A Year in Summary: 2021

2021 has been a prosperous year for SDC, with the launch of the 50^th Anniversary Charity Events taking centre stage towards the end of the calendar year. The celebrations began with a 10k Race and 3k Fun Run in September in support of Team Bex, followed by November’s Poppy Assault to raise money for the Royal British Legion. The year concluded with a SUPER SUNDAY Football Tournament to support EACH and the Lighthouse Club Construction Industry Charity. 

With just nine months until the Company officially turns 50, there are also nine more opportunities for staff, clients, and supply partners to take part in the upcoming events and help to raise money for charity. Teams of 6 will go head-to-head at the quiz night, whilst the following event will see individuals race around a track to achieve professional go-karting status.

Events will continue throughout the summer months with an Easter-themed sponsored walk, a cycle ride through scenic Kimbolton, an Auction Evening, a family day festival, a water sports event at Bedford’s own Box End, and a golf day, before culminating on SDC’s official golden anniversary on the 17th of September. 

Aside from donating to the events charities, SDC has supported several other charities and good causes throughout the year. The first being the Learning Link Initiative back in January, bridging the digital divide by providing laptops to disadvantaged pupils. Donations were also made to Lucy Cavendish College’s lending library, Autism Bedfordshire’s Awards ceremony for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, and the MS Therapy Centre in Bedford. SDC has also continued to be Bedford Blues kit sponsors, with Friday’s Coach’s Corner becoming a weekly fan favourite feature on social media.

SDC’s commitment to high health and safety standards was also further established in 2021 as the Company achieved a RoSPA Order of Distinction Award for 19 consecutive Gold Awards. Additional awards were achieved throughout the year, with Project Atria winning a Considerate Contractor Scheme ‘Works In Progress Award’, and the Wolfson Building at John Radcliffe Hospital winning an Oxford Preservation Trust Award in the ‘New Building’ Category, to name just a few.

SDC’s largest achievements of 2021, however, are the near 20 completed projects across both Cambridge and Oxfordshire. Notable examples include Units 1-21 on the Cambridge Science Park, West Way Square in Botley, Project ZF in Solihull, as well as the more recent handover of Project Atria on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. SDC’s Special Projects Division also completed Harrison Drive Nursery for Homerton College in Cambridge, several office refurbishment and fitout projects for Arm, and a New Changing Pavilion for Cokethorpe School.

Other schemes include the Sherlock Court Refurbishment which provided 39 refreshed student bedrooms, the internal refurbishments to the Emmanuel Building in Cambridge, and the Sherard Building in Oxford, to provide office, write-up, and laboratory space. SDC also handed over 2 wings of the Portway Building on Granta Park during the last week of the year. Further Special Projects developments comprise Activate Learning’s Lifestyle Project, B Block Extension at Northampton College, and Cranfield Parish Football Pavilion.

Several projects also broke-ground in 2021 and will continue development throughout the upcoming year. These include refurbishment and extension works to Willen Hospice, where the Special Projects team began erection of the steel frame, Lucy Cavendish College’s New Passivhaus Student Accommodation Building which saw the relocation and reopening of the music pavilion back in July, and Quad Two on the Harwell Campus where SDC completed and opened the Starburst Garden so it could be enjoyed throughout the summer months. SDC is also nearing completion on the Sidgwick Lecture Theatre Refurbishment which was re-roofed in December.

As the monthly events continue in the run up to the 50^th anniversary, please head to sdc50.co.uk or keep an eye on our social media feeds, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, to find out how you can join in, celebrate with us, and raise money for a variety of fantastic causes.