Recognising the success of up-and-coming apprentices at the third annual Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards

A recent construction awards event in the Swansea Bay region honoured young apprentices and successfully generated over £3,000 in donations for the local charity Hands Up for Downs.

The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group’s 2023 awards ceremony took place on 22 June at the Swansea.com Stadium, to support and recognise the achievements of new entrants, apprentices and future talent within the construction industry in the South Wales region. 

The ceremony, hosted by Swansea legend Kev Johns, was also part of an overall objective to promote the construction industry and showcase the benefits of considering construction as a career path. 

This year’s event was the third the group has organised, and the evening saw awards presented to nominated apprentices from member companies of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group. Awards were also given to the Best Trade Apprentice and Best Technical Apprentice – won by Ryan Gibbons from Swansea Council and Daryl Borsden from John Weaver Construction respectively. 

The awards ceremony was sponsored by Linc Cymru, Alpha Safety Training, PCR Global, along with trophy sponsor, City & Guilds, and hospitality sponsor, The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The event also featured a raffle and auction to raise funds for the charity Hands Up for Downs. 

The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group (SBCSG) is a collaboration of diverse contractors, located within the Neath, Port Talbot and Swansea region. It is a grant funded, not for profit organisation, that is committed to providing cost-effective training and development opportunities to its members.  

The 2023 Awards raised £3,000 for local charity, Hands Up for Downs, through an auction and raffle. The charity helps support families, parents, carers and children with Down Syndrome through advice and support, and as a group ensure that children living with Down Syndrome are given access to services they need. 

Anthony Thomas, chairman of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group, said: 

“The evening was once again a fantastic success – bringing promising young talent together to be recognised for their hard work and dedication. We must celebrate these successes and support their journey, as our apprentices are a vital aspect of the industry. We are thankful to them for choosing the construction industry as a career path.” 

“The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards has allowed us to not only reward the hard work of the apprentices who work for our members but has also allowed us to spread awareness of the opportunities available to young individuals within construction, and the benefits of choosing this industry.”