IDE Bus drops off and picks up this week

This week sees the last few IDE members going through their emails, finding the one from Electoral Reform Services with the voting details in it, and reading the biographies of those wishing to stand for election to the Council of Management and Vice President before they place an electronic tick in the relevant voting boxes and sit back and await the results at the AGM. They did this last year and probably the year before, but why is this year different?

This year is an important election and a major junction for IDE members getting full recognition in the construction industry as true "Engineers" as we head down the road to a Demolition Degree and Chartered Engineers.

During his Presidency, Duncan Rudall has steered the IDE bus along the road towards these goals and done a very good job in the driving seat. After the AGM he will sit behind the new driver, Dave Darsey, and Dave's assistant (either Gary Bishop or Richard Dolman) as the bus trundles along the route and he will make sure the bus gets to the destination.

When the bus stops at the AGM it will drop off a couple of passengers who have a few years of experience of IDE matters, Steve Jack & myself, and pick up a few passengers who will be new to it all having been given a travel ticket by the Membership. When you cast your votes you will be giving someone that ticket so please consider the following before you vote:-

• Will they be able to stay on the bus for the whole of the route?
• Will they concentrate on where the bus is going and the massive amount of work to get it there?
• In their application for travel on the bus did they tell the truth? As this bus does not want fare dodgers & wheeler dealers.
• Do they understand that the IDE is for individuals NOT corporate entities and that the IDE Council has a "duty to it's members"?

These are very exciting times at IDE as the degree is now a whisker away so if you haven't used your vote, and if not why not, use it NOW and use it well.

"It's goodbye from me and it's goodbye from him"

Next Friday sees the 2016 IDE AGM when Dave Darsey succeeds Duncan Rudall as President and either Gary Bishop or Richard Dolman becomes Vice President, but it's also the day when Steve Jack steps down from the CoM after over 20 years round the table and I also step down after 10 years round the table!

Will we be glad to step to down? I am sure that Steve will agree when I say that it will be strange not attending CoM meetings, but we both believe that now is the right time to go to make way for a younger element on CoM who can continue our work and take us to chartered status.

The days saved by not attending the meetings will be used by Steve to improve his golf and by me to improve my fishing as we both move towards retirement.

When I asked Steve about his golf this week he said:-

For some time, my wife's had this ridiculous idea that I'm playing too much golf. Actually, it came to a head at about 11.30pm last night. She suddenly shouted at me: "Golf, golf, golf. All you ever think about is bloody golf!". And I'll be honest, it frightened the life out of me. I mean, you don't expect to meet somebody on the 14th green at that time of night.

And for myself:-

This week I was asked to do a very important after-dinner speech. I said: "Do you want me to be funny?" They said: "No, just be yourself."

Goodnight!

Roland O'Connor MIDE

We are delighted to announce that Roland O'Connor, well known to many C&D customers, is now a Full member of The Institute of Demolition Engineers following his succesful professional interview in Leeds.

Roland is mainly known to C&D customers for the work carried out in the training room and the site audit fields of the business, but he has, for the last 5 years, been involved in many demolition projects throughout the UK for Erith, City Demolition, Liston Group, GHA and others, and he has produced H&S plans, method statements, and plans of work for many varied projects.

The IDE professional interview was daunting for Roland as he had to face questions from President Steve Jack FIDE, Vice President Duncan Rudall FIDE, and Dave Darsey FIDE about his portfolio prepared from his work over the last 2 years.

From all at C&D CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE!

Changes at the top of the NFDC

Today sees Jill and I catching an early train to London to attend the NFDC AGM at which I will deliver an address on behalf of the IDE and propose a toast to the NFDC at the luncheon that follows.

The AGM will see changes at the top of NFDC and here at C&D we would like to congratulate the following:-

Dave Darsey on two years as President where the NFDC has continued to grow and raise the profile of the demolition industry throughout the UK and into Europe. During his time as President Dave has stamped his personality on the role whilst keeping his hands firmly on the controls so that NFDC continued to grow and prosper under his Presidency and here at C&D we would like to congratulate Dave on a job very well done and we will remember the times we enjoyed together at NFDC Charity Balls, with his lovely wife Sarah, and on official business overseas at Demcon 2010 and the Demolition Awards 2010.

Well done Dave, now take the time to sit back and watch rather than being in the hot seat and take time with Sarah and the children to chill out and not worry about audit schemes, health surveillance, conventions etc etc.

Gary Bishop on becoming the President with strong views as to where he would like the NFDC to go during his presidency and the dedication to the role that will ensure that the NFDC is in safe hands. Also to Sarah who will be at his side throughout his term in office and be the steadying influence that he may need if times get rocky. We have enjoyed many hours in the company of both of them and I hope that we will continue to do so over the time of his presidency and continue with our personal training regime to become masters of Rioja!

William Sinclair on moving up to Vice President to assist Gary with the duties of the office of President and to stand in for Gary as required. William will bring his own skills to the role of Vice and will be excellent in that position. His wife Tracey will be there to help him if things get difficult and we hope that they will both be present at functions throughout the UK over the next few years so that we can continue to enjoy William's excellent company as we have done over the last few years, particularly when at the EDA in Istanbul.

Martin Wilson on taking up the position of 2nd Vice President that will see him take the first steps on the road to the NFDC Presidential office. Martin will bring dedication and confidence to the position of 2nd Vice and a willingness to work hard for the NFDC over the next 8 years.

Congratulations to all.