IDE Associate Member set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for charity

It was back in July that we learnt that Dominic Ogden of DSR Demolition had passed away at the age of 56. He died due to complications related to his rheumatic lungs.

Emma Thompson, QHSE Manager at DSR Demolition, saw Dominic as both a boss at her company and uncle in life. She has decided to do something in Dominic's memory, and that something is the rather daunting task of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

This feat will be carried out along with her husband John between December 27th and January 5th. All money raised scaling the 5,895 metre peak is going to be donated to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society. At the time of writing Emma has raised £340 of a £500 target. If you'd like to help her surpass that, then please visit the Just Giving page and make a pledge.

All of us here at C&D wish Emma a safe climb. Hopefully she'll reach the peak and bring back some great photos to share.

Source: IDE

IDE President addresses NFDC Convention Business Meeting

It has been tradition that the IDE President addresses the NFDC Convention Business Meeting whenever the IDE are represented at the convention and this year saw the convention in Madeira and John Woodward addressing the meeting.

The IDE Council voted earlier this year to fund the costs of John’s trip to the convention to try to continue with building the closer working relationship with the NFDC and, as such, John gave an update on IDE matters.

John told the meeting that times are difficult for the IDE as we have lost 25 members this year who had not maintained the correct levels of CPD and that we would lose a further 40+ members in March 2013 if entrant members did not take the exam and progress to AMIDE, but he stressed that for the IDE to be continued to be viewed as an institute that believes in quality and competence then there is no other course of action open to the institute. They cannot allow entrants to be viewed, by uninformed clients, in a similar manner to AMIDE, MIDE, and FIDE.

The newly awarded bursary to Loughborough University for assisting students in preparing end of course assignments on demolition related subjects was well received and viewed as a positive step forward in getting demolition engineering recognised as both a career and a university course.

The admission into the Engineering Council was also well received though John explained that a fully chartered institute was some years away as IDE are a long way short of the 6000 members needed for chartered status at the moment.

John explained the new entry route for persons needing assistance with the exam process and explained fully how the system will work, how to apply for the route, and how IDE will adapt the route to meet the needs of overseas members wishing to progress from entrant to AMIDE.

The address ended with a call for those present to attend the Autumn Seminar at OGGS on Friday 28 September and the AGM and Luncheon at Lords on Friday 16 November to see Steve Jack installed as the new President.

A slideshow of pictures of the Convention can be viewed at http://t.co/5NTB3t4s. Video courtesy of Demolitionnews.

More members of IDE pass the Professional Interview and progress to MIDE

The IDE held the recent Council of Management meeting in Bristol on June 14th and following the meeting Professional Interviews were held with members wishing to upgrade their membership from AMIDE to MIDE.

The IDE Professional Interview means that an AMIDE member who has accrued the required CPD hours and has submitted his professional portfolio of two years work since passing the exam to the Membership Committee is then invited to attend a Professional Interview with Fellows of the Institute to progress to the next level of membership. The interview involves a question and answer session to establish that the AMIDE is still working in demolition and has carried out CPD as IDE rules.

This time around the panel interviewed William Crooks and Pat Harnett and both were successful.

21 March 2011 – an important day

Today is an important day in demolition terms for the following reasons:-

1. It is the Institute of Demolition Engineers exam day when a number of candidates in locations around the UK will sit the two part exam to progress from enrolled member status in the institute to the grade of AMIDE. It goes without saying that I wish them well.

2. It is my Dad's birthday today and he is 85 years old so I wish him a very happy day and that he has many more to celebrate. Happy Birthday John Woodward Snr!