest in apprenticeships and now have a talented trio on board – gaining valuable experience at London Luton Airport (LLA). Meet Taylor, Joe and Mark.

On film:  Our new YouTube channel is now live. Please check out our talented team and see us in action and on film.

Giving back: We continued to support local charities and good causes, including Love Luton and its inspirational #lutonsbestawards, Keech Hospice and Level Trust. At Christmas we donated to the Luton Food Bank

Flying high: Our new Airports brochure was designed and distributed. Working within a ‘live’ airport environment requires very specific skills and a demanding level of performance driven by stringent timing and safety standards.

Awards: In November we scooped our sixth GOLD Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) award – in recognition for our outstanding work at London Luton Airport (LLA).

Looking forwards: In 2018 we joined forces with a local garage and in 2019 will officially launch Ryebridge Autos – to service Ryebridge’s fleet of vehicles but also open to the public. An MOT service will be launched later this year.

We have new projects underway at LLA and Oaklands College and are now meeting with airports across the UK to extend our ‘reach’.

Ryebridge announced as Luton Town navy shirt sponsor

Exciting news - we have joined forces with Luton Town FC as the Hatters head for the Championship.

With the new kits for the 2019-20 season now revealed to the public, we are delighted to announce that Ryebridge is the navy shirt sponsor for 2019-20.

Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to support Luton Town as sponsors of their navy kit for next season. As a Hatters fan myself, it’s been amazing watching the Club progress in so many ways on and off the pitch, and it’s an honour to be able to sponsor them as they push on into the Championship next season.

“Most of our workforce is drawn from the Luton community, many of whom are Luton Town supporters themselves, so it makes perfect sense to be able to get behind the Club at this exciting time in their long and distinguished history.

“This year, we’re celebrating out tenth year – so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to mark the occasion – especially with the Town also moving into their 135th anniversary.”

Luton Town Chief Executive Gary Sweet said: “We’re delighted to have Ryebridge on board as sponsors of our navy shirt for next season. The synergy between Ryebridge’s ethos, and our own culture is plain to see, and we are excited to have them as a sponsor as we return to the Championship.

“Ryebridge have a fantastic reputation as a community focused company who do what they can to provide opportunities for local people, and we’re sure this will resonate with our supporters. We’ve already been working alongside Ryebridge for some time as part of Love Luton, helping to reflect the many positive aspects of our Town, so we know exactly what Daniel and his team are all about.

“We’d like to welcome Ryebridge to the Luton Town shirt sponsorship family, and hope to establish a successful partnership moving forwards” he said.

You can see the 2019-20 kit launch video and gallery here including a first glimpse of the Hatters star striker James Collins wearing the new navy shirt sponsored by Ryebridge.

Ryebridge’s pedal power raises funds for charity

Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle is taking to his bike this summer to join and sponsor the London Luton Airport (LLA) cycle ride from Paris to Amsterdam.

Funds raised will go to LLA’s charity of the year Macmillan Cancer Support, so Daniel is now in training.

Daniel said: “It’s five years since I did the airport’s Luton to Paris charity ride and much of the same team will be taking part which is exciting. In truth though I am not quite sure what I have let myself in for. This is far more miles than I have ever cycled before, so bring on the challenge.”

The charity ride, of which Ryebridge is the lead sponsor, will take riders through three cities and three countries in four days. It is more than 383 miles and will take riders from Paris to Brussels and to Amsterdam – and then a flight back to London Luton Airport.

This will prove ideal training for Daniel’s next cycle ride later this year – which will take take riders from Inverness to Glasgow, this time raising money for Ryebridge’s charity of the year Age Concern Luton.

Ryebridge is organising the cycle ride as part of its 10 year celebrations, which sees the company joining forces with Age Concern Luton and pledging to raise at least £40,000 over the coming year - with the company’s fundraising set to culminate with a black tie, sports themed dinner and a golf day in September.

Daniel said: “We have established our roots in Luton and recognise the proud history, cultural diversity and the huge potential that exists within this town. Where possible we tap into this via local recruitment and by using local resources. We are always looking for ways to reinvest in the town, by forming associations with local charities, businesses and educational establishments along with developing and training our local employees in order to fulfil their career potential.

“The team will come together for a range of fundraising events over the next 12 months, with every penny set to go to Age Concern Luton to benefit some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Ryebridge congratulates high scoring young footballers

Congratulation to Oaklands Wolves Youth Football Club, which has enjoyed a meteoric rise in their inaugural season as a team.

Oaklands Wolves Youth FC, supported by Ryebridge, gained FA Charter Standard Club recognition within their first year and offer opportunities for girls and boys to access training and matches, under the established banner of Oaklands Wolves, and in partnership with Oaklands College.

Three of the five teams currently operating under the Oaklands Wolves Youth flag have reached cup finals this season.

The Under 10 Girls have remained unbeaten all season and made the Herts Girls League Cup Final, whilst the Under 12 and Under 14 Boys sides have reached their individual County Cup Final’s, facing Berkhamstead Raiders Youth U12 Red’s and Cheshunt Youth U14 Ambers respectively.

Oaklands Wolves’ free-scoring sides beat both Stevenage Borough Juniors U12’s 4-2 (AET) and Maccabi London Lions U14’s 5-2 in the Semi-Finals. Both sides will be looking to add some silverware to the trophy cabinet of their fast-growing Youth Academy.

Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle is Chairman of Oaklands Wolves Youth FC and said: “We are very proud that we have reached three finals in our first season. The emphasis is on development and enjoyment so finals are a bonus. We now have chartered status and we train twice a week with UEFA B Licensed coaches.

“Being part of the Oaklands Wolves and working closely with the College gives the youth the opportunity to plan for EJA and once the 3G facilities are complete, competing in the floodlight league. What the children have achieved and are capable of is exciting for everyone involved.”

Civils Works and Maintenance Framework Success

Luton-based construction firm Ryebridge has been appointed onto the London Luton Airport (LLA) Civils Works and Maintenance Framework – a contract worth £6million.

Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle said: “We have been on the LLA framework since our company formed 10 years ago, so we are delighted to strengthen this relationship with the airport yet further.

“Tendering is a detailed and lengthy process but worth all the hard work of course and we are proud to announce we are one of only two companies to be appointed on to the framework, so we look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the airport and being a part of its future as the UK’s fastest growing airport.

Independent economic analysis has found that LLA is an important economic driver for the local area. In 2013, the airport supported 15,000 local jobs, generating £732 million for the economy in the Three Counties region. LLA’s current expansion means that this is expected to increase to 22,000 jobs and £1.2 billion by 2030.

Ryebridge are currently on site at LLA, constructing a new taxiway parallel to the existing one. More than 60 staff are on site at any one time, with the project due to be completed by this summer. The airport has described this project as an embodiment of its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of the airport. The conversion of existing and new taxiway lights to LEDs will reduce rather than increase electricity consumption and the project will also provide a new de-icing facility, which will reduce delays during the cold winter months.

Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle added: “Our team is delighted to be appointed on to the airport’s framework and we continue to invest heavily in training and use local supply chain wherever possible.”

Ryebridge goes airside as Taxiway Foxtrot gets underway

The team at Ryebridge are now on site at London Luton Airport (LLA) constructing a new taxiway parallel to the existing one.

More than 60 staff are now on site at any one time, with the project due to be completed by this summer.

Ryebridge Construction has enjoyed a strong relationship with LLA since it was set up 10 years ago and, as Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle says “our team is delighted to be part of this exciting project and the redevelopment of the airport. We have invested heavily in training and use local supply chain wherever possible.”

LLA has invested over £160million to transform the airport and increase capacity to 18 million passengers per year by 2020. The redevelopment includes a complete redesign of the terminal with new shops and restaurants and major upgrades to transport links, including better road access to the M1, new car parking facilities, a remodelled bus and coach interchange and improved rail links to Luton Airport Parkway station. In addition, work is well underway on a £225 million light rail system linking the airport with Luton Airport Parkway station and is anticipated to be completed by 2021. 

Ryebridge Director Daniel Coyle added: "We are delighted to be working on this key phase of development and are pleased to say one of our recently recruited apprentices, Taylor, is one of the project’s team – ensuring on the job training and development for young people, who are of course our workforce of the future.”

Ruari Maybank, Construction Director at LLA said: “The new taxiway (Taxiway Foxtrot) is one of the last steps in our journey to provide capacity for 18 million passengers a year. 

“The taxiway embodies our commitment to reduce the environmental impact of the airport, despite increasing the number of passengers and flights. 

“The conversion of existing and new taxiway lights to LEDs will reduce rather than increase our electricity consumption. The project will also provide a new de-icing facility, which will reduce delays during the cold winter months”.

Ryebridge celebrates birthday and supports local charity Age Concern Luton

A Save The Date invitation has been prepared, as Ryebridge gets set to mark a decade in business with a high-profile fundraising sports event and golf day.

September 2019 marks 10 years since Managing Director Daniel Coyle launched Ryebridge Construction, a company which now has a workforce of over 70, boasts an array of clients from across the UK and has established itself as experts in working within ‘live’ airport environments.

For its 10th birthday Ryebridge will be joining forces with Age Concern Luton and are pledging to raise at least £40,000 over the coming year, with the company’s fundraising set to culminate with a black tie, sports themed dinner and a golf day next September.

Daniel said: “We have established ourr roots in Luton and recognise the proud history, cultural diversity and the huge potential that exists within this town. Where possible we tap into this via local recruitment and by using local resources. We are always looking for ways to reinvest in the town, by forming associations with local charities, businesses and educational establishments along with developing and training our local employees in order to fulfil their career potential.

“The team will come together for a range of fundraising events over the next 12 months, with every penny set to go to Age Concern Luton to benefit some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Swimmer and former Olympian Greg Whyte OBE, Patron of Age Concern Luton, said: “This is an exceptional charity and we are delighted that Ryebridge is so keen to raise funds and awareness and we look forward to seeing you all at these events. Lots of famous sporting faces will be there to join us at every step of the way.

On Friday, September 13th, 2019 Ryebridge Construction will celebrate its 10th birthday with two events: a day time Charity Golf Day at Luton Hoo and an evening black tie sporting celebrity dinner in the Walled Garden of the Luton Hoo Estate. More details to come.

All this will be in aid of Age Concern Luton.

Ryebridge donates to Luton Foodbank

A donation from Ryebridge has helped feed more vulnerable families this winter.

Daniel Coyle, director of Ryebridge Construction, was inspired to donate to Luton Foodbank after he learned about the charity’s goal to eradicate food poverty.

The donation has gone towards providing free food parcels and nutritionally-balanced meals to people struggling through times of crisis.

Daniel, who drives a strong message through his Luton-based company to give back to the local community, said: “Reading about Luton Foodbank’s important work was very moving. For people to be living on the poverty line, financially struggling to the point that they cannot afford to buy food for themselves or their families is heart-breaking. It is our duty to help more vulnerable members of our community.”

Salma Khan, project coordinator at the foodbank said: “We are constantly amazed by the kindness and generosity of people towards the Luton Foodbank project, and greatly appreciate the various types of support that businesses give us.

“The donation from Ryebridge has helped take us one step closer towards fulfilling our aim – that no one in Luton should go hungry. We are seeing a rise in the number of parcels being given out so hunger is a real issue in our town and this money means a lot.”

Level Trust, Age Concern and Keech Hospice Care are among the other charitable organisations supported by Ryebridge Construction.

Autumn 2019 marks the 10 year anniversary for Ryebridge – a growing company that has established itself as experts in working within ‘live’ airport environments.

Highlights and Achievements

At the start of another New Year the team at Ryebridge Construction have been reflecting on highlights and achievements from 2018.

Here are just a few …

London Luton Airport: A £3.2million project and 14,000 man hours worked – our London Luton Airport project saw us design and build a new temporary drop off zone. The works were delivered in a fully operation environment - to enable the drop off, deliveries, multi storey car park and bus providers to continue working as usual. Find out more HERE.

Safe and secure: We launched a new safety app for mobile, which enables staff to easily report everything from health and safety hazards, incidents and near misses, along with environmental issues such as fuel spillages at the click of a button. Ryebridge is one of only a few companies to do this in the UK. Find out more HERE.

Punching his way to success: We have loved helping local boxing legend Jordan Reynolds punch and spar his way to the top – providing sponsorship to help the 22-year-old achieve his dream of reaching the Olympics. Find out more HERE.

Oaklands College: The multi-million-pound redevelopment of Oaklands College in St Albans is underway – with Ryebridge preparing the groundworks. Our director Daniel Coyle is a former student at the college, having studied construction management. Find out more HERE.

Inspiring students: Our staff have been visiting secondary schools in Luton, teaching year 9 and 10 pupils all about the construction industry. This is part of Luton Borough Council’s commitment to promoting construction as a career choice.

Apprenticeships: We have continued to invest in apprenticeships and now have a talented trio on board – gaining valuable experience at London Luton Airport (LLA). Meet Taylor, Joe and Mark. Find out more HERE.

On film: Our new YouTube channel is now live. Please check out our talented team and see us in action and on film by clicking HERE.

Giving back: We continued to support local charities and good causes, including Love Luton and its inspirational #lutonsbestawards, Keech Hospice and Level Trust. Find out more HERE.

Flying high: Our new Airports brochure was designed and distributed. Working within a ‘live’ airport environment requires very specific skills and a demanding level of performance driven by stringent timing and safety standards. Read it for yourself HERE.

Awards: In November we scooped our sixth GOLD Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) award – in recognition for our outstanding work at London Luton Airport (LLA). Read more HERE.

Luton Construction Firm wins its sixth gold award

Luton construction firm Ryebridge Ltd has been awarded its sixth prestigious gold award by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

 The award recognises the company’s outstanding work at London Luton Airport (LLA) – a £7million project which included the creation of four new aircraft stands and the construction of a new taxiway extension - both designed to help the airport increase capacity and improve the efficiency of aircraft movements.

This project was part of the airport’s largest single investment to date and is set to increase annual capacity by 50% to 18 million passengers by 2020.

The Ryebridge team adopted a new ‘Safety Differently’ approach for this project, launched by London Luton Airport and spearheaded by Simon Bown, head of health, safety and environment at the airport.

Speaking at Ryebridge’s staff event in earlier this year Simon said: “Safety Differently marks a shift in focus – from bureaucracy and ticking lots of boxes, to an ethical decision to look after staff. Safety is not the absence of accidents, it is the presence of trust, ownership, engagement and positives. It is great to see Ryebridge supporting our new approach and being an innovative, progressive company.”

Keeping safety at the forefront of all it does, Ryebridge launched a new app for mobile phones this year – to keep its workforce safe and secure.

 The safety app enables staff to easily report everything from health and safety hazards, incidents and near misses, along with environmental issues such as fuel spillages at the click of a button, with Ryebridge becoming one of only a few companies to do this in the UK.

 Ryebridge director Daniel Coyle, said: “Our staff no longer have to leave a site to return to an office and report an incident or hazard. Now, our staff will simply be able to pull out their phones, take a photo and press send. We check the app results daily, take action if needed and use the information to ensure we continue to put safety at the forefront of all we do.

“We are delighted that our strong relationship with London Luton Airport. Health and safety is at the heart of all we do and to be recognised for our commitment to excellence is a proud moment.”

 The RoSPA Awards scheme, open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas, look at companies overarching occupational health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement. The awards are now in their 62nd year.

Love Luton 2018 awards

Ryebridge director Daniel Coyle presented the former principal of Luton Sixth Form College with a Lifetime Achievement Award at this month’s Luton Best Awards.

Chris Nicholls, who retired from his 40-year career in education last year, was presented with the top accolade in recognition of his “far-reaching achievements in the community”.

The category, sponsored by Ryebridge, was a highlight at the Luton Best Awards – an annual event designed to recognise the achievements, work and valuable contribution of the heroes in the local community.

Ryebridge director Daniel Coyle said: “What an exceptional evening, packed full of extraordinary people who have done extraordinary things in our community. We are proud to have again supported the event – and look forward to continuing our support in the years to come.”

Award winner Mr Nicholls began his teaching career in 1980 at Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham, where he taught economics. Ten years later he moved on to St George’s British International School in Rome, before returning to the UK in 1994 to teach at Denefield School in Reading.

In 1998 Mr Nicholls became head of sixth form at Queensbury Upper School in Dunstable, and from 2004 worked as a school improvement adviser for Bedfordshire County Council.

He joined Luton Sixth Form College in 2008 as Vice Principal, becoming Principal in the summer of 2012.

Reflecting on his time in Luton he said: “I count the last 10 years at Luton Sixth Form College as the most rewarding of my career. It has been a real privilege to be able to serve the community here and every day has brought new experiences and challenges.

“The college does a fantastic job of meeting the needs of the young people and families of Luton and I am confident that it will go from strength to strength in the future.”

Guests at the Luton Best Awards enjoyed a champagne reception, three-course meal and a glittering awards ceremony. Additional funds were raised via a charity raffle and auction and are being donated to local good causes.

New apprentice joins Ryebridge team

Student Taylor Dennie has joined the team at Ryebridge Construction – securing a training apprenticeship with the construction company.

The 17-year-old from Luton, who is a student at Bedford College, has joined current apprentices Joe Hankins and Mark Fee, all working alongside the experienced team at Ryebridge on their latest project at London Luton Airport (LLA).

The trio are gaining on the job experience on Ryebridge’s one-year £8million Taxiway Foxtrot project, which involves the design and build of a new taxiway parallel to the existing one at the airport. More than 60 staff will be working on site at any one time, working both daytime and throughout the night, with the project due to be completed by next summer.

Taylor said: “Luton is my local town and so I wanted to work here, give back locally and to be able to look at something and know I’ve been a part of it. I’m at college one day a week and with Ryebridge for the rest of the week, so every day is different and challenging.”

Fellow apprentice Joe is now in his second year of a construction management and engineering Level 3 course at Oaklands College in St Albans, while Mark started his construction course in September and has already passed the Construction Skills Certification Scheme and completed a one-day health and safety event.

Director of Ryebridge Construction, Daniel Coyle, said: “Nurturing young talent is at the heart of our ethos and we work closely with schools and colleges to promote apprenticeship and develop local talent. Construction is a leading UK sector and it is vital to work together to promote construction as an exciting and diverse career choice.”

Ryebridge kicks off £51 million development project at Oaklands College

The multi-million-pound redevelopment of Oaklands College in St Albans is now underway – with a construction company run by former student Daniel Coyle now on site preparing the groundworks.

Daniel, who originally studied construction management at the college, is now director of Ryebridge Construction and returned to his former college this month to kick start the £51million project.

Daniel said: “I am very proud to be part of this project. I loved my time here as a student, so to be back at Oaklands and to be the first company on site for this massive redevelopment project is a real privilege.”

The Ryebridge team will be on site for 12 weeks – undertaking the enabling works which include demolition, site clearance and minor groundworks before the major building work commences, which will see the look and feel of Oakland Colleges’ Smallford campus be entirely transformed. There are plans to introduce new student accommodation, administration areas, teaching centres, workshops and a sports pavilion.

The focal point of the new development will be the specially purposed Gateway building, which will house a news student lounge, support services and refectory. The new sports pavilion will provide lockers, changing rooms, and a viewing platform for spectators as well as classrooms for theoretical lessons.

The enhancement programme will roll out over five years to minimise disruption to the campus and current students.

College Principal Zoe Hancock said: “We are really pleased that the work is underway and the journey to our new facilities has started. It is also great to work with a local contractor and support local businesses.”

Temporary Drop Off Zone and Ramp Works – TDOZ Project

London Luton Airport required the design and build of an enabling works package. This included a new temporary drop off zone to replace the existing one, relocated barrier controls, demolition of an existing high level link bridge, new perimeter road and supporting ramp over bridge.

Structures included new lighting, barrier controls and CCTV networking. These were designed to make way for a new multi storey car park and to allow the existing drop off zone to be closed and the site cleared for the construction of the proposed MPT system. The works were required to be delivered in a fully operation environment - to enable the drop off, deliveries, multi storey car park and bus providers to continue working as usual.

Through detailed design and early client engagement Ryebridge put forward a value engineered design for the solution that not only provided greater efficiency in dealing with passengers but mitigated any interfaces the public, staff and operations had with regards to crossing live traffic.

The ramp over bridge structure facilitated a safe, vehicle free pedestrian route from the initial drop off to the terminal. Included within the design was a revamp of the perimeter network of roadways segregating drop off traffic, HGV’s and delivery vehicles and a dedicated roadway for access to the existing multi storey car park.

The ramp over bridge structure designed required 180No piles with 300mm thick reinforced concrete walls differing in height for a length of approximately 100m. The walls and deck to the ramp were constructed in-situ with specifically design panels through a period of approximately eight weeks working 24hrs a day with the total placement of 650m3 of concrete for the structure.

Here are a few top facts:

• £3.2m total value, inclusive of £400k of additional works delivered within the original time frame.
• The project started in January 2018 and we completed, on time and to budget, in June 2018.
• 26000m2 site clearance, 31000m3 excavation and disposal
• 16500m2 of new roads and footpaths and 1600m new drainage
• 950m3 concrete, 2250m3 of structural fill material and 2500m of kerbs
• 14000 man hours worked.

Students make their mark at Ryebridge Construction

Two students from Luton are making their mark at Ryebridge Construction – securing training and apprenticeships with the construction company and already getting top grades.

Joe Hankins, with support from Ryebridge, is about to start his second year of a construction management and engineering Level 3 course at Oaklands College in St Albans. He combines classroom learning with days on site and at the Luton company’s head office. 

“I started working at Ryebridge in the school holidays and the company agreed to support me at college,” said 19-year-old Joe. “I finished this month with a double distinction, am back on site for the summer holidays and will take my final year in September. After that I would like to go into engineering or quantity surveying so Ryebridge have said I can shadow some of their teams, to help me decide on what I want to focus on.”

Mark Fee, 16, will start his construction course in September and in the meantime will work on site and in the office at Ryebridge. Mark has already passed the Construction Skills Certification Scheme and passed a one-day health and safety event.

Director of Ryebridge Construction, Daniel Coyle, said: “We are committed to promoting apprenticeships and nurturing young talent. Construction is a leading UK sector and we are working with partners to promote construction as a career choice. Key to this is apprenticeships and we are proud of all that Joe and Mark have already achieved.”

Photographed: Mark Fee, left, with Joe Hankins
 

Ryebridge breaks ground and launches new safety app

A new app for mobile phones has been launched at Ryebridge Construction – to keep its workforce safe and secure.

The safety app, launched in July 2018, enables staff to easily report everything from Health & Safety hazards, incidents and near misses, along with Environmental issues such as fuel spillages at the click of a button, with Ryebridge becoming one of only a few companies to do this in the UK.

Director of Luton based Ryebridge Construction Daniel Coyle, said: “We have invested in this to make reporting as easy and simple as possible. This is very much the future, just ask anyone under 16. 

“You no longer have to leave a site to return to an office and report an incident or hazard. Now, our staff will simply be able to pull out their phones, take a photo and press send. We will check the app results daily, take action if needed and use the information to ensure we continue to put safety at the forefront of all we do.”

This new Ryebridge app comes hot on the heels of a new approach to safety launched by London Luton Airport and spearheaded by Simon Bown, head of health, safety and environment at the airport.

Speaking at Ryebridge’s staff event in July, Simon said: “Safety Differently marks a shift in focus – from bureaucracy and ticking lots of boxes, to an ethical decision to look after staff. Safety is not the absence of accidents, it is the presence of trust, ownership, engagement and positives. It is great to see Ryebridge supporting our new approach and being an innovative, progressive company.”

Ryebridge clients include London Luton Airport - the team have recently completed a £7million taxi runway project - and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. The club appointed Ryebridge Construction as principle contractor in 2014 to lead on a two-year project to prepare the site for its new multi-million -pound stadium. 

Find out more about the company and its range of clients at www.ryebridgeconstruction.com

Photographed: Jagroob Singh, who works in groundworks and is a driver for Ryebridge, with the new safety app.