CIOB CEO Caroline Gumble with Rob Hooker, director of Greendale Construction
Dorset firm takes Caroline Gumble on a site tour.
During a tour of the UK and other CIOB regions, CEO Caroline Gumble made a visit to Dorset Chartered Building Company Greendale Construction. The visit was structured around engaging with the staff and visiting some of the firm’s sites around Dorset.
Greendale Construction has been intrinsically linked with the CIOB since 1990 and has become a Chartered Building Company and CIOB Training Partner. It has 10 members and one FCIOB.
Gumble was particularly interested in the career journey of Greendale’s HR/finance director, Maria Seabright, who has been with the company for 23 years, having first joined as a receptionist.
Seabright has been heavily involved with the mental health and wellbeing aspects of the company, as well as all the school and college engagement and apprenticeships Greendale offers.
“I was delighted to meet Rob and the team from Greendale, not least because they became one of our first Chartered Building Companies.”
Caroline Gumble, CIOB
Bid manager Richard Tite delivered a short presentation on the history of Greendale and staff joined in with discussions about membership and fellowship progression with the CIOB.
The tour of sites included Canford School to see the work being completed on the library and assembly hall, as well as the Priest’s House Museum in Wimborne, where Greendale is in the final stages of a major refurbishment for this historic building.
Ed Gibson, a Greendale carpentry apprentice, talked about the traditional skills incorporated into the project, with great examples of stonework, lime pointing, carpentry and joinery.
At Highcliffe Castle the group was taken on a behind the scenes tour of the whole building, including walking through the phases of refurbishment.
Greendale Construction director Rob Hooker commented: “Caroline was interested to hear of the successes of our site-based managers who have achieved MCIOB working through trade apprenticeships and college to achieve this. She was also interested to hear about our two CMYA finalists Simon Copping and Stuart Harrison whose coveted prize was to be designated MCIOB.”
Gumble said: “Since I became CEO of the CIOB, I have made it my mission to meet the companies and people who make up our membership to understand the issues facing the industry. I was delighted to meet Rob and the team from Greendale, not least because they became one of our first Chartered Building Companies and signed up as a Training Partner more than 25 years ago.
