Q1 was a busy period for the regions with two lunches and a whole range of technical talks, visits, and networking events …
Northern Ireland Young Members Committee
The annual pub quiz, held at the Pavilion, Belfast, saw an excellent turnout and a fantastic atmosphere. Congratulations to the winning teams: Ferrocious, A Series of Pour Decisions, and Pour Decisions.
In March, the committee also hosted a Lunch & Learn at Ulster University, delivered in collaboration with the Ulster University Construction Society and the School of the Built Environment & Architecture.
A sincere thank you to Committee Chair Donna Harkin for sharing valuable insights into the benefits of the Concrete Society Young Members Committee, and to our engaging speakers, Hanna Miskimmin from Northstone Materials and Jake McAteer from Creagh Concrete, who provided insightful perspectives on their roles and experiences within the Concrete Society.
Wales – Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) – whose problem is it anyway?
In early March Wales held the latest in its technical briefing sessions, this one covering the important topic of Professional Indemnity Insurance.
The session took place at the Pack Bar at Cardiff Rugby and was a joint session with the IStructE and CRA.
The presentation was delivered by insurance brokers Robinson Sargeant.
Devon and Cornwall: Derriford Hospital Talk
The event was well attended by professionals from across the nuclear industry, reflecting strong interest in the subject matter.
The first presentation was delivered by Denise Roberts of LKAB Minerals, who provided an insightful overview of MagnaDense — the high‑density aggregate used for radiation shielding of the hospital’s Linac machine.
This was followed by Adrian Izod of Tilbury Douglas, who explored the technical complexities involved in delivering state‑of‑the‑art oncology treatment facilities, offering valuable insight into the challenges and solutions behind this critical healthcare project.
London & South East Technical Event: Decarbonising Concrete Through Digitalisation
London and South East recently hosted its first technical event in several years at the IStructE Theatre in London, bringing together industry experts to explore how digitalisation is helping to decarbonise concrete.
The event featured three engaging presentations:
- Load Assurance and digital monitoring
- A Belgrove House case study using CEVO Digital and Mix AI, highlighting measurable carbon savings
- A live UK batch plant trial using in‑transit monitoring and mix optimisation
The event prompted strong discussion and highlighted the growing role of digital tools in delivering practical, low‑carbon concrete solutions.
Northern Ireland Technical Events
It has been a busy few months for this region, starting out with a joint event with IStrucT showcasing the winner of the Northern Ireland Awards – Guildford Crescent – this online case study showed the challenges and success of the project.
This was followed by another joint event with ICE, this online presentation explained the chemistry of Microbiologically Induced Corrosion (MIC), or Biogenic Corrosion, in large diameter sewer tunnels and infrastructure and the approaches being adopted around the world to resist this concrete deterioration in new sewer infrastructures.
Wales Spring Lunch 2026
The sold‑out Wales Spring Lunch was another outstanding success, welcoming over 280 guests from across the sector.
Held at the Marriott Hotel, Cardiff, the event was expertly hosted by Welsh radio and TV presenter Eleri Sion. Completing an inspiring all‑female line‑up, Eleri was joined by Rhian Wilkinson, Head Coach of the Wales Women’s National Football Team, and Meg Jones MBE, Captain of the England Women’s Rugby Team, for an insightful, engaging, and entertaining Q&A session.
A huge thank you to Browne Jacobson for sponsoring the event, and to everyone who attended and generously helped raise funds for the charity Bigmoose.
Devon and Cornwall Awards Lunch 2026
The Annual Devon and Cornwall Awards Lunch was held at the Crowne Plaza, Plymouth on Friday 13 March, bringing together 80 guests from across the concrete supply chain.
The event was expertly hosted by former professional rugby player Ben Breeze and featured a popular charity raffle alongside an auction showcasing an excellent selection of prizes.
The highlight of the day was the awards presentation, where Tilbury Douglas was announced as Overall Winner for their outstanding RT Decant Bunker & HDR Facility project.
A sincere thank you to our judges and to everyone who submitted entries, helping make the awards another great success.
Thank you to all our regional volunteers for the amazing work they do in organising such a wide variety of events.
You can find out about all the upcoming regional activities on our Events Calendar.
