Thank you from the retiring Hon Treasurer

18 November 2009

Dear Terry,

Just a few lines to thank you and Institute Members for the marvellous annual luncheon and in such a majestic venue. Kay and I had a most enjoyable time, which we shall remember for many years. Your very kind words and compliments to me at the presentation were very much appreciated by me, thank you very much.

Before we left John asked me to open the box of glasses to ensure that I liked them, on sight of a unwrapped glass the word exquisite sprung to my mind immediately, They will be such a wonderful memento of my years with the Institute. Please convey our delighted thanks for such a lovely gift.

Yours sincerely,
John McGregor Hon MIDE Hon. Treasurer

Nick takes Maylarch to the top

Nick Williamson AMIDE, Managing Director of Maylarch Environmental Ltd, is proud of his staff who have enabled the company to walk away as winners from the 15th Annual Thames Valley Business Magazine Awards.

"The committment and hardwork shown by all Maylarch staff," says Nick, "has let to the company retaining its Investor in People status to a higher level, together with ISO14001:2004 accreditation for environmental management systems and ISO 17020 UKAS accreditation for on site surveying."

We noticed that Nick's colleague, Simon Ward, who is seen receiving the award, was not an IDE member.  We sent an application form by e-mail and Nick promises that he will encourage all staff who qualify to apply for membership.   Download an application form

What Is and What Isn’t Waste?

IDE President Terry Quarmby takes a timely look at the definition of waste.

The 2009 series of Seminars and Road Shows touched upon the subject of waste. I was reminded that the UK Construction Industry produces around 100 million tonnes of Construction, Demolition and Excavation waste per annum and that only 50% of this material is regularly recycled with the remainder going into landfill, spread on exempt sites or used as quarry fill. The UK Governments ‘Waste Strategy for England 2007’ sets out critical objectives for waste reduction and resource efficiency and these include to:

• provide the drivers for the sector to improve its economic efficiency by creating less waste from design to demolition
• treat waste as a resource, re-using and recycling more and asking contractors for greater use of recovered material
• improve the economics of the re-use and recycling sector by increasing demand and securing investment in the treatment of waste

Read the rest of the article at Demolition News

Pushing the Button for Cancer Care

In appreciation of the wonderful care his wife, Kellie, received for breast cancer at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, Richard Dolman AMIDE decided to use a chimney blowdown to raise money for the Breast Care Centre.

The project, undertaken by Richard's company, A R Demolition Ltd, was to demolish two massive chimneys at the Desford Steel Tubes factory.  Hundreds of people turned up on a Sunday morning in September to watch the two chimneys, each measuring 150ft, eventually crash to the ground.  An unexpected surprise was the opportunity each viewer had to buy a chance to press the button to set off the detonation.

As the chimneys came down so the amount raised went up, eventually to £7259.33 which was presented by Richard and Kellie on 18 November.

Richard said: "I'm obviously thrilled to raise that much money because I only thought we'd get half that. I'm pleased that we've managed to get something good out of a bad situation and it's certainly raised awareness of breast cancer among people around me. If you're in a position to be able to put something back then it's the least you can do really."

Debbie Adlerstein, Fundraising Manager at Leicester Hospitals Charity, said: "The money raised by the Dolman family and AR Demolition Ltd is fantastic and will go to make a real difference to patient care, helping to support the fantastic work that already takes place at the Breast Care Centre."

Full Members congratulated at the Annual Luncheon

Thirteen new Full Members of the Institute received their certificates from IDE President, Terry Quarmby, at the Annual Luncheon on 13 November.  We give below a line up of some of them.

Associate line up at the Award Presentation

We offer a line up of some of the 20 members who received their certificates of Associate membership at the Annual luncheon on 13 November.  Congratulations to them all!

Taking the gloves off!

While chatting recently with the National Secretary about the next examination session, Enrolled member, Stephen McCann of Forth Demolition Ltd, let it slip that he is a Kyokushin-kan Karate instructor and had taken part in the World Championships in Budapest in October.

Stephen comments, "Kyokushin is full contact so you need to win by knockout or a decision, similar to boxing but with no gloves."

The pictures show Stephen taking part in the championships and also the McCann family with Semmi Schilt, three times K-1 World Champion. "Nathaniel looks tiny in Semmi's hands." says Stephen.  Semmi is 2.11 metres tall!!

We hope to bring more news about Stephen after his annual visit to Japan next year for the camp which international instructors attend for gradings and updating on any changes to the syllabus.

Prizes won in the Annual Luncheon Raffle on 13 November 2009

    * Model of JCB Car won by Roy Brown..
    * Model of JCB Digger won by Joe Ready AMIDE.
    * Champagne won by Alex Mellor AMIDE.
    * WBA tickets won by Mick Kelly
    * Beer won by Toby Comley.
    * Case of Wine won by Stuart Accleton MIDE
    * West Ham tickets won by Trish Cuddy.
    * Wayne Bagnall course won by Richard Comley FIDE
    * Case of Rioja won by Christian Jones AMIDE

Source: John Woodward FIDE

TAKING ON HISTORY AT FARNHAM CASTLE - Preservation not destruction

Richard Comley FIDE, and his company, Comley Demolition, are taking on the task of removing the 168 tonne concrete slab that covers the historic well on the Keep plateau of the historic Farnham Castle in Surrey.

Thanks to a grant of over £700,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, improvements can now be carried out on the Castle's Keep which dates from the twelfth century, to turn it into one of the top attractions in the South.

Richard, himself a Farnham resident says: "We are delighted to be involved in this project which we believe will enhance the Castle as a tourist attraction, which in turn will bring more tourists into this architecturally fascinating town."

"I understand we were chosen as the preferred contractor as our plan of works caused the least disturbance to the Castle's administration and visitors and does not involve any unsightly scaffolding."

The work began on 9th November and is expected to run for four weeks. They will deconstruct the 300 mm thick slab using 360º mini excavators equipped with specialist demolition attachments and arisings will be loaded into rubble bags and craned off the plateau.

The demolition works are part of the greater restoration scheme which will reunite the Bishops Palace and the Keep under one management team. The Keep has been cared for by English Heritage since 1984 and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The 225 sq metre reinforced concrete cap itself, which was placed in the 1950's, is possibly adhered to the ancient stonework of the Keep meaning Comley's skilled operatives will exercise extreme care whilst removing the cap, under the watchful eye of the Castle's own archaeologist.

Richard continues: "We will have to take great care when removing the concrete that may be adhered to ancient monument. I have every confidence that we will be able to separate the concrete without causing undue damage to the keep."

After the work has been completed, the concrete will be replaced with grass and a new stairway and viewing platform will enhance the illuminated well, which will be covered by a 'traditional oak cupola.'
One of the technical difficulties that Richard's team will have to overcome will be installing a safety deck to the underside of the cap to allow the safe removal. This will involve constructing both a hanging scaffold from the viewing gallery to the bottom of the well, which will then in turn be replaced by a birdcage scaffold, constructed from the bottom up.

The scaffold constructed in the well by Comley Demolition will be left in place to allow further work to be carried out over the well safely by other operatives. Work on the scaffold is expected to be completed this week.

The restoration programme of the castle is expected to finish in Spring 2010.

For more information please contact Jennifer Comley on 07881 845817 or email jjcomley@hotmail.co.uk.
Richard may be contacted at Comley Demolition on 01265 702178 or through the website at www.comleydemo.co.uk.

Apple of her Daddy's eye

Stuart Accleton MIDE, of Erith Group Ltd, has written to tell of his and Katie's delight on the birth of their daughter, Rosie Ellen, on 22 October.   Our good wishes go to this new family.

Member mentioned in his company's magazine

 Anthony Hewetson achieved Full Membership of the IDE in August and was the subject of an article in Energise, the Sellafield monthly magazine (page 7).

In the article he said: “I am proud to have achieved Full Membership. The final assessment, where the President and Vice-President interviewed me about my portfolio was fairly informal, but the questions were structured to ensure the supporting portfolio was my own work and that I was suitably and sufficiently competent to become a demolition engineer.

“My status as a qualified demolition engineer has coincided with a change of appointment at Sellafield. I would encourage people with suitable experience to join the Institute of Demolition Engineers and enhance their knowledge and formal qualifications so that the companies for which they work  have sufficient qualified resource to manage the demolition tasks which arise.”

Anthony calls attention to the video of the construction of Sellafield

25 years of outstanding service rewarded

John McGregor Hon MIDE gave his last financial report at the AGM last Friday, 13 November.  For 25 years he has given sterling service to the Institute as its Hon Treasurer and members will miss the familiar figure giving them more goods news than bad about its financial situation.

On behalf of the Institute, President Terry Quarmby and First Vice President, John Woodward, presented John with a set of crystal wine glasses and a decanter at the Annual Luncheon to help him pursue his hobby of wine appreciation when relaxing after golf or amateur dramatics.

David Turner, Fellow and Past President, was unanimously elected to be the new Hon. Treasurer.

What Price Sustainability…?

Anyone with even the most tenuous link to the demolition business knows that demolition contractors are the undisputed world leaders in the recycling and reuse of materials, a fact that has put this industry at the very forefront of the drive for sustainability.
However, as this exclusive audio podcast reveals, this leadership comes at a cost.
What follows is the raw audio recording of a presentation by Terry Quarmby, president of the Institute of Demolition Engineers, in which he suggests that all is not rosy in the sustainability garden.

Visit Demolition News to read more and view Terry's podcast

The Big Bang

Dick Green MIDE, who has kept delegates enthralled at a number of IDE Seminars, invites you to visit
Exec Digital (page 22) to read an interview with him about his extensive experience and work as an Explosives Engineer working in demolition.
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