During his military service with the Parachute Regiment Kevin Lee was a fearless soldier who fought in Afghanistan with a busted shoulder that required three operations to repair.

But like many ex-servicemen, finding work after his distinguished eight-year career proved an equally tough challenge when Kevin Lee returned to Glasgow in 2010. Luckily, the 32-year-old has been able to rebuild his life, thanks to his former manager at City Building, Gavin Hay.

Before his army days Kevin, from Dennistoun, completed a six-year apprenticeship as a joiner for City Building back in 1996-2002 under the tutelage of Gavin Hay, who remembered him as a hard worker who was also very ‘streetwise.’

It was local charity Glasgow’s Helping Heroes charity that put Kevin Lee back in touch with City Building in 2010. The company was only too delighted to offer Kevin a six-month trial and the chance to resurrect his civilian career.

City Building, Glasgow’s City Council’s arm’s-length construction company, has a proud record of employing former servicemen at its supported facility at RSBi and works closely with the Glasgow’s Helping Heroes charity.

Kevin Lee broke his left shoulder whilst on a training exercise in Oman in September 2006, when he fell down a cliff face in temperatures of 60ºC, carrying kit weighing 130lbs.

At the time the Parachute Regiment he was serving with had been seconded to support the SAS. Kevin was taken to a local hospital before being flown back to the UK to have the first of three operations at Selly Oak in 2006.

Unfortunately the operations were not a success and the shoulder continually slipped back out of its socket, sometimes in his sleep – chipping the bone in the process. Luckily, a third and final operation in 2010 in Glasgow worked, enabling Kevin to complete his rehabilitation.

Kevin Lee said: “I am very grateful for the support I have received from City Building and Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, who have put me back on my feet. Finishing a military career and then returning to normal life is a challenge and my future is now a bright one.

“Gavin Hay was my manager when I was an apprentice joiner for City Building, so it is nice he remembered me and was happy to take me on again. So far my shoulder has stood up to the task of finishing off walls at Ruchill Primary School. The army matured me and gave me a real appreciation of life, but things are going well now.”

John Foley, City Building managing director, said: “We are delighted to have Kevin Lee back working for us again as a joiner. He has gone full circle as he started out as an apprentice with us back in 1996 before he embarked on his distinguished military career.

“At City Building we pride ourselves on providing more than just a job for our employees and have the strongest social ethos of any construction company in the UK. We work closely with charities including Glasgow’s Helping Heroes to support our brave soldiers find their feet again in civilian life.”

Barry Henderson MBE, project manager at Glasgow’s Helping Heroes (GHH) charity, said: “Kevin Lee is one of many who have served their country with honour and deserve help to adjust back to civilian life. Kevin broke his shoulder in training yet still went and fought for his country in Afghanistan, despite the fact it would eventually take a total of three operations to fix his shoulder properly.

“After his army career we were able to help him access permanent housing via Glasgow Housing Association. Through GHH’s close connection to City Building, he was re-employed by them and we are delighted to see him on the path to a career and a bright future. Along with SSAFA Forces Help, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Housing Association and our partners we aim to put our soldiers back on their feet again.”

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “I’m delighted that Kevin is finding success in Glasgow after his service in the Paras. His story is a testament to the excellent work being done in the city to help veterans through initiatives like Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, a one-stop-shop for veterans, serving personnel and their families or carers that co-ordinates access to a range of services.

“The council and its partners are committed to serving ex-military personnel and their families by truly understanding their needs and making sure they are not disadvantaged in any way while living and working in Glasgow.”

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One of Scotland’s largest construction firms has secured a contract worth £800,000 per year to provide kitchen units and fitments for North Ayrshire Council.

City Building – Glasgow City Council’s arm’s-length construction company – will provide the units from its supported manufacturing facility at RSBi. The contract begins on 25 November and runs for a year with an option to extend.

City Building managing director John Foley said: “This is another significant contract win for City Building and, specifically, RSBi. RSBi has been operating as one of Europe’s largest manufacturing facilities employing people with disabilities for decades.

“RSBi’s kitchens are delivered to a high standard of quality which gives specifiers and developers peace of mind in terms of their investment. We are confident we can deliver excellent results on this contract.”

RSBi is now one of Europe’s largest supported employment facilities, employing 240 workers, of whom more than 50 per cent have a disability. Staff produce high quality furniture, timber kits for new construction projects and bespoke office solutions to exacting customer standards.

RSBi works closely with a range of organisations including Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, and also employs a number of disabled ex-servicemen at its facility in Glasgow. RSBi has had a presence in Glasgow for more than 200 years.

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One of Scotland’s largest construction firms has secured a three-year contract worth up to £2m to supply kitchen units and worktops for installation across East Ayrshire Council’s housing stock.

City Building will supply a range of four types of kitchen units and worktops made at its supported manufacturing facility – Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBi).

The three-year contract – won on competitive tender – started on 25 November and will see up to 1000 kitchen units per year supplied for installation by East Ayrshire Council’s Housing Asset Services or its installation contractor.

Key to the contract win was RSBi’s recent successful bid to secure FIRA Gold certification, in recognition of its high quality products and professional craftsmanship.

The independent FIRA Gold certification scheme is a quality certification mark for a product or its installation within the furniture and kitchen industries.

John Foley, managing director of City Building, said: “We’re delighted with this contract win which is one of many other business gains. RSBi produces furniture and construction products to high standards, while giving genuine and lasting employment opportunities to local people, including those with disabilities.

“We look forward to working in partnership with East Ayrshire Council on this important project.”

Chris McAleavey, head of housing services from East Ayrshire Council said: “We are confident that the finished product will match our high expectations. RSBi is well known for its high quality products and unique social ethos.”

In separate news, City Building has been appointed to East Ayrshire Council’s kitchens, bathrooms and rewiring installation framework for the next two years.

RSBi is now one of Europe’s largest supported employment facilities, employing 240 workers, of whom more than 50 per cent have a disability. Staff produce high quality furniture, timber kits for new construction projects and bespoke office solutions to exacting customer standards.

RSBi works closely with a range of organisations including Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, and also employs a number of disabled ex-servicemen at its facility in Glasgow. RSBi has had a presence in Glasgow for more than 200 years.

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This announcement comes on the back of a series of new contract wins for one of Scotland’s largest construction companies – Glasgow City Council’s arm’s length construction firm.

City Building – which has won over £1 billion of new business through competitive tender over the past few years – has given permanent contracts to 43 of its current temporary employees.

Twelve joiners, an estimator and four timeout construction apprentices who were trained by City Building have also been given temporary posts. In addition, City Building has helped secure employment with local firms for a further five timeout apprentices.

City Building has also announced that its manufacturing facility RSBi has awarded two-year contracts to three people through the Work Choice Programme, which supports disabled people in employment.
Thrilled employees were informed this morning and the new positions will come into effect on 9 January 2012.

Councillor Stephen Curran, chair of City Building, said: “This is another great example of the jobs and life opportunities that Glasgow City Council and its arm’s-length organisations are delivering to give long-term benefit to the residents of Glasgow.”

City Building managing director John Foley said: “We are delighted to give our valued employees this good news in the run-up to Christmas. While there is no room for complacency, we are able to make this announcement because we have a healthy order book for 2012 and beyond.

“This is due to our enviable reputation in the marketplace for delivering on time and on budget, while maintaining the strongest social ethos of any construction business in the UK.”

City Building has recently secured a number of contracts ranging from Housing Association Repairs and Maintenance to new-build construction projects.

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City Building is spreading some Christmas cheer after employees raised £4,450 for some of Scotland’s leading charities. These include the Beatson Pebble Appeal, Maggie’s Centre, Macmillan Cancer Support, Breast Cancer Care, Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, British Heart Foundation and PETAL.

City Building, Glasgow City Council’s arm’s-length construction company, is spreading some Christmas cheer after employees raised £4,450 for some of Scotland’s leading charities.

Representatives from well known charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support and Glasgow’s Helping Heroes were invited to City Building’s headquarters for a special presentation ceremony.

City Building employs over 2,000 people across the business who raised money through special events like jewellery, chocolate and cosmetics sales in the canteen, as well as a Wear It Pink Day and a raffle for a pair of Take That tickets.

In addition, apprentices who took part in the recent Commonwealth Cup football tournament paid a £1 weekly fee to play in the matches, which helped make up the impressive fundraising total. The Commonwealth Cup tournament also raised £1,881.60 for a separate STV Charity appeal.

The funds raised are being divided among the following charities: The Beatson Pebble Appeal; Macmillan Cancer Support; Maggie’s Centre; Breast Cancer Care; Glasgow The Caring City; Marie Curie Cancer Care; Glasgow’s Helping Heroes; British Heart Foundation; Cash4Kids; PETAL and Deaf Connections – a charity that helps those with a hearing impairment.

City Building managing director John Foley said: “At this time of year it is vital to be thinking of what we can do to help others so we’re delighted with the fundraising efforts of employees across our business.

“Everyone is to be congratulated for their hard work and generosity, especially in these tough economic times. We have close links with a number of charities in Scotland like Glasgow’s Helping Heroes so we are delighted to be able to help them in this way.”

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Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBi) has achieved the prestigious Gold Certification from the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) in recognition of its high quality products and professional craftsmanship. RSBi has received high profile visits from figures including Sir Tom Hunter and HRH The Princess Royal and employs over 240 workers.

Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBi) has achieved the prestigious Gold Certification from the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) in recognition of its high quality products and professional craftsmanship.

Based in Springburn, Glasgow, RSBi employs over 240 workers, of whom more than 50 per cent have a disability, including veterans from recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

RSBi is operated by City Building – Glasgow City Council’s arm’s-length construction company – and is one of Europe’s largest supported employment facilities, producing a range of furniture and construction products to exacting standards.

The independent FIRA Gold certification scheme is a quality certification mark for a product or its installation within the furniture and kitchen industries.

Samples of RSBi’s kitchen units were sent to FIRA’s Furniture Technology Centre in Stevenage to be independently tested to rigorous structural and performance standards.

Assessors from FIRA then visited the factory to ensure working practices were being strictly adhered to and that manufacturing met the rigorous FIRA Gold Certification standards.

FIRA aims to help shape government policy in relation to the UK furniture industry, push up standards within the industry in the UK and abroad, and lead the field in research and development.

John Foley is managing director of City Building. He said: “RSBi produces market-leading furniture and construction products to exacting standards, while giving genuine and lasting employment opportunities to local people, including those with disabilities.

“We are dedicated to ensuring our products are of a very high quality and meet our customers’ specifications. FIRA Gold Certification is an excellent achievement for the team and we will continue to work hard to ensure our products exceed expectations.”

Jonny Westbrooke, FIRA’s chief operating officer said: “We are proud to announce that RSBi has achieved FIRA Gold Product Certification for its kitchen units. This is not just a cause for celebration for RSBi, but also for RSBi customers who can be assured that fitted kitchens purchased from RSBi will be consistently produced to a high quality. Ensuring fitted kitchens are thoroughly tested is more important than ever, particularly now that the BSI Kitemark for fitted kitchens has been withdrawn.”

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City Building tradespeople with the company’s winter ready fleet at the company’s HQ in Springburn, Glasgow

One of Scotland’s largest construction companies is now ready and waiting for the worst of the winter weather. City Building has added six new all-terrain vehicles to its fleet of over 650 to ensure that it can reach every emergency callout that comes its way.

City Building operates repairs and maintenance contracts for clients including housing associations, schools, public buildings and private sector companies. At the end of last year’s Arctic weather it received some 4,000 emergency calls to its hotline, with burst water pipes and gas call outs among the main concerns.

The six new vehicles will be made available to plumbers, gas engineers and joiners to attend emergency callouts, with one vehicle being used to support stranded vehicles if needed. The 4×4 vehicles will also be used to ensure drinking water supplies reach those tenants without drinking water.

Last year City Building worked in tandem with Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) to ensure that bad weather didn’t spoil Christmas for tenants. Staff paid close attention to elderly or vulnerable tenants, even providing temporary heaters where required.

In 2010 City Building also bought “snow socks” for its fleet of vans, to enable it to reach vulnerable people in hard-hit areas. This year City Building drivers have been issued with special Winter Packs which include supplies of grit, snow socks, shovels and ice scrapers.

City Building managing director John Foley said: “We’re determined to meet whatever challenges winter has in store for us this year. That’s why we’ve invested in all terrain-vehicles because we want our customers to know that we will answer their call in all conditions.

“Christmas should not be ruined by the misery of burst water pipes or gas breakdowns. Our message is that we are ready and waiting when it comes to helping the people of Central Scotland this winter.”

City Building has built on its experience of handling last year’s harsh winter, with 350 Winter Inspections already undertaken for clients to date. Large supplies of grit have also been ordered in at City Building’s HQ and drinks company Barr Plc are on standby to hold supplies of drinking water for tenants if required.

GHA has also launched its own ‘WinterReady’ campaign to make sure tenants are fully geared up to deal with the worst of the weather. Anyone eligible who requests a home check will be visited by a plumber to check pipes, boilers and radiators.  For more information on getting Winter Ready, GHA tenants should call 0800 479 7979.

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City Building won an award at the Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards 2011.

City Building – Glasgow City Council’s arm’s-length construction company – won the Energy Award at the ceremony held at The Hub in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 29 November.

The prestigious awards recognise the commitment, action and achievement of Scottish companies in reducing their impact on the environment.

City Building is one of Scotland’s largest construction companies and delivers training for 500 construction trade apprentices. With turnover of almost £200 million, City Building was established in 2006 from the former Building Services Department of Glasgow City Council.

City Building managing director John Foley, said: “It is an honour to win a VIBES Award in the Energy category. This is great recognition for our commitment to energy efficiency in our own premises and also in the services we provide as part of our construction and maintenance work for clients.

“Not only does being green support the environment but it can also boost your bottom-line. New innovations in energy-efficient construction will mean great savings for our clients and we look forward to building even further on our green successes in the future.”

Gillian Bruce, VIBES Chair said: “The VIBES Awards recognise businesses which have taken significant steps to improve or reduce their impact on the environment. We would like to congratulate each of the winning and shortlisted companies, [who] impressed the judges with their innovation, dedication and support for sustainable practices while also protecting their bottom line. We hope that other Scottish businesses from Glasgow and across the country will follow their example and achieve their environmental goals.”

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Cllr Stephen Curran, Chairman of City Building, Caroline Flint MP, Tom Greatrex MP and John Foley, City Building’s new managing director, outside The Glasgow House

Scotland’s first generation of ‘renewables apprentices’ were unveiled to UK Shadow Ministers on Tuesday (15 November).

Caroline Flint MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, toured City Building’s Glasgow House, which successfully demonstrates a two-thirds energy cost reduction compared with a typical three-bedroom home.

Tom Greatrex MP, Shadow Energy Minister also met apprentices involved in the pioneering project at City Building’s Skills Academy in Laurieston, where the two prototype, efficient, fully functional family homes are sited.

City Building runs Scotland’s largest – and most successful – apprentice training centres and trains over 500 trade apprentice joiners, electricians, plumbers, gas engineers, painters & decorators.

As part of the programme the apprentices will gain specific qualifications in micro-renewables. The move is designed to meet the growing market for green installations to support the UK’s ambitious energy-efficiency targets.

The Glasgow House project, a unique partnership between City Building, Glasgow Housing Association and PRP Architects, has delivered highly-efficient prototype family homes constructed by local workers and apprentices, which have cut fuel costs dramatically at a time of major concern for families.

Caroline Flint MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said: “I’ve been very impressed by what I have seen at the Skills Academy. Apprentices here are receiving the kind of training that will meet the needs of the workplace of today and tomorrow. Their skills will most certainly be in demand.”

Tom Greatrex MP, the Shadow Energy Minister, added: “Fuel poverty is an area of real ongoing concern for families in Scotland and across the UK. That’s why the Glasgow House, which has the capacity to cut annual energy costs by two thirds, is such an exciting beacon of hope. We’ve been lucky enough to have a glimpse of the family house of the future.”

Cllr. Stephen Curran, Chair of City Building, said: “We are very proud of the groundbreaking direction we are taking at City Building which has always looked to equip its apprentices with the skills they need for today and the future. Our workers are arguably the most skilled tradespeople in Scotland and will certainly support the society of tomorrow.”

A recent report from The Mackintosh Environmental Architecture Research Unit (MEARU), which looks at solar energy design within the Mackintosh School of Architecture, has also praised the Glasgow House.

It said: “The dwellings [make] a significant contribution to mitigating the effects of fuel poverty,” and that for future residents of such houses, “fuel poverty would not be experienced, regardless of the household’s economic activity.”

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City Building apprentices Craig Allan, David Coia, John Lockhart and Stuart White with Frank Brown, Chairman of the Clyde Maritime Centre (centre)

When the historic Glasgow tall ship The Glenlee underwent a £1.5 million refit it needed master craftsmen for the job. And it was skilled apprentices from City Building who answered that call, playing a crucial part in restoring the iconic ship to its full glory.

In doing so the five apprentices proved they possessed the training and skills more usually associated with master craftsmen.

Originally the apprentices were only signed up to assist with the construction of a new learning centre. But so proficient did their carpentry and restoration skills prove that they were asked to assist further with work on the poop deck*.

The Glenlee is one of the world’s last remaining Clyde-built tall ships. It was built in Port Glasgow and first took to the water in 1896. It was later purchased in 1992 by The Clyde Maritime Trust, which has been in charge of an ongoing programme of restoration.

During its sea-going life, the cargo ship circumnavigated the globe four times and tackled Cape Horn on 15 occasions. She is a three masted barque, with length 245 feet, beam 37.5 feet and depth 22.5 feet.

City Building development manager Gavin Hay said: “Our apprentices were asked to help with the construction of the Learning Centre below the deck of The Glenlee but, because of the high standard of the work carried out, we also ended up also doing work on the poop deck.

“It is a source of real pride that we have had apprentices from City Building working on the preservation of such an iconic Glasgow landmark. Our apprentices adapted extremely well to the challenges of working on The Glenlee, using the type of skills that master craftsmen might use.”

Frank Brown, Chairman of The Clyde Maritime Centre, said: “The apprentices from City Building proved themselves to be master craftsmen. They were an invaluable part of the restoration team that has done such a wonderful job in restoring The Glenlee to its former glory.

“The Glenlee is such an important historical legacy for Glasgow that will now be enjoyed by Scottish families and tourists alike. For at least the next 100 years to come.”

The Glenlee was built at the Bay Yard in Port Glasgow and was one of a group of 10 steel sailing vessels built to a standard design for the Glasgow shipping firm of Archibald Sterling and Co. Ltd.

This summer The Glenlee was moved to a new berth outside the Riverside Museum. It was towed from Yorkhill Quay to Pointhouse Quay and the ship and new museum was formally opened to the public over the summer in June.

*The phrase ‘poop deck’ originates from the French word for stern and means raised deck and is usually found in the rear of the ship.

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