Interserve has been presented the Green Heroes 2008 Wall Shield in recognition of the environmental project - the Avon Causeway Bridge Replacement. The judges commented: "The necessary replacement of an outdated and wearing road bridge over the River Avon was always going to be a sensitive project. The important and delicate wildlife of the area has actually been enhanced overall by the work." The award was presented to Noel Baker (Site Agent) and Trevor Puttock (Contracts Manager) by the environmentalist celebrity David Bellamy OBE at the Tower of London on 2 June 2008. Martyn Thresh of Dorset CC is also pictured on the extreme right.

Recognised at the Nottingham Evening Post Commercial Property Awards presented by English Partnerships in March. Finalist 'Lakeview' consisted of the design and construction of two office developments on two adjoining sites at Sherwood Park on the former Kodak Manufacturing plant site. The client, Highbridge Properties wanted to create state-of-the-art offices and warehousing whilst enhancing the natural environment of the area. Features include: Seven Acre Willow Wetland, part of the rainwater run-off filtration system which provides home to various species of wildlife, zoned lighting, passive solar shading and tinted glass to help reduce energy requirements and the use of traditional materials. It was the re-use of a redundant site, and the inclusion of so many environmental features that made 'Lawn View House' a winner with the judges. The building, which was constructed for Nottinghamshire County Council, is arranged around an atrium, which allows flexible deep plan offices to get good daylight and ventilation. It is naturally lit and ventilated, and the roof finishes are seam and green with a pebbled roof, and the building, as a whole, achieved the BREEAM rating of 'Excellent'.

Our FM contract at Slough, working with People 1st has been rated as a two star social housing organisation, by the Audit Commission. This rating indicates "a good service", comparing well with the best of the country's housing providers and is the second highest rating of its kind. The partnership provides building maintenance and repair services to around 6,500 council homes, 1,000 leaseholders and more than 70 council-owned buildings. The contract was set up in 2001, and since then has consistently broken new ground in the way public / private partnerships work. The partnership aims to ensure that by 2012 all council homes are up to the government's 'Decent Homes Standard'. Indeed, the standard which has been adopted in Slough already exceeds the minimum requirement set out by the "Decent Home Standards" with modern kitchens, bathrooms, replacement heating systems, rewires and 'secure-by-design' external doors all on the agenda. Commenting on the Audit Commission's findings, Graham Allingham, Managing Director – Home Affairs and Local Authority said: "We are delighted to have been able to help People 1st achieve this award, and we will continue to work closely with them to further improve services for tenants. We are focusing on the delivery of a bright future for the council's homes and corporate buildings. Performance has consistently improved over the last 24 months, with helpdesk calls being answered more quickly and effectively; and customers receiving more repairs on time and at the first visit."

Our South Wales Regional Building colleagues continue the Region's award - winning track record with the recently completed New Offices and Service Response Centre at Baglan for Neath Port Talbot CBC being announced as Winner in the "Large Commercial Category" at the Authority's Awards ceremony. This is the seventh award in the last five years for the Regional Business Unit under this prestigious scheme. The project now goes forward to the Welsh Regional Awards Final in April where they hope to repeat the success of the Liberty Stadium Swansea two years ago and be declared overall winner.

Landmarc Support Services, the joint venture between Interserve Defence and CSC Applied Technology Division, has been named the Overall Winner of the 2007 Premises and Facilities Management (PFM) Partnership Awards. Interserve also scooped two further awards at the prestigious ceremony on November 6 at The Brewery in London.

Landmarc Support Services Limited was crowned the overall winner for its work with Defence Estates on the MoD's Defence Training Estate (DTE), after already picking up the award for Partners in Multi-Service earlier that evening. Landmarc Support Services Limited was created in February 2003, specifically to deliver Project Vanguard - a bold new way of providing facilities management and support services across the MOD's nationwide Defence Training Estate. Landmarc's services are wide ranging and include property and infrastructure maintenance, catering, environmental and conservation support and accommodation services such as waste management and cleaning.

The judges commended "this winning partnership to be amongst the most varied in terms of the services provided and most geographically spread of any that has been judged in these awards. Landmarc and DTE have addressed these challenges with a positive attitude and real expertise".

Interserve also won in the Partners in Public Service category for its work with Croydon Council. In a seven-year contract with the council, the largest in London, the portfolio covers a listed town hall, office complexes, libraries, restaurants, sheltered housing, care homes, community centres, crematoria and cemeteries.

Services include building maintenance, security, cleaning, catering, mailroom, reprographics, energy and utilities management, room booking, porterage and major and minor projects. In the first year of operation, efficiencies of 20% were achieved (£2m p.a.), enabling the council to redirect savings into front line service delivery.

The judges commended "the clear and trusting relationship between Interserve and Croydon Council has demonstrated efficiencies and is expanding as time goes on. The model is recognised as one that other Councils could adopt".

MacLellan, part of Interserve, is the Overall Winner of the 2007 Golden Service Awards, scooping no less than three honours at the coveted Kimberley-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards, known as the 'Oscars' of the Cleaning Industry. The prestigious ceremony was held on 2 November at the Royal Lancaster in London.

MacLellan was presented with the award for the Public Sector category for its work with the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). MacLellan provides full cleaning services to two sites in Berkshire; the 775-acre site at Aldermaston and the 225-acre site at Burghfield. Services include office and window cleaning, hygiene and washroom services, consumables and laundry, and also extends to specialist areas such as biohazard and radiological cleaning. Due to the nature of the business carried out by AWE, MacLellan has had to consistently deliver a service with rigorous health, safety and environmental regulations. It also maintains stringent security measures, meaning that all MacLellan staff working on the contract have to undergo a meticulous vetting routine, which can take anything from six weeks to 12 months.

MacLellan was also recognised in the manufacturing category.

Project Services have received a 'Considerate Constructor's 2007 National Bronze Award' on behalf of the Friarage Hospital site team. Commenting on the award the Considerate Constructor's site monitor Mike Brook: 'The project included the construction of a new three-storey ward block and the renewal and reciting of the existing services, within the grounds of the existing, operational hospital.

The many and varied problems inherent in carrying out construction work within the environs of an operational hospital were well addressed. Not least of the problems facing the contractor at the commencement of the project was the total lack of available parking space within the hospital grounds. Parking space was rented some two miles distant and mini-bus transport was laid on for site operatives and visitors. Close liaison between the site management and the hospital administration ensured that potential problems were avoided. Disruption of the hospital's function and any disturbance to patients was kept to an absolute minimum.

The whole project was sympathetically conducted with great respect for the hospital staff, patients and the visiting public.

The client, South Tees Hospital NHS Trust, said that it had been "delighted with the commitment and professional approach that Interserve brought to the project."

At the Public Finance Awards 2007 the PFI scheme at Hadley Learning Centre in Telford won the Public Sector Joint Working Award and the Best Community/User Involvement in a Project Award. The Defence Sixth Form College was also Highly Commended for the Operational Project with Best Design category. Congratulations to everybody involved in both of these PFI projects.