Fergus Shaw hosts successful Institution of Structural Engineers East Midlands Awards Dinner

The current Chair of the Institution of Structural Engineers East Midlands Regional Group, Fergus Shaw of Diamond Wood & Shaw, hosted a successful awards dinner on 17 February 2023. Special guests included the President of the International Institution, Matt Byatt, Chair of the IStructE Midland Counties Group, Paola Casagrande, and James Kirkham, East Midlands Regional Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

The event was held at Winstanley House, and also attending as a guest was local Councillor and historian, Dr Susan Barton, who opened the evening with a short lecture on the history of Braunstone and the Winstanley Family.

The President also gave an address outlining his vision for the coming year, focussing on mentoring of young engineers to ensure the future of our profession.

Award certificates together with a monetary contribution were given for excellence in performance to first year students studying structural or civil engineering at the Universities of Derby, Nottingham, Nottingham Trent and Loughborough.

The evening concluded with presentation of awards celebrating the excellence of structural engineering projects across the East Midlands region in the categories of Best Project for the refurbishment and extension of St Margaret's Bus Station, Leicester, Best Renovation or Heritage Project and Best Small Project, which both went to sites in Derby. Disappointingly, there were no submissions this year from any of the Leicestershire practices.

Winstanley House was a recipient of the Renovation or Heritage award in 2019, and thanks go to the staff for helping to ensure another successful evening.

Photo L-R: Paola Casagrande, Matt Byatt, Fergus Shaw, James Kirkham