Well another two weeks have flown by and I am now another year older! Honestly where does the time go?! So I was really delighted this week when Sellafield asked me to open their event "Opening The Doors to Opportunity" from an SME perspective. It was an absolutely fantastic event focused on Sellafield and their major contractors engaging with SME's, although there were a number of large organisations there too all looking for ways to get involved with the industry. The day saw the main contractors having stands, 1 to 1 meet the buyer appointments going on, a huge networking area and seminars on how to do business with those main contractors. There was a real buzz at the event and everyone was keen to network and do business. Everyone I spoke to from both the large organisations to the small felt they got something out of the event.

It is a little quiet on the news front which is really reflective of the industry, but I will share with you what I know.

Sellafield
Another appointment has been announced into the Sellafield Exec team. Martin Chown will be becoming Supply Chain Manager as of the 1st April. Martin is said to have a strong background in responsible procurement, both in the public and private sector. Most recently he has been working for Balfour Beatty, as their Chief Procurement Officer/Procurement and Supply Chain Director, where he has managed a £3bn spend with a complex supply chain servicing over 1,000 active infrastructure projects. Prior to that, Martin worked for the Government as an Executive Director at Crown Commercial, in the Cabinet Office, where he was responsible for all Crown Commercial spend, some £12bn, which included NHS, construction projects and all government departments. He has also held senior roles with GSK (GlaxoSmithKline), Toyota and Varity Perkins.

Paul Foster said "the creation of this new role is a reflection of the need for an ever increasing focus on our relationships with our supply chain partners, and the removal of the contractual relationship between us and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority."

Paul also thanked Robert Astall, current Commercial Director who will be moving into a senior position in Martins team. It was also stated that Jon Seddon will remain with Sellafield as Finance and Programme Director after the model change. Jon has been on secondment from Nuclear Management Partners but will join Sellafield Ltd from 1 April.

April is certainly drawing ever closer and I am really interested to see how the exec team will look as a finished article, and the mix of skills and experience it will bring. Let's hope after they are established we will see the work flowing again!

Supply Chain News

Servelec a UK based technology group has announced the appointment of Mike Tynan as Non-Executive Senior Advisor to the Board of Servelec Controls, a division of Servelec Group PLC.
Mike is currently CEO for the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at the University of Sheffield. He also holds positions on the UK's Nuclear Industry Council (NIC) and Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB). Mike previously spent five years as CEO for Westinghouse in the UK and Middle East. Prior to this Mike was Managing Director at Westinghouse Springfield's Fuels Limited, the UK's flagship nuclear fuel manufacturing facility. Mike Tynan's role as Non-Executive Director commences on Monday 22nd February 2016.

DAS - Decision Analysis Services
ETI have appointed Decision Analysis Services to deliver a new project to identify what is required to enable the deployment of small modular nuclear reactors in the UK.

• The project will provide a greater understanding of the necessary actions required over the next 5 years if a first of a kind small modular reactor plant is to be in operation in the UK by 2030
• The ETI will invest up to £300,000 in the six-month SMR Deployment Enablers project
• The Government announced £250m for nuclear innovation and Small Modular Reactors in the last Autumn Statement

Well done to Tony Lawrence and team for this awesome contract win.

Stoller Newport News Nuclear (SN3)
Stoller Newport News Nuclear (SN3), a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries, are having their Office Opening Ribbon Cutting event on the 1st March at their new Westlakes Office.
The American-headquartered company has a 56 year history providing first-class services to the nuclear industry and it joins a host of other high profile nuclear firms that have made a base in the Centre of Nuclear Excellence in Cumbria.
SN3 combines complex nuclear facility management and high-consequence operations expertise with full service environmental remediation, radiological characterization, deactivation and demolition (D&D), waste management, and site closure capabilities. It has successfully managed an extensive range of projects from highly complex multi-year remediation of radioactively contaminated sites to short-term evaluations of local groundwater quality in anticipation of commercial construction.
This distinctive expertise prompts SN3 to seek further opportunity in the UK market, particularly at Sellafield, where it completed a successful management consultation programme with the Contaminated Land Group at the nuclear site, in 2011.

NuGen
The site characterisation work for NuGen's Moorside site continues to make good progress as the first operational facility comes online.
The work is a key element of the Moorside Project - informing the design and layout of Moorside and supporting licensing, planning applications and other consents required to build the new nuclear power station in West Cumbria.
The wastewater treatment facility - which will discharge groundwater arisings from drilling operations and Site Characterisation activities – started up on 18th February.
The onshore investigation work, which began in December, is already more than ten per cent complete and has made significant progress in a number of important areas.
Completed work includes:
• Drilling 55 out of 350 boreholes completed
• Over 2 kilometres of samples taken for analysis.

NuExec
We have had another busy couple of weeks in our NuExec offices. We have a had several big tender wins to be part of PSL's, we have also had a couple of new companies come on board with us and we also have had a number of new roles. We are however always looking to work with more companies and candidates so if you are looking to recruit or looking for a new career – get in touch.

It Could Only Happen to Me
So last Friday was my birthday and on Saturday my friend and I went to Carlisle on the train for cocktails and shopping. As you can imagine there were some entertaining events that I would like to share with you. When we arrived we headed straight for lunch and cocktails and then decided to hit the shops. In the first shop Claire and I shared a dressing room when we were trying on the clothes, which was probably just as well as I tried on this top and it had buttons but neither Claire or I could undo them so I wiggled it on, decided I didn't like it and then went to take it off but it was stuck. I couldn't get it off. So there I was bent over with a top over my head whilst Claire was pushing and pulling to try and get it off. Obviously we were laughing so hard that tears were rolling down our cheeks and I was wiggling and jiggling and finally it came off. We then went to a lingerie shop as I decided I wanted some new underwear. (Sorry chaps don't mean to make you blush.) So I was being fitted for underwear and chose 4 bras with two pairs of knickers with each. Quite normal behaviour for a lady I think. Any how I went to pay for my lingerie and the lady mentioned the bras were quite expensive. In my cocktail induced state I was all like – "its fine you have to have good underwear". So she proceeded to ring the items up in the till. Then she said "that's £795 please". Well, I nearly fainted but not wanting to look stupid I passed her my card, thanked her for her help and walked out with a small bag worth £795. I didn't even pay that much for my ticket to Florida but still there was nothing I could do.

After that shock we decided we needed some more cocktails, so we happily drank them and chatted away putting the world to rights like only girls can. We realised that time was marching on and we would have to catch the last train back to Whitehaven at 9.45pm. Still, I thought it wouldn't be that bad as it was still early. As we entered the train station we heard all this shouting and singing as we walked over the bridge we realised it was the people waiting for the train and not only that, but there were police having to control them. We joined the queue, with embarrassingly drunk people, and hoped that the train journey would be a little more civilised. As we stood waiting in the queue loads of people started to push in much to Claire's annoyance who decided to tell them off. Thankfully before it got too heated the train arrived and everyone piled onto the platform and onto the train. We managed to get a seat and sat with all our bags of shopping. It was then I realised that the Police had got on with us and were having to walk up and down the train to keep people under control. Well,l there was this chap who must have been in his late fifties who sat on this young girls lap who couldn't have been much more than 18. Claire and I found it quite amusing as the girl played up to it pulling faces behind his back and then chatting to him with a smile. She then told him to sit on Claire's lap so he did. Just at this time a policeman walked up the aisle and just like a little girl I put up my hand and mouthed to him to help us and that the man wasn't with us. He told the man to move on and then had a chat with Claire and I. He told us that ladies like us shouldn't have been on that train and about how that the train to Whitehaven is the only one the police have to go on as the people are so badly behaved. I have to say it made me embarrassed to be from West Cumbria.

Many of the people on the train were young girls 15 or 16 at a push and the thought of my girls behaving like that fills me with dread. I told my children about it the next morning and told them I was going to take them on the train when they were a couple of years older so they could see what these girls look like and how not to behave – let's hope they do as I say and not as I do.....

Until next time .....

I know I say it every time, but I can't believe another 2 weeks have flown past in a blur since I last wrote. Now I have some bad news. This will be my last blog until 22nd April. The next time I am due to write is Good Friday, but we will all be off and enjoying a long weekend and then I am off to Florida for a couple of weeks. I have to say I am really looking forward to spending some time with my family (I don't think I have really done that in the 4.5 years of running the business) and enjoying the sunshine.

Anyhow, I am sure nobody wants to hear about my holidays so on with the blog.

Sellafield

Sellafield announced its "most significant stride ever" with the removal of the last batch of bulk metal fuel from the Pile Fuel Storage Pond (PFSP). The fuel has been moved to safer, more modern storage in the Fuel Handling Plant.
Decommissioning teams lifted the final skip of 'metal fuel' from the pond via a remote controlled process. Retrieval of the pond's 'canned fuel' inventory was successfully completed in October 2015.
The work means radioactivity levels at the 68-year-old pond have been cut by 70%, vastly reducing the risk it poses to people and environment. The achievement is the most visible sign yet of progress to clean-up the legacy. The removed fuel has been transferred to a modern storage building at Sellafield where it can be held in a far safer environment.

Paul Foster, Managing director of Sellafield Ltd, said: "This is a truly landmark moment in the decommissioning of Sellafield. Removing decades-old corroded fuel from an aging facility and placing into modern containment makes Sellafield, and the whole of the UK, a far safer place."
The Office for Nuclear Regulation welcomed the decommissioning milestone and said that attention will now shift to the remaining solids and sludge in the pond, including any residual fuel which will be exported in due course.
The key milestone has been achieved through a fit-for-purpose, lead-and-learn approach where the unshielded skips of fuel were lifted out of the pond, transferred across the operational area and then lowered down a hoist well into a shielded flask to be lidded and transported. Operators controlled the move from 40-feet away, working behind radiation shielding using cameras and well-rehearsed procedures to complete an operation first trialled in 2011, when 350kg of metal fuel was exported from PFSP.

DDP
I was beginning to think that the last DDP partner was never going to be announced. I assumed there was difficulty in agreeing liability and commercial terms. However, it has now been announced (like we didn't already know) that Amec Foster Wheeler, AREVA, Doosan Babcock and Atkins join the dozen firms announced last month on the Decommissioning Delivery Partnership composed of six alliances and joint ventures.
Amec Foster Wheeler's inclusion is through an alliance with Hertel (UK) and Shepley Engineers, both of whom were already in the DDP framework through other partnerships.
All companies bidding to be involved in the partnership had to outline how they would deliver new skills, community benefits and encourage economic growth by committing to subcontracts with small-to-medium sized enterprises.
All pledged to a local first recruitment policy, with one consortium aiming for 95 % of work with Cumbrian workers.
The firms are also signed up to employ 150 'under-represented or disadvantaged' people and create 240 new apprenticeships over the 10-year agreement.
So for clarification the six DDP partners are:

• Integrated Decommissioning Solutions – Energy Solutions EU, Hertel (UK), North West Projects and Westlakes Engineering
• Nexus Decommissioning Alliance – Costain Oil, Gas and Process
• AREVA-Doosan-Atkins
• Cumbria Nuclear Solutions – Shepley Engineers, James Fisher Nuclear Ltd, REACT Engineering, Jacobs Stobbarts, Westinghouse Electric Company UK, WYG Engineering.
• The Decommissioning Alliance – Jacobs UK Ltd, Energy Solutions EU Limited, Westinghouse Electric Company UK Ltd)
• Amec Foster Wheeler, Hertel (UK), Shepley Engineers

I saw this interesting article on Sellafield website:

"Since January last year, when the Department for Environment and Climate Change announced the new management model for Sellafield Ltd to take place from 1st April 2016, we have been working to determine the best way the market can enhance our business. In the early stages of the transition to new management arrangements, we noted this support coming in the form of a strategic partner or partners which were discussed in the Outline Business Case (OBC). This also referred to the Market Enhanced SLC – via engagement of strategic or programme partners.
The process of engaging key stakeholders is continuing, allowing us to better define the strategic need of Sellafield Ltd and potential areas where market enhancement could be effective in the delivery of our mission.
We have had a series of structured phases of engagement with representatives of the supply chain. These have enabled us to test how the concepts of the Market Enhanced Model (MEM) might operate in practice, whether the proposed MEM and approach is optimal and what would determine the attractiveness of the procurement opportunity to the supply chain.
We now need to take the opportunity to consider the options in more depth and refine our thinking further in relation to the overall Sellafield Model Change and our overall change programme, ready to provide a range of credible options for consideration by the new Sellafield Ltd Executive team and Board."

I have to be honest and say I don't really know what this means? Does this mean they are temporarily shelving the MEM whilst they consider the way forward within the board? If so how does that affect contracts coming out of Sellafield? Again it really is interesting and testing times in the industry at the moment.

NDA
My favourite event of the year was announced this week. The 2016 NDA Estate Supply Chain Event will be held on Thursday 3rd November at EventCity in Manchester. It is still going to be a free of charge event which I think is fab as it gives us small SME's an opportunity to exhibit. The registration for exhibition stands or delegates aren't open yet but I will let you know when they are.

Westinghouse Electric Company

Not Cumbria based, but I read an interesting article about Westinghouse Electric Company announcing a manufacturing study to investigate the production of reactor pressure vessels for its small modular reactor in the UK through a collaboration with the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.
The NAMRC will provide an independent assessment of the current Westinghouse SMR RPV design, and determine an optimal manufacturing solution. A key component of the study will be the identification of efficiencies within the advanced manufacturing process to significantly reduce capital costs and drive project savings.
The Westinghouse SMR is a 225 MWe integral pressurized water reactor design with all primary components located inside the reactor vessel and utilizes the passive safety functionality developed for the company's AP1000 reactor, currently being built at sites in China and the USA. The SMR design's reliance on existing technology and the proven licensing basis should likely reduce development time and licensing risk for the reactor.
In October 2015 Westinghouse - part of the Toshiba group - put forward a proposal to the UK government to partner in the deployment of the company's SMR technology, a move that the company said would advance the UK from a buyer to a provider of the technology. That proposal envisaged a shared design and development model in a UK-based enterprise, jointly owned by Westinghouse, the UK government and UK industry.

Also in October 2015, US-based NuScale announced that it was looking for partners to deploy its own small modular reactor technology in the UK. The following month, the UK government announced plans to invest at least £250 million ($377 million) over the next five years in an "ambitious" nuclear research and development program to include a competition to identify the best value SMR design for the UK. Detailed plans for the competition have not yet been announced.

Any small modular reactor design to be built in the UK will first need to complete the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process of the country's regulators, the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency. GDAs are currently under way for Hitachi-GE's UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR) and Westinghouse's AP1000 reactor designs.

Nuclear New Build
Another out of area but still interesting development in the industry was the resignation of Thomas Piquemal, the finance director of EDF, who had increased concerns about the French energy company's ability to build Hinkley Point C, the nuclear power station due to generate 7% of Britain's electricity from 2025.
Piquemal is said to have quit because he believed proceeding with the politically charged £18bn project before EDF raises funds from selling assets could bring the company's overburdened finances to breaking point.
Hinkley point is key to the nuclear future for the Country and is essential in ensuring our lights stay on.
Hinkley Point could be a money spinner for EDF but only in the long run. Until 2025 – if that really is the completion date – it has to shoulder the cost of building the plant. Since agreeing to do so in 2012, the company's costs and commitments have mounted, while energy prices have tumbled.
It faces large cost overruns on another nuclear plant in France and must set aside an estimated €50bn (£38bn) to upgrade existing French reactors after safety concerns raised by the Fukushima accident in Japan. It also faces increased competition in the French domestic energy market and is under pressure from the French government to buy Areva, the struggling designer of EPRs. Areva is said to need a cash injection of some €7bn to keep going.

NuExec
In the last two weeks' things have been really exciting. On the NuExec Recruitment side of the business, we have had over 100 new roles in. There are some smashing roles mainly within Rail, Highways, Environmental, Aviation, Water, Pharmaceutical and Power Transmission. On the nuclear side of the business things remain steady and we have just completed some great assignments of key industry people. We have also had a new lady join our team, Philippa, who is a recent Grad with a keen interest in HR and recruitment. I think she is just about coping with the madness in our office. As always if you are looking for a new opportunity or you are looking to recruit some Exceptional Individuals into your business then please get in touch.

It Could Only Happen to Me
Believe it or not I haven't had anything funny or entertaining happen to me over the last couple of weeks so I was reading back on this time last year and I found one of my previous "It Could Only Happen to Me" moments that we still regularly discuss and laugh about within my family. Thank goodness all that is over:
"So following on from my last blog I went to see the back specialist who advised me I have a large sequestrated disc prolapse pressing on the S1 nerve root. As a result I am currently waiting for emergency back surgery. Due to the pain and the medication I am having to take to get through the day, I am currently working from home. After 2 weeks of being stuck at home I had had enough and I needed to get some fresh air. So much to the amusement of my so called friends I hired a wheelchair from Age Concern for the weekend. (Alright you can stop laughing now – remember I am a good 15 years younger than a lot of you!) So as if the fact I was having to have a wheelchair wasn't mortifying enough, where I had to hire it from didn't lift my already bad mood. Stefan and the kids made the smart choice, what with the girls having the weekend with their Dad and him going on a Rally in Scotland. So I called my parents who agreed to take me shopping in Workington in my wheelchair. The Saturday came and we headed to Workington. Mum got out the wheelchair and I climbed in with my crutches tight in my hand. We started on our way and my Dad decided that every time there was someone in a wheelchair I should put my hand up to them. You know like campervan drivers do to each other. He found it hilarious to keep poking me and saying "Go on Em say hi to your friend." Thankfully as I had brought my crutches along with me I was able to whack him with them. The first stop was Boots, and to add fuel to the fire of which my friends and family were finding hilarious, I had to buy some fibre gel as all my medication makes things a bit hard. My Mother kindly pointed out that I was like a stereo typical old person in my chair buying fibre gel. – Yeah thanks Mum. We then had to go to another shop which was across the road. My Mother, who classes herself as a pro at pushing wheelchairs, proceeded to tell me that she didn't need a drop kerb as she could easily get me down it. She proceeded to pull the chair right back until my head was skimming the pavement and bumped me down the kerb right into the path of an oncoming car. "It's alright" my Mum said "they will stop for a wheelchair" and she proceeded to push me across the road. "It's alright for you" I said "You pushed me in front of the car and you stay safe. They would hit me first." Laughing we entered the shop. Now it was time for a bit of payback to my Dad. So I told him as we were unable to hold the basket he would be our "basket bitch" and every time he wondered away (which he does regularly) I would shout "Oi Bitch where's my basket." I have to say I think my highlight of the day was when my Mother actually turned round and called him Bitch. So we moved on to another large shop and Mum was pushing me around as Dad wondered off. As we approached him my Mother parked me right behind him and my Dad proceeded to bend, aim and fire! Now he said he did it with his mouth but I swear I felt the breeze on my cheek. I said to my Mum that I couldn't believe she was involved in such a conspiracy in allowing him to do such a thing to me, but she insisted she parked me there "by accident." As you can imagine after all that fun I was ready to go home and suddenly being stuck at home unable to go out doesn't seem so bad!"

Until Next Time.....

Guess whose back?? I hope you have all missed me or at least if not me the blog. I am now back from Florida and am raring to go! Of course there was some obligatory drama on the way back from my trip which I will share with you in my "It Could Only Happen to Me" section later in the blog.

So over the last five weeks, whilst I haven't been writing, there have been some major changes in the industry, especially in Cumbria, so here is what has been going on:

Sellafield / NDA
So the 1st of April saw major changes at Sellafield. The new arrangements see Sellafield Ltd, becoming a subsidiary of the NDA.
The new subsidiary model will help Sellafield to build on, and accelerate progress in hazard and risk reduction and decommissioning and deliver it more efficiently. It will replace the Parent Body Organisation model, which from 2008 has seen Sellafield owned by private sector Nuclear Management Partners (NMP).
The model change is just the start of changes at Sellafield. The business will fundamentally change when reprocessing at the site ends in 2020.
So here is what the new Exec Team look like:

http://www.sellafieldsites.com/company/executive-team/

And this is the board:

http://www.sellafieldsites.com/company/board-members/

It is a shame that the Exec Team and board is primarily made up of British, White, Middle aged men. However, this is not a criticism of Sellafield, it is an unfortunate reflection of the industry and specifically Cumbria as an area. Our diversification figures are shocking.

I think it would be remiss of me to mention NMP who have now left the site after 8 years. To be fair to them it was never going to be an easy task taking on Sellafield and all of the unknowns that lay there. Some of their achievements in their time at Sellafield include:

• The site's best ever overall safety performance
• Efficiency savings of over £715m
• First returns of High Active Waste to countries of origin
• Completed the first decommissioning of a power-producing nuclear reactor
• First ever retrievals of radioactive sludge removed from legacy ponds
• Extending the life of the High Active Waste Evaporators to support Thorp reprocessing
• Providing the NDA and Government with a much greater understanding of the true extent of the challenges and risks associated with the site, as detailed in the Sellafield Plan
• Invested £25m into socio-economic projects and charitable organisations in West Cumbria.

Market Enhanced Model / Strategic Partner
Alongside the changes of site management there is also the long awaited model change of new strategic partners coming in to assist the NDA on the running of the site.
The proposed scope and bundles, as currently constituted, are as follows (although it is important to note that these are evolving as thinking continues):

1. Strategic business – covering strategy, strategic supply chain management, stakeholder management and portfolio management.
2. People and organisational transformation – covering organisational and people management, leadership advice and business transformation.
3. Programme and project delivery – covering programme and project management, programme and project controls, supply chain management (delivery) and financial management.

In November they conducted the supply chain engagement and it will still be a while before they are in a position to take this to market. I think this next year is going to be a very interesting time.

New Procurement Approach at Sellafield
When I saw a press release with the title "New procurement approach at Sellafield set to save millions" my first thought was how can they save millions when they don't seem to be spending thousands let alone millions. It seems the supply chain are still really struggling and we are all asking the questions as to when the work is finally going to start flowing again from Sellafield? Anyhow I digress. So basically they have a new "flatpack" approach to buying cranes for Sellafield which is set to save them £53m. A new procurement model known as "category management" means Sellafield no longer has to buy one-off bespoke cranes. Instead they can order standardised crane modules and then assemble them on site as required.
The contract for in cell cranes (up to 34 in total) has been awarded to Reel/Ansaldo NES, an international joint venture. The cranes will be partly manufactured at the Ansaldo NES site in Wolverhampton. The firm will use its facility at Haile, near Egremont, Cumbria, for crane testing and personnel training, which will result in the creation of five new jobs at the facility. (These 5 new jobs will probably replace the ones they made redundant so I would question the benefit to Cumbria.)
The contract for out cell cranes (24 in total) has been won by Spanish organisation Taim Weser. – I wonder what local job creation these guys will make?

Supply Chain
Studsvik
Studsvik has agreed to sell its low-level radioactive waste operations in Sweden and the UK to EDF of France. At the same time, the two companies have agreed to collaborate in decommissioning and waste management.
EDF subsidiary EDF Développement Environnement will acquire Studsvik's waste treatment business and facilities in Sweden and the UK for SEK355 million ($44 million), subject to certain closing adjustments.
The scope of the transaction includes Studsvik's waste treatment assets and facilities for metal recycling, incineration and pyrolysis located at the Studsvik site near Nyköping in Sweden, as well as the metal recycling facility near Workington in the UK. Low-level waste treated in these facilities is either recycled, free-released or volume-reduced and returned to the customer for final storage.
As part of the transaction, EDF and Studsvik have also signed a cooperation agreement on nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management.
The closing of the transaction is subject to the granting of necessary licenses and permits by the relevant authorities in relation to the waste treatment business. The transaction is expected to be closed during the third quarter of 2016.

New Build
NuGen
So NuGen has been having some bad publicity locally lately regarding how they are dealing with residents who will be affected by the compulsory purchase scheme as part of the road-widening plans. The press reported the areas that are going to be affected are:

• Criffel Road, Parton Brow and Brewery Brow, Parton
• Homewood Road, Hensingham
• Ribton Moorside, near Hensingham
• High House Road, Moor Row
• Thornhill Village.

NuGens Consultations kick off on the 14th May in Whitehaven and I understand that is where they will divulge plans and the impact it will have on the local residents.

Britain's Energy Coast
So last month Britain's Energy Coast put out a statement basically saying the new CEO had noticed anomalies in the accounting and they had passed the details to the police. Yesterday came the News reports that James Cox who had worked as Finance Director from May to August last year had fraudulently obtained £40,687 to buy a Jaguar car. Not only that but in order to get the Finance Director role he had made up a CV and references and had in fact twice been jailed for fraud.
It does ask some huge question: firstly, how did it take that long to find out about the money? Secondly, they definitely need to revisit their recruitment strategy. It must be hugely embarrassing, not only to BEC, but also to the companies that finance the organisation. Maybe they should engage the services of a professional recruitment consultancy to do the recruitment for them – just saying!

NuExec
Things remain positive at NuExec with us winning a place on another key PSL, but unfortunately I am not able to disclose with whom just yet, but it is great news for us. Nuclear business remains fairly quiet but NuExec Recruitment is growing well. We are certainly becoming more well known locally and working with some local non-nuclear businesses which makes a refreshing change. As always, if anyone is looking to recruit Exceptional Individuals into their business or are looking for a new career opportunity please do get in touch with me.

It Could Only Happen to me!
You knew I couldn't possibly go all the way to Florida without a tale to tell. So the journey to Orlando was pretty straight forward with no problems and the Villa was amazing. We arrived late but I was so excited that I was up and in the pool by 6.30am the next morning. The two weeks flew by, filled with theme parks, shows, waterparks, shooting, shopping and swimming with dolphins. As with all good things it had to come to an end so last Saturday afternoon we packed the 6 cases into the boot and headed to the airport. On dropping off the car a porter came and asked if he could help. As we had to push Dad in a wheelchair we decided to use him. He was a lovely guy and he fast tracked us through all the queues to get our boarding passes. Unfortunately, the machine he used didn't print the luggage labels so we had to join a queue but he brought the suitcases round for us. I had the money to tip him and as he was so awesome I decided I would give him $20. However, on his way to me to get his money my Mum didn't think I had realised he was going, as she was sitting with my Dad away from the queue, so she gave him $20 and then I gave him $20. He certainly did all right from us. After a good 45 minute wait we checked our bags in with the world's grumpiest man ever. We had to fly from Orlando to Chicago, Chicago to Heathrow and Heathrow to Manchester. I was fairly stressed as I had an awful feeling something would go wrong. However, I was told to stop stressing and we boarded the first flight. On arrival at Chicago we only had an hour until the next flight took off. We had booked a wheelchair for Dad but it wasn't there when we got off the flight. So I went and found a lady and politely said "Excuse me we have assistance booked for my Dad but there is no wheelchair for him and we have a flight in an hour." Her response "I made a call you will just have to wait!" – Glad to see Customer Service is still alive and kicking. The wheelchair arrived and we literally had to run to the shuttle bus to take us to the flight and made it by the skin of our teeth. By now it was the middle of the night and I was hoping to get some sleep on the 7.5 hour flight back to England. After a few nodding dog snoozes, we finally arrived at Heathrow and once again we had just an hour to get the flight to Manchester. Trying to get off the plane was very slow. We were stood in the aisle and my youngest Caity told me she felt sick. I assured her it was just because she was tired, but then as she started to heave I managed to grab a sick bag from a seat pocket in which she emptied the content of her stomach. As we came off the plane we were told the wheelchair would be waiting for us when we got off the shuttlebus. As we got on my eldest Maddy was crying as she too felt really sick – oh joy! Luckily I had grabbed some further sick bags as I exited the plane so I handed them out. As we got off the bus there was no wheelchair. The lady was so unhelpful and told us there were no wheelchairs so there was nothing she could do. We explained our predicament and the nearness of our flight and she told us to try upstairs. So Dad walked as best he could and every time we saw a member of staff we were told the same. We don't have any wheelchair and we can't help. We finally arrived at the check in for internal flights but by now Dad was having chest pains and couldn't walk any further so we sat him down and Stefan went to talk to the BA desk. The lady, try as she may, could not find a wheelchair so she advised if Dad could just walk through the check in and get to security then at least we wouldn't miss the flight. So we managed to get to the check in and they told us it was too late and they wouldn't let us through. There was another family who had flown from Miami who were also in the same situation in that they had missed the same flight as there was no assistance available to them. The lady told us there were no space on any flights at all that day. (By now it was Sunday morning.) Obviously we weren't happy about this as had the wheelchair been there as arranged we would have got through. We sat Dad down and went with the other family to speak to the manager. Two hours after we got off the plane the BA lady finally managed to find us a wheelchair which she took off the back of a buggy as it came past. The manager told us he would put us on standby to fly but this could mean another 24 hours before we flew, but we said this wasn't good enough. We were then told that they had seats on the next flight as some other passengers wouldn't make the flight as their plane had been delayed. Ourselves and the other family were so pleased as after such a long journey we just wanted to be home. He printed us blank boarding passes and said to go to the Customer Services desk by the gate and they would allocate us seat numbers. We made our way through security and to the desk to be told that unfortunately there weren't any seats and we would be on standby. I told her about the Managers promise and she phoned down to him. He actually told her he had never said we had seats and that we would always be on standby. What an absolute bell end! So we had to go to the gate with the other family and just sit and wait to see if we got on. The family of 4 were allocated seats but the 6 of us had to sit and wait while they boarded. Finally, they told us we could get on. So with joy in my heart (even though I would be sat next to a stranger) we boarded the plane. Finally, my nightmare was over ....... or was it? As we taxied to the runway I got comfy and decided to maybe have a little snooze when the captain made an announcement: "I have just been notified that we have too many cases on the flight. We had some people that didn't make the flight and it looks like we have their cases on board so we are going to have to go back to the stand." So once back at the stand they had to wait for the people to come to find the suitcases and remove them. About 1.5 hours later we finally took off. When we arrived at Manchester I was delighted to actually see assistance waiting for us. So Mum and Dad went with him whilst Stefan, the girls and I went to get the bags. As I walked in I heard my name being called to the desk. I went over to the desk and the lady said: "Please fill out this form." So I asked her why and she told me that two of our bags weren't on the flight. By this point I had lost the will to live so I explained until the other four bags came I wouldn't know which were the two that were missing because Mr Grumpy at Orlando had bagged all the cases up in mine and Stefan's name. As we stood waiting for the cases it was evident that actually none of our suitcases were there. Going back to the lady she told me that they had all been left at Heathrow but it was ok as they would be sent out on Monday. Defeated I filled out the forms and headed home. Of course the cases didn't come on Monday, but we were told they would come at 4pm on Tuesday. I was in a meeting from 2pm – 4pm so arranged for Stefan to be there for when they delivered. But they tried to deliver at 2pm so nobody was there. Finally, on Wednesday the suitcases came home and finally the drama was over!

Until next time.....

I can't believe how quickly two weeks have flown by. I have had a mammoth couple of weeks but I will update you on my adventures in my "It could only happen to me section."
So, the general feeling within the supply chain is still one of pain. On the one side Sellafield are saying they are spending, but on the other side, the supply chain is asking where? It seems work is still very slow and companies continue to struggle to remain sustainable.

Sellafield

Socio Economics
Cumbria will get the chance to decide where tens of thousands of pounds of community funding is spent under a radical new 'crowd sourcing' scheme to be adopted by Sellafield Ltd.
The innovative approach will give local good causes the chance to submit bids for assistance which are then voted on by the public.
Sellafield is overhauling the way it manages its community investment budget following its move into public ownership under the NDA.
Among a raft of other changes to Sellafield socioeconomic approach is the introduction of responsible procurement.
This means that companies who bid for work at Sellafield must show how they will support the community if they win.
And successful bidders will have their commitments written into their contract, ensuring they are held to account on delivery.
More effective monitoring and measuring of socioeconomic activity will also be introduced, with outcomes reported publicly, ensuring greater transparency and accountability.
Previous models of community funding, which used third party intermediaries to distribute money, will also be revised.
I find this really interesting, and definitely feel that companies who put socio economic promises within bids to win work should be held accountable.
I also really like the idea of the public choosing where the funding goes. It is a little concerning on the potential impact this will have on the Cumbria Community Foundation, but I think this method will raise awareness of charities in the area and could lead to people becoming more involved in them.

Project Academy for Sellafield

Cumbria is set to be the hub for project professionals with the launch of a ground breaking academy that will revolutionise the way people are trained to deliver projects at Sellafield.
The new 'Project Academy for Sellafield' will provide specialist education, training and professional qualifications necessary to deliver the complex and challenging projects associated with decommissioning Europe's most complex nuclear site.
The academy will be delivered by the University of Cumbria, which has won the multi-million pound contract to develop and provide a range of higher education programmes, from diplomas and degrees to masters and doctorates, which could make Cumbria the centre of project excellence for the UK.
It will be supported by the University of Manchester, one of the most prestigious 'project' education providers in the world and the first academic establishment to introduce higher education associated with project management.
By providing people with the skills to meet current and future needs of the industry, Sellafield is investing in the development of local people, while helping to address the growing demand for project professionals, not just for the nuclear industry, but for all industries UK and worldwide.
The academy has the backing of some of the region's leading education providers relating to projects Lakes College, Furness College and the Centre for Leadership Performance, means it will enhance the local education infrastructure, making Cumbria the centre of project higher education.
It will not only enable employees to increase the depth of their knowledge in their chosen profession, but will also enable them to broaden their knowledge of other project related professions through a range of training opportunities, from diplomas and degrees to masters and doctorates.
The first employees will commence their Higher Education with the academy in September 2016.
This is some further great news. Project Management is definitely an area where we need to encourage children / young adults to focus and build their careers within. My only hope though is that unlike the nuclear specific degrees kids were told to take to get them into nuclear, this qualification won't lead them into false expectation and then unable to secure a role.

Business Rates
I saw an interesting article in the Whitehaven News that stated that NDA / Sellafield has won their appeal regarding overpayment of Business Rates and are now due back over £30million. £12.6m is due from Copeland, £15.75m from Central Government and £3.1m from Cumbria County Council. It does feel a little bit like robbing Peter to pay Paul as they are all Government funded. I don't profess to understand the politics of it all but I hope it doesn't have a detrimental effect on the residents of Copeland, but equally that could be now an extra £30m that can be spent in the supply chain.

Supply Chain News
We are absolutely delighted that our friends at James Fisher Nuclear have been awarded a 4 year contract by Magnox (Winfrith) to deliver a facility for the remote segmentation and packaging of the reactor core of the redundant Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor (SGHWR) located at Winfrith in Dorset. This will be one of the largest value turnkey decommissioning projects to have been awarded in the UK in recent years and will firmly establish JFN as the leading reactor decommissioning implementation contractor in the UK.
JFN, ably supported by its integrated team of specialist sub-contractors overcame significant national and international competition to secure this prestigious contract for Magnox. The SGHWR reactor will be the only the second reactor core within the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) estate to be subject to decommissioning and will be the first of the 'power' reactors. The first was Windscale Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor (WAGR), undertaken by BNFL Project Services in partnership with JFN.
SGHWR was the largest of the nine experimental reactors commissioned on the Winfrith site, constructed between 1963 and 1967 and generating up to 100MW, sufficient electricity to power the needs of a small town. The reactor was finally shut down in 1990 and has subsequently been subject to de-fuelling and decommissioning operations. Cutting up and packaging the reactor core for disposal is a major task in the process of returning the site to publically accessible heathland and presents a significant technical challenge in terms of remote size reduction and handling operations.
This is great news for JFN and demonstrates their fantastic capability and the people they employ. Mind you any business that uses a recruitment consultancy that finds Exceptional Individuals for the nuclear industry is bound to have the best people in industry. – Just saying!

Britain's Energy Coast (BEC)
So we have had some very sad news from BEC. They have now announced their new, clear focus for the future and that is one of a company that will expand and develop its property assets and expertise to bring direct benefit for Allerdale and Copeland.
BEC will own, operate, develop and regenerate high quality property assets – creating a sustainable and commercial business. It will use its profits to facilitate programmes that improve the locality, especially those that support low carbon goals.
The company will bring about positive change in property projects by using strategic property interventions, often where market failure has occurred. It will also strive to support both Allerdale and Copeland Borough Council's overarching property strategies.
Whilst the change was not unexpected it is an awful shame that they will no longer be running wide reaching business support projects. I personal found the business start up training invaluable and have subsequently benefited from grants that have really allowed my business to grow and employ others. I hope that not too many people aren't made redundant following this as they have some fantastic consultants working for them.

New Build

NuGen
There has been speculation this week around the finances of Moorside. The Sunday Times stated that NuGen has approached Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) as a potential investor in the project.
The report says that Toshiba and ENGIE – formerly GDF Suez – are finding raising the £10bn needed to fund Moorside "a challenge" and have approached Kepco and other potential investors.
It was stated in a local article that NuGen had confirmed to the News & Star that it was in talks with potential investors but declined to confirm whether Kepco was one of them.
A spokesman said, within the article,: "Our shareholders, Toshiba and ENGIE, remain committed to funding the development phase of NuGen's Moorside project until a financial investment decision is reached [in 2018].
"It has always been part of our plans to include investors, debt and equity into the project. A universe of potential investment options is open to us and we have the flexibility to be able to talk with a wide range of potential investors."
To be honest I would rather NuGen found alternative funding and the project went ahead than risking the problems being seen at Hinkley.
NuGen's second stage public consultation on proposals for the Moorside Project begins on May 14th. Details of how you can Have Your Say are available on the Consultation Website: http://nugenconsultation.com/

I urge all my local readers to go along see what the proposals are and have your say. Just because you currently work in the industry doesn't mean that it will automitaically show you support it. If we want New Build in West Cumbria we have to get behind it and get involved. I will definitely be going along and taking my girls. After all it is their futures!

Hinkley C
The decision on whether to go ahead with the £18bn Hinkley Point C nuclear power project has been delayed again, after France's economy minister said EDF may not give it the green light until September.
Emmanuel Macron's comments come a week after he said EDF would deliver its verdict on Hinkley Point, which is set to meet 7% of the UK's energy needs, in "the coming week or month".
EDF said just days ago that it was expecting to make a final decision in the summer, having previously promised to do so by the time of its annual general meeting on 12 May.
The fresh delay raises the prospect that even if the project does go ahead, it will not meet its scheduled completion date of 2025, already eight years later than originally planned.

NuExec
It has been another busy and entertaining couple of weeks' in the NuExec bubble. The general recruitment side of the business has never been busier with lots of new opportunities for us to find exceptional people for. The nuclear side of the business remains quiet but still with enough to keep us busy. I can't wait to go back to the days where there were more jobs than hours in the day. I am sure when the supply chain starts to get busy again it will go back to how it was 18 months ago. With that said I am delighted that having just signed off our accounts for last year (Our year end is December) we have had our best year ever. We also have some exciting news about a recruitment campaign we are involved in but aren't allowed to divulge details just yet.
As always if you are looking to recruit Exceptional Individuals into your business or you are looking for a new role please do get in touch.
One more thing while I think about it. Sadly, I don't have a seat at the NI Dinner in Manchester this month so if anyone fancies some entertainment on their table, please let me know as I would be delighted to join you! 

It Could Only Happen to Me!
I am beginning to think that my life could actually be a soap opera. So last week was what can only be described as a full on emotional rollercoaster.

Sunday
So on Sunday I woke up unable to open my eyes. They were stuck together and hurt like hell. So after a lot of rubbing I finally prised them open. They were really stinging and I couldn't work it out. I had to take the girls to Jumpmania in Workington to a party (my life is so rock and roll) so I had a shower and started to do my make up. It then dawned on me that I could actually see. Had a miracle happened? Then the reality dawned on me...I had left my contact lenses in hence the sticky eyes and pain. This resulted in me having to go out in glasses which I absolutely hate having to do so I was in a proper strop!

Monday
Monday came and was the usual busy day. I went to pick Maddy up from SAT's club and just as my bum hit the sofa the phone rang. It was Mum she had just called an ambulance for my Dad as he was having chest pains. (Now anyone who read my last it could only happen to me probably saw this coming as due to British Airways incompetence he was having initial pains at the airport.) Anyhow I rushed to the house and whilst Dad was in the ambulance being monitored ready for hospital Mum and I packed and then headed to the hospital. It was a long evening with various tests being run and Dad as ever was over the moon to have me by his side keeping him entertained, especially when I told the nurse he often fell out of bed so he had to have the cot sides up. We eventually left the hospital at midnight and I promised Dad I would be back in the morning with the things we had forgotten to pack and then would be back for a visit at visiting time. I was driving Mum home from the hospital and it was late we were tired and hungry and to top the evening the road that leads to Mums house was closed overnight for roadworks. So we had to do a massive detour through industrial estates and housing estates to get her home. Of course I wasn't going to even attempt that so ended up going on a massive detour to find my way. Whilst driving I noticed my oil light come on. I got home told Stefan about the light and went to sleep.

Tuesday
Stefan woke me on Tuesday morning to tell me that my car had in fact a major fault and I was not allowed to drive it. I had to wait for the recovery truck to collect the car and then get a lift to the hospital first to drop off Dad's stuff and then to the car rental place to get a car. I then got a call from the estate agents who told me a couple wanted to come and see the house. I nearly said no what with all that was going on but decided to say yes.
In the afternoon I got word the car was fixed so went to the hospital for an hour to see Dad and learnt that he had had a heart attack and they were waiting for him to get a bed in the Carlisle heart unit and an ambulance with the monitoring equipment that he needed. He was in Whitehaven Coronary Care unit who I have to say were fab. I then drove the hire car back and got them to give me a lift to pick up my car. I then rushed home to give the house a quick clean before the viewers arrived.

Wednesday
I arrived at work with Dad still at Whitehaven I had promised I would go and see him at visiting at 2.30pm. Then in the morning I got a call. The people who had viewed our house wanted to buy it. What a week. We agreed a price and then I realised we needed to buy a house. We had already seen one we liked so I arranged to go and view it on Thursday evening. I went and visited Dad and told him the news. They were hoping to transfer him that evening which meant fingers crossed he would get his surgery on Thursday.

Thursday
Dad had hjs angioplasty and was told he was very lucky. His artery was so blocked that there was just a hairs width of flow through it. They inserted what is his eighth stent and he felt an immediate improvement.
In the evening we went and viewed the house with the girls and we all loved it.

Friday
We made an offer on the house and it was accepted. During late afternoon Dad was allowed home and now had to take it easy for a few weeks and have a number of follow up appointments.

All I can say is what a week! I really don't want one like that again in a hurry!

Until next time.....

Here I am back again after another two weeks. I honestly have no idea where the time goes and it is going to be Christmas before we know it – Yes I heard that groan!

It hasn't been a majorly busy couple of weeks on the news front, but I am sure there is enough to prick your interest:

Sellafield
So last week a letter was sent out to the supply chain regarding the change of ownership of Sellafield. A number of you noticed that the registered office was now Hinton House at Risley. Now this has caused a bit of a stir, as many people can't understand how Sellafield can have a registered office anywhere but Cumbria. So I got out my go go gadget microscope and donned my best moustache and hat and went undercover to solve the mystery!
Sellafield has actually never had its registered address in Cumbria. When under the NMP the registered address was at Amec's offices in Knutsford and previous to that, BNFL had its head office in Risley. Confused??? Well if you are I found out why...seriously I have missed my vocation in life....the registered company office is where the company secretary is based and in Sellafield's case it is the General Counsel, Andrew Carr who is based in Risley, hence that is where the registered office is.

Get in Go Far
I was delighted to read that a 22 year old from Cockermouth, Deanna Pearson, has been chosen to take part in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' 'Get in go far' campaign.
This aims to show that vocational training can be an exciting alternative to further education.
From billboards up and down the country, to a national TV advert, Miss Pearson, now a full-time health physic monitor at Sellafield Ltd, is playing a leading role alongside eight trainees from other major apprentice employers such as JCB and Premier Inn.
The campaign, launched this week, aims to tell the story of young people in training, showcasing the experience they have in entering the world of work.
What I love about this story is that Deanna is a young mum and has juggled being a mum and completing an apprenticeship. Many ladies feel they have to choose between being a mum or having a career and this young lady proves that you can still have a career, whilst being a young Mum and through the apprenticeship scheme, can earn money instead of getting into debt. She will be an inspiration to many other young ladies.
Well done Deanna!

CNC

Morgan Sindall has begun construction of a new £39m training facility for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary near Sellafield.
The centre will consist of a four-storey hub with classrooms, operational stores and offices, alongside communal use areas. Two connected buildings will house live fire training arenas.
The facility is being developed by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which will then lease it to the constabulary. Deloitte Real Estate is providing project management and cost consultancy support. Construction and fit out is due to be completed in early December 2017 with the centre becoming operational by January 2018.

BECBC
This week was a great meeting with 198 people attending.

Donna Connor - Women in Nuclear
The UK WIN network launched in January 2014

Commitment to change the face of the nuclear industry.

WIN aims:

• Attract more women to work in the nuclear industry
• Support retention of women and career progression
• Promote dialogue internally and externally about the industry

Developed an industry charter - launched by NDA. They are keen for companies in the industry to sign up to this charter.

Www.womeninnuclear.org.uk

BECBC Awards

For anyone who has never been to the awards evening it is one of the best events. It celebrates excellence in the cluster and allows companies of all sizes to enter awards.

It is a very high profile and prestigious event, and we still have award sponsorship opportunities. They are selling fast so I would recommend anyone interested in supporting this fantastic event to get in touch.

CoNE
So any of my regular readers will know I have quite a strong opinion on CoNE, which I have previously voiced and it has previously caused me a bit of strife! I have to be honest, and I know that is why many of you read the blog, I have never really got it! I could never really grasp what CoNE is about. It did feel like a bit of a "special club" for the "elite" to talk about stuff but not really deliver anything. Now, before I receive all the calls and emails remember this is perception and you cannot argue with someone's perception! However, you will notice I have written in the past text because CoNE were presenting at the cluster meeting. Now I did do the obligatory groan about the fact there was "another CoNE presentation" and it was going to be more stuff about strategic this and fluffy that, but I was wrong. Yes, I have admitted I was wrong (please don't tell my husband as I want him to continue to think I am always right). The presentation was chaired by Darren Ennis and speaking was Paul Howarth, Stuart McCourt, Jacqueline Longrigg, Chris Nattress and the lovely, charismatic Adrian Davis-Johnston, followed by a panel Q&A session with my comms crush Rory O'Neill.

For the first time when hearing about CoNE they kept my attention all the way through the presentation, and not only that, but I finally felt that I got it. It was like I had a lightbulb moment and I think (of course I could be way off the mark) I get it. It is about being a "united Cumbria!" It isn't just about the nuclear industry but it is about making Cumbria a better place. Its is about getting Cumbria recognised in Government as the true centre of nuclear excellence and clarifying the part we play! – Now I will probably receive hundreds of emails saying I am wrong but that was my perception and here are the details of the presentation that I got down:

CoNE
Darren Ennis
Opened the presentation
Formal launch of National College for Nuclear

Paul Howarth Chair
Also MD of NNL

Driving economic growth through nuclear expertise

CoNE want to set out clear and coherent argument re the role Cumbria will and can play in nuclear

Cumbria - enables delivery of the UK's energy, defence and economic growth policy objectives

To achieve this requires a coordinated approach across the region.

Advising Government, they need the skills of Cumbria nuclear industry.

UK energy policy has changed over the years.
2003 focus on renewable energy and enter efficiency
2006 reconsideration over nuclear
2007 nuclear energy re-instated
2013 nuclear industry strategy
2015 Paris climate change agreement

UK Nuclear New Build - Cumbria plays a central role
Majority of reactors will be built on costal sites
Fuel cycle support infrastructure can only be located in one unique place - Cumbria

Wealth of Capability
Sellafield, LLWR, NNL, Dalton Cumbria Facility

Over 50 years of nuclear experience and expertise
Significant local supply chain - specialist services alongside major players
Unrivalled network of skills, training and R&D infrastructure

Largest new build in Europe in Moorside project

Coordinate on skills requirement and collaborate giving a clear message to Government

Higher education establishments

Capability:
Supply chain - combination of major players through to specialist SMEs
Workforce - Unrivalled breadth of experience and expertise
Community - a supportive community with 50 years experience of working with the industry

"World class people move to world class places"

Delivering for UK Plc and Cumbria:
In order to deliver energy and defence policy objectives, the region needs to consider
Infrastructure
Training and education establishments
Involvement if SMEs
Workforce of the future
Technological innovation

Cumbria needs a collective voice:
Raise awareness of what we have to offer

Secured nuclear recognition with LEP
Coordinated lobby for Cumbrian rail franchise

Cone - a collaborative approach

What next
Develop ideas into programmes and actions
Continue collaboration to sweat existing assets and build from that strong foundation
Develop case for new mission

Get involved!

Darren Ennis stated:
"CoNE is a place we are all going to live in. It isn't just nuclear skills it is many other skills that are needed."

Stuart McCourt Education, Community Development Lead, Sellafield

Importance of employer engagements with parents and teachers - people do not know about the opportunities

Collaboration is key!

Education engagement should be collaborative and coordinated.

He finished on a George Matthew Adams quote, which I absolutely love and am going to use at every possible opportunity:

"There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success."

Jacqueline Longrigg, University of Cumbria
Young university only 10 years old
Focus on delivering vocationally based academic programmes
Work collaboratively with our partner FE colleges and training providers
Collaboration with the University of Manchester
Developed a Project Academy - solution to developing pm skills within Sellafield level 3 through to level 8
Create a local community of practice and professional networks
We want Sellafield and Cumbria to be a centre for project management excellence
STEM - LEP funding received working on science courses, investigating engineering.
Want to develop STEM skills in the County
Degree apprenticeships are available - no loans or fees to pay and get 5 years work experience

Chris Nattress - Principle Lakes College – He was a great presenter
National college for nuclear
One of 5 new national colleges developed to support skills in key UK sectors
World class, higher level vocational pathways focus on L4 - L6
Nuclear specific curriculum and progression routes
Meet employer needs across the industry
Set standards and accredit / award
Support UK Nuclear Strategy

EDF Energy, Sellafield, Bridge Water College, University of Cumbria, University of Bristol and Lakes College working in collaboration.

Purpose
Develop and accredit curriculum and qualifications - relevance and transferability
Qualifications and curriculum advisory group
Commission QA training providers
Integrate within nuclear landscape

Interactive with Bridgewater and sharing lectures etc

Opening Sept 2017

Engage with employers and industry
Build training hubs
Develop curriculum
Establish in sector
Promotion and communication

Adrian Davis-Johnston, Innovus – Truly inspiring as always!
Innovation and Technology
Driving innovation in the centre of nuclear excellence

CoNE?
To know where you are going, you need to know where you have been.
Cumbria has been the centre of nuclear excellence since the beginning of the industry

Showed some BNFL videos talking about technology and magic from 1995 and 1997

Innovus match business with the industry and give access to facilities and give potential to access alternative funding routes and markets.

Innovation can help smaller firms survive when economic times get tough

Since August 2011 Innovus has invested 1.6m in SMEs which has enabled 2.9m of private sector led R&D

Proud heritage in Cumbria
Opportunity for innovation

Need to work together as a United Cumbria

Panel questions
4 areas of Cone R&D, supply chain, innovation and skills
Encourage SMEs and help them to diversify into new industries. It's about leveraging from a single mission. How do we get businesses to work with existing programs and leverage into future programmes. Exporting skills and experience

Northern Power House question - working with the initiative. Not clear what it is yet but made it clear that the power behind the powerhouse will come from Cumbria.

Need to think about County's infrastructure and making improvements.

NuGen
This week saw news articles stating that there will be a delay in the Moorside project.
First power is now not expected until the end of 2025, a year later than had been planned.
The new timescale for Moorside, follows the company "reassessing" the schedule for construction and "learning more about the delivery of the project", a spokesman said.
He added that there were "elements of the project which are out of our control" such as securing financial support from the Government and then state aid clearance, and as a result NuGen believed it was "more appropriate to refer to the target date for Moorside Site delivering power as the mid-2020s."
The delay is the second time the timescale of the proposed plant, originally slated to produce first power in 2023, has slipped.
NuGen plans to build three reactors with a combined capacity of up to 3.8 gigawatts at the site near Sellafield in west Cumbria, subject to a final investment decision in 2018.

NuExec
As always it has been a mad busy couple of weeks. Most notably of the two weeks was for the first time ever I took a client to court for not paying our fee. It was a very scary and intimidating process, but I am delighted that the judge found our evidence "compelling" and ordered payment within 14 days!
Both NuExec Recruitment and Consulting has a number of new roles and the team is keeping busy. However, we are never too busy, so if you are looking to do any recruitment or are looking for a new role, get in touch.

It Could Only Happen to Me!
As many of you will know I very rarely drink. In fact, I probably only drink a maximum of 5 times a year. The reasons I don't tend to drink are because 1. I am a massive lightweight 2. I am completely inappropriate when I have had a drink 3. I usually have my children and don't believe in drinking around them.
So last Friday night I was invited out with some business associates. Now my husband was away on a rally and my parents had kindly offered to have the girls, so for the first time in a long time I had absolutely no responsibility and was not the delegated grown up. Being careful what I say here as I know some of the people read this blog, but it was the first time I had been out in a social capacity with this group of people, and I was expecting a very grown up and serious affair. Oh how wrong I was. We had an absolute scream and I laughed from start to end. However, I seemed to drink a little too much. I started on Bacardi then onto a couple of bottles of Prosecco which I did share with someone else and then came the jaegerbombs. Now I am pretty sure I only had one or two but apparently I had three in three minutes (I think they are lying). Then a few of us went for a little dance and a few more drinks. I arrived home well aware I was drunk but it wasn't until the morning I realised quite how drunk I was. For the whole of Saturday I couldn't move off the sofa and had to cancel my afternoon coffee date with my friend. I was so ashamed of myself. Come Sunday I still felt awful and my husband found it hilarious even when I told him it must have been an allergic reaction to the alcohol. Even by Monday I was still poorly and felt dreadful. I have decided that is it, and I am never drinking again.

Until next time.....

Ok, so some of you may have noticed that I am a week late and I should really have published a blog last week. But if truth be known, last Friday I decided to skive off work and take my youngest Caity and my lovely friend Claire to clip and climb instead. With it being half term and with many of you being on leave yourselves, I didn't think many of you would miss me. Plus, there hasn't been much going on in the industry, so it isn't as if I had oodles of news for you.

So on with the blog:

Sellafield
Still I am hearing from the supply chain that work isn't coming out from Sellafield. Yet Sellafield are still adamant that it is. There is no denying it has been a tough 18 months in the industry and all we can do is cross are fingers that slowly thing will start to flow again.
Sellafield has published an up to date procurement plan and this can be viewed below:
http://suppliers.sellafieldsites.com/procurement-opportunities/

NDA
R&D framework contracts worth up to £12 million were awarded to a series of consortia, as NDA seeks innovative solutions to technical challenges.

Direct Research Portfolio
Among the organisations involved are UK universities, global corporations and around 20 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The NDA's Direct Research Portfolio (DRP) forms a key part of the NDA's strategic research programme and focuses on direct funding for research that delivers innovation across multiple sites, develops technical expertise and informs NDA's strategy.
Following a 5-month procurement process, the 3 new framework contracts were awarded to 10 consortia, involving over 70 organisations and including 3 consortia led by SMEs. The contracts, last awarded in 2012, will cover the next 4 years.
The procurement was launched via a supplier day, aimed to engage smaller businesses in the process and facilitating establishment of consortia to bid for the contracts. Participation was also facilitated by use of the OJEU process and promotion via the NDA website. The contracts were split into 3 'lots':
• Lot A – University Interactions
• Lot B – Integrated Waste Management and Site Decommissioning and Remediation
• Lot C – Spent Fuels and Nuclear Materials

Lot A supports the NDA's University Research Strategy while Lot B and C support four of NDA's strategic themes.
The DRP contracts will also address cross-industry R&D requirements identified by the Nuclear Waste and Decommissioning Research Forum. DRP projects often lead to more extensive R&D projects carried out by Site Licence Companies (SLCs) and the supply chain. The combined annual R&D spend by NDA and SLCs is typically more than £85 million.
Following a detailed evaluation of the tender responses and follow-up technical interviews, framework contracts were awarded in each area:

Lot A: University Interactions
Single consortium led by National Nuclear Laboratory
1. National Nuclear Laboratory
o Supported by Frazer-Nash Consulting

Lot B: Integrated Waste Management and Site Decommissioning and Remediation
6 consortia led by Amec Foster Wheeler Ltd, Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd, Arup, Eden NE Ltd, Galson Sciences Ltd and NSG Environmental Ltd
1. Amec Foster Wheeler Ltd
o Consortium: Brenk Systemplanung and Jülich Research Centre, Andra, Cogentus Consulting, DAS Ltd, Imperial College London, Longenecker & Associates, MMI Engineering, NuVision, OC Robotics, Fortum, University of Birmingham, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, University of Manchester.

2. Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd
o Consortium: AdvanSci, Applied Photonics (APL), Areva RMC, Aurora, ESI, MDecon, Pöyry, ProNu-Dec, Tradebe Inutec, TWI, University of Liverpool, Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Surrey.

3. Arup
o Consortium: Costain, Pöyry, Studsvik, James Fisher Nuclear Ltd, SN3, AdvanSci, MCM, Bilfinger GVA, Pinsent Masons, CL:AIRE, r3 Environmental Technology, Dalton Nuclear Institute.

4. Eden NE Ltd
o Consortium: Cavendish Nuclear, DBE TECHNOLOGY GmbH, Golder Associates Limited, Tradebe Inutec, Project Time and Cost International Limited.

5. Galson Sciences Ltd
o Consortium: National Nuclear Laboratory, Frazer-Nash Consulting, Advansci, Amphos 21, Cogentus Consulting, Integrated Decision Management, Jacobs, Kurion, Rodgers Leask, VTT, University of Bristol, Lancaster University, University of Leeds, University of Manchester, University of Sheffield.

6. NSG Environmental Ltd
o Consortium: AECOM, ARC, Oxford Technologies, NPL, ESG, Quintessa, React Engineering, KDC, Tradebe Innutec, Synergy Health, Nuclear AMRC, Loughborough University, University of Manchester, University of Surrey.

Lot C: Spent Fuels and Nuclear Materials
3 consortia led by AMEC Foster Wheeler Ltd, Areva NC and National Nuclear Laboratory.
1. Amec Foster Wheeler Ltd
o Consortium: Andra, Brenk Systemplanung and Jülich Research Centre, Imperial College, DAS Ltd, Fortum, MMI Engineering, NPL, NRG, OC Robotics, Studsvik, University of Birmingham, University of Manchester, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, Loughborough University.

2. Areva NC
o Consortium: NSG Consultancy, MDecon, Quintessa, University of Liverpool, University of Sheffield.

3. National Nuclear Laboratory
o Consortium: Frazer-Nash Consulting, Galson Sciences Ltd, ALD France, Aquila Nuclear Engineering, DBD, DAS, IDM, Jacobs, Kurion, Rodgers-Leask, University of Bristol, Lancaster University, University of Leeds, University of Manchester, University of Sheffield, Imperial College.

LLWR
LLWR are holding their annual Customer Forum and supplier exhibition on the 29th June 2016 at Energus. This is always an awesome event so make sure you register to attend.

NuGen
So NuGen are holding their second stage consultation and after not being invited to the launch this time, just saying, I decided to go along to their Cleator Moor consultation. For myself it isn't just about the business impact but about how it will affect me living here and more importantly the effect on my girls. I have to say Lisa and I were looked after really well and any questions we had were answered thoroughly. I know there has been a great deal of controversy locally around NuGen building university type accommodation and how people are worried about them making an "us and them" environment and also there have been complaints over how they aren't attracting people to commit long term to the area. But I get it. The thing is the type of people going into this accommodation are those with specialist skills that they can't get locally and that they will only require for say 6 months. Things like tunnel specialists etc these guys make their living by moving from job to job so they are never going to relocate to Cumbria with their families for 6 months' work. This accommodation is more for the construction of the facility as opposed to those who will be operating it. Plus, if you look at the plans of these campuses, they have sports facilities, gyms, entertainment and healthcare, all which will be open to the public. They also intend to run healthcare seminars and workshops for the community to help tackle some of the problems we have in Copeland, like obesity. In addition, at operation stage, they will be employing people permanently and those people will either be local or will relocate to the area. There are many new estates being built and this will add into the local economy. For me though, the exciting thing is these will be career opportunities for my girls.
We also spoke about transport and their plans for managing staff flow to ensure that themselves and Sellafield aren't moving people at the same time. It really is quite fascinating all the work they have done in planning this even before an investment decision.
Another highlight for me was the interactive model of what Moorside would look like. You could view it from different positions in West Cumbria to see the visual impact it would have. I have to say, as a business and a resident in Copeland, I can't understand why anyone would oppose the new build.

In other NuGen news, on Monday we have our first recruit joining the business, which is super exciting and we hope it will be the first of many.

BEC
Any of you that have been following the Britain's Energy Coast and James Cox story will be interested to know that on the 20th May James Cox was sentenced to 6 years following a guilty plea to two counts of fraud by false representation, and four counts of transfer of criminal property, all related to his time at Britain's Energy Coast (BEC).
During his time at BEC Cox was employed as Finance Director for 5 months and stole £40,000.
The fraudulent activity was discovered following an internal audit at the request of Michael Pemberton following his appointment to the position of CEO, and a file was subsequently turned over to the police in March 2016.
Britain's Energy Coast are pleased to see Cox sentenced concurrently for obtaining employment by false reference, and for theft by fraud.

Prima Uno
Lovely Sarah Purdham at Prima Uno has launched Prima Uno Training.

Prima Uno training offers high quality training for people wanting to gain knowledge and experience in various aspects of project controls. Whether they are a company wanting to upskill their current workforce or an individual wishing to enhance their career. Prima Uno can deliver first class project controls training. Their course material is written following recognised best practise.

Courses available are:
• Introduction to Cost Engineering
• Introduction to Estimating
• Introduction to Basic Project Planning & Scheduling
• Project Planning – Cost and Resource Loading
• Introduction to Scope (Good/Bad)
• Introduction to Earned Value Management
• Risk, Opportunities, Exclusions, Contingency in a Project Environment
• Introductions to Project Controls
For more information visit www.primauno.co.uk or call 01946 817209

NuExec
It's been a busy few weeks for NuExec with some of our nuclear clients picking up a little bit of momentum. We have also submitted our application for the BECBC awards so fingers crossed that we will be shortlisted. As always, if your company is looking to recruit or if you are looking for a new opportunity, please do get in touch.

It Could Only Happen to Me!
So the last three weeks have been full of adventure. It started with the Xtreme Farrata at Honister Mine. This came about as my friend Claire and I were meant to be having a day / night out on the cocktails but as you may remember from my last blog due to my over indulgence of alcohol I really couldn't face that. So instead I thought it would be a really good idea to do something physical and scary. (It is 2 years until I am forty so I am starting a 'before I am forty' bucket list with loads of stuff I want to do and this was one of them.) Now, when I booked it I thought it was a great idea but when I looked at the video online, after booking, I began to wonder what an earth I had signed up to. So the day came and no, it wasn't one of the sunny Saturdays we've been having, it was the one before with strong winds and rain. Just the type of weather you want when you are climbing a cliff face and walking over a single wire bridge. Now Claire, who is super- duper fit and has done such mad things before, was very excited and very confident but I was absolutely terrified. I had actually discussed with the guys in the office on the Friday that if I was in fact to die there was no one who knew how to access the bank to pay them. I put it on my list to make sure Stefan is trained to deal with a NuExec emergency. Anyhow back to the story. As we stood waiting there was a group of guys there who had just completed it and they had great pleasure in telling us how awful and terrifying it was. (Why do people do that?)
The time came and we went and got on our harnesses and helmets. Honestly, harnesses are the most unflattering things ever and talk about wedgy! Anyway we got on the bus and headed up the mountain. We then had to walk through a pitch black mine with no torch with loads of water in it (at which point I learnt my walking shoes were not waterproof. – note to self: buy new walking shoes). Then we got to the cliff face. Now for some reason I thought we would be climbing up, but no, of course not that would be too easy and instead we had to climb down a bit and across. Another reason I was nervous is because I don't have a very good track record of safety clips. When I was at Go Ape I stood at the top of the tree completely confused as to why I had two clips in my hands. Anyhow I managed it and I was doing it: climbing and clipping and unclipping and holding on with every gust of wind. It was scary but the views were amazing. We then got to another section and I actually got stuck. I was holding on with two hands but I needed to unclip myself to the next section and just had no idea how an earth I would be able to do this. I started to panic and realised how embarrassed I would be if the man had to come and rescue me. Then I did the worst thing possible and looked down. The very nice man who was leading our tour saw the panic on my face and talked me through using my arm to hook myself on whist using my hand to unclip! Next was the bridge. This was the bit I was least looking forward to but actually it was fine. I made it across without any drama but with the help of me constantly singing 'zipadee do dah' to myself to keep me focused. When we reached the top the view was absolutely breath taking and I was so pleased that I had actually done it and, better than that, I hadn't died. I would highly recommend it to anyone and also the mines there are meant to be awesome so get yourself along for a bit of adventure.

So I am going to treat you to another quick one which Lisa said there was no way I could share but hopefully it will give you all a smile. (Although this time my husband probably will disown me.) In keeping with my trying new things I decided that I was going to go to the new trampolining keep fit class. Matthew agreed to come with me. Now at the time it seemed to be a good idea but then I remembered what happened the last time I was on a trampoline. Now I am going back about 6 years and I was bouncing on the trampoline in the garden when I suddenly felt very warm and somewhat moist. I was absolutely mortified that as a grown up I had actually wet my pants. I had conveniently blocked this from my memory until now. So I asked the NuExec Team what I should do and they said I should get some Tena Ladies. Could I really need Tena Ladies as a 38-year-old woman? I weighed up the options and decided a discreet pad would be more preferable to peeing my pants so I headed to the local pharmacy prior to class to get some. I took Lisa with me so I could pretend they were for someone else. The only problem was the only tena they had were pants. They looked extremely big but Lisa assured me they would be absolutely fine. The whole office found it absolutely hilarious and spent the entire afternoon laughing at my misfortune. The worst thing was I decided to try one on and it was actually a full nappy. I mean up to the belly button, rustle as you walk nappy. I was mortified and realised I couldn't wear my training pants with them as they would be really visible. I went home before class and tried on every pair or training trousers and shorts on that I owned and there was no way I could wear these ridiculous nappies. I actually sat on the bed and cried. How has my life come to wearing nappies! I nearly didn't go but I decided to take the risk and go nappyless. And apart from having to go for a wee 5 times in a 45-minute class I remained leak free.

Until next time.....

We have all woken up this morning to the news of a leave vote. Also the news that Cameron will be stepping down as Prime Minister from October. However, I don't believe my blog to be a platform to discuss politics so that is all I will say on the subject.

This week's blog is all about Sellafield and the changes that have been going on there.

It isn't often that a blog is dedicated to Sellafield, but I feel that with all that is going on and with all the gossiping, it is probably a good idea to tell you what is happening and, more importantly, to give you my take on it.

So probably the biggest thing for me is the news that my comm's crush, Rory O'Neill, Stakeholder Relations Director is moving on. Rory has been in his role for four years now and, love him or hate him, in that time he has made a real difference to the way in which Sellafield communicate with the supply chain and the general public. They have changed from "a behind closed doors" organisation to a much more open and transparent organisation. We might not always like what they communicate and sometimes they are a little slow with telling us what is already in the blog, but at least now we are being told and you can always pick up the phone and ask the question. Rory leaves at the end of the summer and I believe he will be really missed. I am going to tell you a quick story about my first meeting with Rory. I was told by someone in the supply chain that there was this new guy at Sellafield in the comms team and he was really pissed off with me and the fact that I write a blog. Apparently he was going to tell me off about it. Now I know I give out the attitude of not really caring about what people think of me and I will write what I want to, because I am the voice of the people, but truth be known the thought of getting told off by a grown up really worries me. I write the blog because I am passionate about the industry and I like to be able to share what is going on in the industry to help people improve their own businesses. I actually hate the thought that I am causing someone to be angry or upset with me as I much prefer to spread happiness and smiles than grumbling and anger. Anyhow, on with the story. It was at the NI Dinner in London and I knew I was going to be introduced to him and I was so nervous I actually felt sick in the pit of my stomach. However, when I was introduced he was absolutely charming, lovely and not nasty or negative about my blog. In fact, he praised what I did and the impact it had. From that moment he became my comms crush, taking time to come and have coffee with me and always having a craic when he sees me.

Now, Rory moving on sees a restructure within the team. Darren Ennis is now going to be leading external communications and I am sure he will do a great job. And socio economics is also on the move. Helen Fisher is still heading up socio economic and her goal remains the same wherever it sits within the organisation. Due to the nature of socio economics, she has always had to have a close relationship with procurement so it seems logical that Helen and the team will transfer over to the supply chain directorate. Helen will now report in to Martin Chown. Now I don't know much about Martin and haven't yet met with him, but I understand that he has a real interest in Socio Economics and Social Value, not just for Supply Chain but also across all Sellafield. Martin, who previously worked at Balfour Beatty, has experience in influencing government policy around SME's so it looks likely, through socio economic and his experience, that it should be good news for all of us SME's.

The next bit of Sellafield craic I would like to discuss are the changes in working arrangements. Now anyone who doesn't live locally may have missed out on this news so I will tell you what has been reported:

"All new starters at Sellafield will be subject to new terms and conditions, that also include fewer paid sick days. However existing employees are not affected.
Sellafield Ltd says the measures, being introduced early next month, are to save around £4 million a year and increase productivity. The unions say however that the move is "detrimental" to the site and "reneges on promises" made to current apprentices who will be subject to the new T&Cs on completion of their courses.
Included in the new terms are:

• starting salaries between 15 and 22 per cent lower. For newly-qualified apprentices for example, the average starting salary will be around £24,000, down from around £28,000.
• removal of 'accrued' days. Currently, staff work 40.75 hours per week (rather than the contracted 38.75) and get 13 extra days off a year. New starters will be contracted to work the 40.75 hours.
• fewer paid sick days. Currently, staff can be paid 261 full sick days in a four-year period. New starters will get full pay for 130 days and half-pay for 60 days in a four-year period.

Holidays, shift and separation area allowances, on-call arrangements and bonus entitlements are unaffected. Those who have been offered jobs at Sellafield Ltd but have not yet started will be subject to the old T&Cs."

Now I am sorry and I am going to be controversial here but I say "about bloody time." I think this is absolutely the right move by Sellafield and I will tell you as to why:

• SME's are continually loosing staff to Sellafield as we cannot afford to match the terms and conditions Sellafield offer.
• People are going to work at Sellafield, not because they have a passion or interest in the industry, but purely because it is seen as easy money with lots of holiday.
• People are leaving jobs in education and healthcare (teachers, doctors etc) to join Sellafield purely for the T&C's.
• I have spoken to people, socially, who see sick pay as their right and almost as additional holiday and take time off sick purely to use what they see is their right.
• It will change the attitude of local people who, instead of just looking at Sellafield as their future, will look at the Supply Chain and broaden their horizons.

Plus, we have to remember they aren't changing the contracts of the people currently working there, although sorry guys I think they should, they are just changing that of new starters.

Final story is about Mox.

Jamie Reed has addressed parliament to encourage a "clear, coherent and timetabled plan" to make the most of Sellafield's nuclear waste.
Around 140 tonnes of plutonium is currently being stored at the west Cumbrian site and Jamie believes his constituents are sitting on a gold mine that could create thousands of new jobs in the coming years.
The Labour MP, who is a member of the energy and climate change select committee, and a vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on nuclear, said: "Government must take action now to plan for an efficient and effective way to dispose of our nuclear stockpile.
"It's not a waste, it's an asset and the longer we leave it, the harder it becomes to do anything with."
It is believed the plant could create as many as 5,000 jobs during construction, in addition to a further 1,000 once it's operational.
The original Sellafield Mox plant shut in 2011 and yielded only 13.8 tonnes of Mox fuel over its nine-year life, well short of the 120 tonnes predicted.
Energy minister, Andrea Leadsom, said the government would not be able to make a decision on the second plant any time soon, Jamie says there can be no delay.
He said: "Time is of the essence. The longer that government waits to make a decision on plutonium disposition, the more difficult it will become to implement.
"By investing in, and adhering to a strategic plan to utilise Britain's plutonium stockpile as an asset, not only will we create an economically beneficial solution to a complex issue, but we will also further integrate nuclear research, knowledge and development in West Cumbria, thus continuing to establish the West Coast as a Centre for Global Excellence."
I think it is great that Jamie is behind this idea but I know this has been being discussed for at least 7 years so I think it is just a nice dream for the future.

NuExec
We have some great new roles at NuExec from Procurement, Contracts and Legal to Design, Risk, QS's and Commercial Managers. If you are considering a new role for nuclear opportunities visit: www.nuexecconsulting.co.uk and non-nuclear: www.nuexecrecruitment.co.uk. In addition, don't forget if you are looking to recruit Exceptional Individuals to your business get in touch.

IMechE Dinner
Last night I was privileged to join the guys of Doosan on their table at the IMechE Dinner. As always they treated me like a princess supplying plenty of prosecco and even flowers. It was a great evening and the students of Lakes College did a great job with the food. I found out through the evening the Geoff and I have way too much in common including our childish sense of humour when it comes to art. I really enjoyed the company of both John and Geoff and I look forward to beating them at Go Karting! – Thanks again for the invite guys.

Inspiring Change
I am not doing an "It can only happen to me" this week instead I am asking you to help me inspire change. Many of you won't know, but 6 months ago I became a Director of Time to Change CIC who run a project called Calderwood House. Calderwood House was set up by a fantastic lady called Rachel Holliday. In her teens she found herself homeless and she worked to turn her life around. One of her passions was that she wanted to help tackle homelessness in West Cumbria. Did you know over 8 million people in the UK are just one pay day away from homelessness? She worked hard to find an unused building that she could turn into a homeless hostel where people could live whilst the staff worked with them to make the necessary changes to get themselves back on their feet, into work and into their own accommodation. The project is based at the former Egremont Police Station and is a new innovative way to tackle homelessness and poverty in West Cumbria. The premises have been converted into eleven beds of ensuite accommodation for members of the homeless community, with ex-service men and women prioritised. Being involved in this project has absolutely changed the way in which I view homelessness and I have been so inspired by many of the residents.

One person that has really inspired me is Keith. Keith was in the forces and found himself homeless. He came to the hostel and thanks to the support from the staff he managed to secure work and his own flat. However, he still remains a regular fixture at Calderwood House and is always there volunteering and covering shifts when required. One of Calderwood's biggest challenges is to be self-sustainable and to do this we need income streams. So Keith came up with the idea of the directors, residents, staff and volunteers doing a sponsored "sleep rough". When Keith first mentioned this to me I said absolutely not. I don't even camp, let alone sleep out. I can imagine nothing worse than not having my creature comforts. Then, when I thought about it, I realized that I was prepared to give it up my time to be a director and support the project but without any real understanding of how it feels to sleep rough. Whilst it is my worst nightmare, maybe it is too for some homeless people. So I decided to promise Keith I would do it but I couldn't guarantee I would ever speak to him again afterwards.

So here is where you guys come in. For the past 4 years I have written a blog which you have read and it hasn't cost you a penny. You get all the exciting craic and get to share in my life's dramas. So I am asking that you give something back. I am asking that you sponsor me to take part in this sleeping rough night. Every penny raised goes straight into Calderwood House and really does change people's lives. And as an added bonus I will share a video blog of the night for you to enjoy. Every £1 makes a difference!! In addition, if you yourself are interested in taking part in the event please do get in touch with me.

https://www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/Emma-JayneSleepOut

Until next time.....

Happy Friday everyone! I can never understand how a week can go so fast but feel so long! It's certainly been a busy couple of weeks which is always a good sign.
Just a reminder that on the 27th August I am taking part in a night sleeping rough to raise money for Calderwood House, a homeless hostel in Egremont. I would really appreciate your support and if every one of my readers sponsored me just £1 that would be £6k so if you read the blog and find it useful or entertaining please make a donation. Here is the link for you: https://www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/Emma-JayneSleepOut

Sellafield News:
New tactics are being used to protect Sellafield from a terrorist attack. A renewed appeal has been launched for people to report anything suspicious surrounding the site, with the national threat level remaining high. And while the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) says there is no direct threat to Sellafield, officers have warned that they cannot afford to be complacent.

LLWR Customer Forum 2016 9th Customer Forum
I was delighted to attend the LLWR 9th Customer Forum. I always love these events due to the way LLWR engage with their customers. I feel the way in which they engage with local SME's and how they exceed targets is inspirational.
Following are a few notes from some of the presentations.

James McKinney - NDA
NDA strategy exists as it forms an important part to enable things to happen.
Need to engage Government policies and support them
Work is done by the SL's and supply chain
As a client always want improved performance, efficiencies and innovation

Strategy Development
Energy act 2004 need to review, update and consult the strategy at least every five years
Develop strategy continuously
Publish business plan on an annual basis
Moved from site restoration to site decommissioning and remediation to reflect international practice
Focus on strategic opportunities to make step changes to delivering mission
Focus on critical enablers
Driving themes: site decommissioning and remediation, spent fuels, nuclear materials, integrated waste management
Need robust waste solutions to deliver objectives
NDA is developing a single radioactive waste strategy

Integrated Waste management
Objective: to ensure that wastes are managed in a manner that protects people and the environment, now and in the future, and in ways that comply with government policies and provides value for money.

Focused on supporting risk and hazardous management
Waste management routes across the estate can continue to be optimised.
IWM principles have been developed
We are moving towards a single radioactive waste strategy, moving away from category based waste management route planning to risk based lifecycle approach to the management of wastes:

• Planning and preparation
• Treatment and packaging
• Storage
• Disposal

Dennis Thompson, Managing Director, LLWR
Future is uncertain - we don't know the long term outcome of the vote to leave Europe. In uncertain times. It's a big deal. These transitions occurring are part of the world we live. The customer forum is important but the world doesn't centre around LLWR. Our mission is to support the NDA and decommissioning of the sites. All the SL's and supply chain are part of the mission. If we are about something other than decommissioning, then we need to go back to our mission.

Largest risk remains a mis-consignment.

Waste Flow infographic
Opportunity to reflect on LLWR's progress

• 2009 95% waste disposed of at LLWR 5% rerouted
• 2015 5% waste disposed at LLWR 85% rerouted
• A startling transformation in waste management practices
  

LLWR is now a one stop shop solution giving access to 10 services across the full spectrum of customer needs:

• Characterisation
• Packaging / transport
• Treatment / disposal
• Research / development
• Support / Advice

Delivered through a single waste services contract for all customers
Service developed to align with the most urgent requirements off the national strategy

• Delivering services at more than 50 customer sites across the UK
• 88% of the waste has come from Magnox and Sellafield
• LLWR had created new markets within the UK attracting supply chain investment in facilities and infrastructure
• 12 public contracts led and managed by LLWR as Collaborative Procurements on behalf of the shared services alliance.
• £137million of cost avoidance through waste diversion instead of disposal
• Change in approach has allowed the estate to reflect the reduced future costs in their lifetime plan estimates.

Because of what's been done the asset of the site does not need another repository for LLWR. Plenty of capacity at LLWR.

Progress on the mitigation of mis-consignment
Last year LLWR initiated a programme to tackle this risk
Working with the national LLW programme board
Begun to collect and analyse estate wide data

Our game plan is to define the standards we, the regulators, and our suppliers expect consignors to implement for the consignment of wastes (through collaboration and engagement)

1852 consignments since 1 Jan 2015
43 condition reports (had issues) - 2.3%
22 condition reports associated with data or documentation
0 - intolerable
13 - tolerable
9 - Manageable

Looking to the future

• Network
• Culture
• Capability
• Integration

15-year contract with NDA
2008 - 2013 - Establishing future disposals
2013 - 2018 - Embedding - strengthening the network with LLWR, embedding and sustaining the cultural change in waste management practices
2018 - 2023 - evolving - maximising repository capability

Start thinking about tomorrow's problems!

Hannah Kozich Head of National Programme
UK Strategy for the management of solid low level waste for the nuclear industry

Programme Governance - working with stakeholders to review the strategy and to make sure the direction of travel reflected the strategy.

13,493 m3 diverted - 171 containers disposed - 89% diversion

Produced:
Guidance and Models
BAT and Gate Papers
Training
Peer review and assists

Looking forward
Opportunities across the whole waste management process to think differently and to identify what you could do.

Richard Cummings, Head of Science and Engineering
Revised permit
Effective 1st November 2015
Disposal of LLW can recommence (subject to planning permission)
Based on 2012 ESC
Includes new radiological capacity limits
Planning permission expected July 2016 this will enable the repository closure works to begin and allow two future vaults.
Business cases being developed and submitted

Dr Amy Huntington
In the 2011 ESC they did significant work to define and underpin WAC eg:

• Complexants
• Low activity sources
• Capacity
• Fissile

After WAC 4 went live further work to refine WAC:

• Compexants
• Non-rad
• Asbestos

Draft WAC 5
Based on:

• Revised permit for disposal
• Two years' experience on WAC 4
• Underpinning studies
• Out for consultation Feb 2016
• Customer workshops held
• Consultation closed May 2016
• Currently being revised based on feedback

Will be provided to the environmental agency for approval prior to issue
Under new WAC can now take complexants
New condition will allow asbestos

Craig Ashton, Head of WMS
Appointed in January but been doing the role for last 12 months
April 2015 – WMS Model:

• Characterisation
• Logistics
• Acceptance
• Service delivery
• Projects
• Service support

Craig felt this model had a lack of:

• Integration
• Focus on business improvement
• Focus on problematic and opportunity wastes
• Focus on future strategy and supply chain

New model

• Service delivery
• Service management
• Service support

Martin Walkingshaw
LLWR are a Strategic integrator
Establishing - Term 1
Embedding - Term 2

3rd term vision and themes
Thin line between a vision and a hallucination (Love this line I am so going to use this)
To fully exploit LLWR's potential to make radioactive waste safe, sooner
Enhanced disposal capability - current vaults, new concept
National programme for integrated waste management
Waste management hub
Organisation development and resilience
Closer working with RWM
Use existing NDA assets to accelerate final disposal of a wider range of wastes

The opportunity
286,000m3 of ILW identified in the 2013 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory.

More than 50,000m3 may be suitable for disposal at surface in existing vaults - opportunity delivered by better characterisation and implementing 'disposal by safety case' in the next 3 - 5 years.

An additional 100,000 to 150,000m3 may be suitable for disposal via a combination of existing vaults and a new 'enhanced disposal vault' - potentially available in 10 - 15 years

Significant waste streams that could be consigned for permanent disposal;
Items previously deemed LLW but incompatible with current safety case
Reactor decommissioning wastes
Bulk quantities of graphite

Benefit Realisation Plan - main categories
Disposal capability enhanced
Avoid building / replacing waste stores
Empty / consolidate existing waste stores
Remove or reduce requirements for waste conditioning
Reduce uncertainty (WAC could be available 2022)
Constraints eg schedule, dose etc
Disposal packaging flexibility / optimisation

This is not a replacement GDF it is more of the same of LLWR just doing it better. Sharing ideas for the future business case has to go to NDA.

Dennis Thompson closing
Remit is to help the UK manage its LLW. Keep business as usual going but now let's look at other LLW waste streams that are hard to deal with.

My Overview

The event did not disappoint and although some of the technical presentations were way over my head, I feel the key messages that came out is LLWR are committed to their mission to support the NDA and decommissioning of the sites. This means reassessing the waste and how that can be disposed of safely, efficiently and whilst driving value for money for the tax payer. Whilst they are looking at changes and growth at the repository, their remit remains with LLW, which under their new safety case, may be slightly different to what it is now, by opening up to other components. They are working with RWM but are not trying to be a solution to the need of the GDF, they are continuing to do what they do but do it better.

BECBC
It was another busy meeting at BECBC and following are my notes from some of the presentations:

NuGen - John McNamara
Part way through consultation. Holding school events explaining about the project and opportunities. Worked hard to reach hard to to reach groups.
2500 people through the door
Working on lots of things at NuGen growing team and recruiting people.
Have to do a robust consultation that shows have consulted with local people and taken into account what they have said.
Will get submission into planning by April next year. It will then be made public again by the planning inspectorate. No planning permission no power station.
Tried to cover all areas

Dianne Richardson Box Encapsulation Plant EPC
I always love seeing Dianne present she is so passionate and committed to socio economics it is quite inspirational.

Socio Economic Plan
Social Value Act 2012
Followed what Sellafield have in their plan and added additional
Committed to:

• 17 apprentices
• 10 Graduates
• 6 trainees
• Collaborating with West Cumbria Works

Education and skills:

• STEM
• Phoenix Role Models - Businesses going into youngster's space
• STEAM
• Engaging with schools

Growth:

• SME Agenda
• Communication with supply chain
• All opportunities going on BECBC website and on contract finder
• Send out a monthly newsletter about what ITT's are coming up and what contracts have been awarded.
• Communication and collaboration

Community

• 2 days of volunteering allowance
• Match employee fundraising up to £500
• Communicate volunteering opportunities to the team
• Work with local council to promote area
• Fund a community project in West Cumbria to be decided by the Socio-Economic Committee

Charities:
Claire House Children's Hospice - Warrington
Workington Lifeboat

@BEPDTuk – Follow on twitter

She finished on a lovely quote:
"It's the people thing that makes it work - Lord Mawson"

Servelec Controls Power and Nuclear
Stuart Harrison
The largest independent UK controls systems integrator for the energy sector
Customers: Magnox, EDF, Sellafield, National Grid, Drax and SSE
Locations: Glasgow, Aberdeen, Warrington and Sheffield
Accredited for work on Sellafield framework
Systems integrator
Markets: decommissioning, defence and energy
Delivering
Growing

Allerdale Business Growth Plan
Michael Osborne, Director Arup
This was an interesting presentation that sparked lively debate. They are doing a project for Allerdale Council in researching for the Business Growth Plan. Judging by the information shared I think they need to do some work on their research skills. When citing SME's, the two they mentioned were both in Copeland. Their information seemed incorrect and they didn't really seem to understand the area and the challenges within it.

Supply Chain
Cumbria Nuclear Solutions Ltd (CNSL) is made up of Jacobs Stobbarts, James Fisher Nuclear, React Engineering, Shepley Engineers, WYG and Westinghouse and are celebrating 10 years working with Sellafield. The six companies form one of the longest-standing collaborations at the site.
This week CNSL is holding the first of a series of community events planned for the next 12 months.
The second annual CNSL charity cricket match on Friday is being played to raise funds for the Friends of Chernobyl's Children Charity. The public are invited to go to Cleator Cricket Club from 1pm and give their support.

HARRIS PYE WINS FELLSIDE POWER STATION CONTRACT

The Harris Pye Engineering Group has won a turnkey contract from PX Limited to modify the combustion system at Fellside Power Station in Cumbria to meet the new IED emission requirements of NOX less than 100Mg/Nm3. The 188MW Fellside CHP plant provides critical process steam to the adjacent Sellafield nuclear reprocessing facility, and exports electricity to Sellafield and onto the National Grid.

NuGen
Last week NuGen announced a new chairman, Takeshi Yokota. Mr. Yokota is hugely experienced across the energy business portfolio of parent-company Toshiba and is currently Executive Officer and Corporate Senior Vice President of Toshiba. He will also lead Toshiba's activities in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and will relocate to offices in London, where he will be based. Mr. Yokota, will work closely with NuGen's board and CEO Tom Samson as the company takes forward development of NuGen into a company capable of delivering the next generation of nuclear reactors to provide safe, reliable and secure electricity to the United Kingdom.

NuExec
So I have some huge big news this week. Drumroll please......NuExec Consulting has been shortlisted in the BECBC Small Business award. We are absolutely delighted and it is such a huge achievement for us. They had 75% more entries this year than last time so the competition is really fierce. We have some stiff competition in our category and to be honest they are both worthy winners so to even be put in the same shortlist as them is an honour. Good luck guys!

Night Sleeping Rough
As I mentioned at the beginning of the blog I am facing my worst nightmare and spending a night sleeping rough. For someone who won't even camp this is a huge challenge for me and one I am truly dreading. I would like to say a huge big heartfelt thanks to all of the following who have been so very generous in sponsoring me:
Rachel Holliday, Tim Chittenden, Liz Bowe, Stephen McCullough, Sara Lamb, Peter Gregory, Chris Dempsy, Mark Holmes, Grant Gilmour, two anonymous donations and Kevin Farrington on behalf of all at Derwent Recycling. Thank you so much and every penny of your donation will go into the Calderwood House project helping to inspire change and giving people a new beginning.

It could only happen to him
Over the years of writing my blog I was beginning to think that it is only me that finds themselves in certain situations. I often question how I can be an adult with all these responsibilities but not really be a grown up at all. So I was delighted when a significant figure (he will love me saying that) in the Cumbria nuclear industry, who you may well believe is a true professional who would never make a misjudgment or find themselves in a situation actually did. And not only did he, but he shared it with me and allowed me to use it in my blog. For the purposes of my blog I will call him Bob!
Bob was in Paris with work. He needed to get the train from his hotel to a certain stop to attend a conference. He was sat on the train feeling very important to be there and watching all the people and trying with his bad French to decipher what they were saying. The train stopped at a station a few stops before his and an announcement came on: "S'il vous plait quitter le train." "Please leave the train" The announcement came on a few times and everyone in his carriage got off. He thought what a very popular station it was and waited a good few minutes until the train set off again. It then dawned on him that the train hadn't stopped at the next station, or the next and as it sailed past his station he suddenly began to panic. What was he going to do? What if they are going to travel hundreds of miles? He thought about pulling the emergency cord but was worried that by doing that he may cause an accident. He pulled out his phone and he had no phone signal. The train stopped and dropped and he realised he was in some kind of maintenance area. He realised the train was way lower than the platform the doors wouldn't open and even if he climbed out of a window he wouldn't get out. He tried pulling the cord but by this time the driver had already got out of the train. He began to panic. He had no phone signal, he had no idea how to get out of the train and he didn't speak French. He heard distant voices and saw a group of maintenance guys. He stood on the seat and started to bang on the window. "Help, help I'm stuck!" After what seemed a lifetime but in essence was only about 5 minutes one of the guys spotted him. The result was a group of Frenchmen laughing at him having to be rescued from the train by a ladder. Followed by an expensive taxi ride to the conference.

Until next time.....

It's blog Friday again. I hope you have had an enjoyable couple of weeks and you are all ready for the kids for a whole 6 weeks. The next blog won't be until the 2nd of September as I know a number of you are going to be on holiday and won't really care what is going on in and round the industry. As a reminder, the Saturday before my next blog I am doing a night sleeping rough to raise money for Calderwood House, which is a homeless hostel based in Egremont. This is probably one of my worst nightmares and I will of course do a video log for you all so you can enjoy my suffering. As with all these things, what is really important is that people get behind the cause and sponsor. Even if it is just for a £1 please follow the link and make me sleeping rough worthwhile and help put a roof over the heads of those ex forces men and women and those less fortunate than ourselves:

https://www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/Emma-JayneSleepOut

LLWR
This blog, I am featuring LLWR as oppose to Sellafield as I was absolutely delighted to hear the news that our friends at LLWR have finally been granted their planning permission.
The decision will also secure existing jobs and ensure the future of LLWR until 2050.
Cumbria County Council also agreed to an extension to a third vault for the disposal of waste in specially-grouted containers.
Dennis Thompson, Managing Director of LLWR, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the outcome.
"After three years of hard work, millions of pounds of investment, utilising dozens of technical and scientific experts, we submitted a substantive technical document that makes the case that it is safe to dispose of low level waste at the site."
The planning permission also allows the construction of a final cap over existing and new vaults, and seven clay-lined trenches where waste was disposed of prior to the opening of the site's first vault in 1988.
Dr Richard Cummings, Head of Science and Engineering at LLWR, said: "We have no greater priority than the safety of people and the environment, which is why such a huge amount of work went in over three years to produce our environmental safety case (ESC), on which our planning application was based.
"We had 80 technical experts working on it and considered environmental safety now and up to thousands of years into the future. The ESC comprised 17 reports and a non-technical summary, plus a further 100 underpinning reports.
"When complete, it was subject to independent review by the Environment Agency, who concluded we had met their very stringent safety requirements and it was safe to continue to dispose of low level waste at the repository."
Congratulations guys from the NuExec Team! 

Nuclear Weapons Programme
It was great news on the 18TH July when MP's voted to renew the UK's nuclear weapon programme called Trident. Not only is this part of keeping the UK safe from enemy attack but the nuclear defence industry employs a huge number of people and not renewing it would result in job loses of over 15,000 without all the supply chain companies that would lose major projects. Had they voted no it would have had a devastating effect on Cumbria.

Supply Chain

James Fisher Nuclear and Createc
Fabulous news came out this week that two Cumbria-based companies have secured contracts to support the clean-up of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear site in Japan, fending off stiff competition from the UK and the rest of the world.
Both companies have worked on Sellafield, and have benefited from the close UK-Japan relationships fostered by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Sellafield Ltd.
Createc has secured a significant new contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to develop a suite of innovative radiation sensors for use at the Fukushima nuclear site in Japan.
It is the only partner working with Mitsubishi on the sensor development aspect of the Fukushima project and it is great recognition of the Cumbria-based team's ideas.
James Fisher Nuclear has also been awarded a new contract by Mitsubishi to develop the cutting edge technology needed to sample radioactive debris sitting below reactor cores at the Japanese plant.
We are very proud of our friends at JFN for this achievement and know Createc will do fantastic work also.

Prima Uno
It's been a successful week for all our friends and we are over the moon for our neighbours PRIMA Uno who have won a framework contract with the Low Level Waste Repository at Drigg.
Prima Uno employs 26 people in West Cumbria and is the first SME in the county to be awarded a framework contract through the repository's new business services marketplace.
Managing Director Sarah Purdham, who set up Prima Uno three years ago, said: "Winning this framework means so much to me, Prima Uno and all our staff.
"Our experience helping blue-chip clients achieve sector-leading performance puts us in a wonderful position to deliver value to Low Level Waste Repository."
"Through our programme delivery and performance improvement approaches we support clients to achieve increased levels of efficiency, cost savings, and assurance. This provides clients with predictability, as well as contributing to their goals and targets."

Dead proud of you Sarah and team, and well done LLWR for engaging with another SME!

Arco
Arco, the safety products provider, plans to create a new distribution centre at Lillyhall, close to Sellafield's logistics hub, employing up to 10 people after winning an £11m contract to provide personal protective equipment (PPE).

Bendalls
Bendalls have won the Vessels and Tank Category Management Framework for Sellafield. The framework should safeguard 110 jobs at Bendalls, Carlisle, and provide work for the design offices in Cleator Moor and Warrington and its Chirton Engineering business in the North East.
Ivan Baldwin (who actually featured in the last blog), Business Development Director at Carr's Engineering, said: "It will involve the design and manufacture of the most complex pressure vessels and tanks on the Sellafield site.
"It will be technically challenging as the entirety of the build is what is called quality grade one, the highest-quality standard for nuclear.
"Often these tanks hold radioactive waste and they are in contaminated facilities where, once they're in, they can't be taken out."

New Build
UK regulators expect to complete the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process for the Westinghouse AP1000 and Hitachi-GE's UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR) in March and December of 2017, respectively. In its quarterly GDA report for February to April 2016, the Office for Nuclear Regulation also said it has "developed 'entry criteria' to provide transparency on the factors that underpin our decision on readiness to commence GDA" for China General Nuclear's HPR1000 design.

NuExec
Well, we have certainly had a crazy couple of weeks and have had a huge number of vacancies in, which is always fantastic. I never really take advantage of my blog to advertise jobs, but as I am not writing for a while and because the roles are awesome, I am going to share some of them with you. If you feel you are an Exceptional Individual and are interested in any of the roles get in touch with me:
Cumbria

• Sales Engineer
• Fabrication/ Pipe Trainer Assessor
• Electrical Engineer
• Civil Engineer
• GeoTechnical Engineer
• Town and Country Planner
• Transport Planner
• Construction Director
• Office Manager – Arlecdon School
• Support Worker – Calderwood House

Other UK Locations

• Lead Electrical Engineer – Nuclear New Build - Manchester
• Project Controls Manager / Coach – MOD - Bristol
• Project Managers – MOD – Derby
• Commercial Managers – MOD – Bristol
• Project Manager – Pharmaceutical – Ware
• Procurement Manager – Airports – Manchester
• QS – Various locations and Various sectors

Middle East – Nuclear Power Plant Experience

• Senior Construction Civil Engineer
• Senior Contract Management Specialist
• Contract Management Specialist
• Senior Construction Electrical Engineer
• Project Manager

Calderwood House – Sleeping Rough
I just want to say a huge big thank you to all of those who have sponsored me over the last 2 weeks for my sleeping rough challenge: Jackie Wilkinson, Gill Marsden, Ben Pascall, Mike Newell, David Henderson, Peter Doyle, Anthony Dutta, Neil Fennell, Rob Greaves and an anonymous contributor. – Your generosity really well help to change lives.

It can only happen to me.
I am not sure if I have mentioned it but I am moving house. We had our date of the 18th July and everything was sorted. All the boxes packed, the girls beds sold so they are sleeping on airbeds, deliveries all booked for the 19th, removals booked, post redirected and we were all excited and ready to go. But as you will all know, things are never simple for me so you will not be surprised to hear that less than a week before we were due to move came the news that our sellers seller had pulled out of their sale and they now needed to find a rented property before the sale completed. I was beside myself, certain that our buyers would pull out, and not really knowing what to do. After crying a lot (I don't actually know why I cry because it actually solves nothing) I received a text from our buyer asking what was going on. I texted him back and explained the situation and advised that if it was a case of us losing the sale we would put our things in storage and go and stay at a hotel until we were sorted. Thankfully the chap buying our house is one of the loveliest people I have had the pleasure to meet and he told me that I was under enough stress as it was and that would not be a good idea with the girls. So here we are in limbo. Still not moved and living out of boxes. Hopefully by the time I write again I will be all settled in my dream home!

Until next time......

Hello – Have you missed me?? I can't believe it has been 7 weeks since I last wrote a blog. That is, without doubt, the longest time I have gone since writing. I hope I haven't forgotten how to do it. So, since I last wrote I am now living in a new house, I spent a night sleeping rough and I found out I can't ski, which I will tell you all about later, but for now, on with the blog.

Sellafield
I am sure we all watched it and you know I am going to have to talk about it and give my opinion on it. So, on Monday was the Panorama programme about safety at Sellafield. To me it just looked like bitter NMP employees wanting to "have a go" at Sellafield. The majority of the information they shared is already in the public domain and it was just sensationalised for viewing impact. Also, the fact they used "reconstructions" instead of accepting Sellafield's invitation to come on to site and film were laughable. If the guys for NMP were so concerned about safety, why did they not do something about it whilst they were in post? However, the best part of the programme for me was when NMP said Sellafield were wasting millions of pounds of tax payers' money. Can I just remind everyone of the following:
"In September 2013 it emerged that NMP executives had received £6.6 million in bonuses over three years, despite most of the work being delayed and over budget. The company was accused of wasting taxpayers' money and of an "alarming" lack of transparency. Margaret Hodge announced she would open another Public Accounts Committee investigation into the consortium in October to look into these and other concerns.
Just days later an internal audit report revealed that NMP had run up hundreds of thousands in problematic expense claims by executives at the taxpayer-funded Sellafield site between 2008 and 2012. One such claim was an 'eyecatching' £714 taxi bill for the repatriation of an executive and their cat. According to The Times,
The audit of a sample of 606 Sellafield expenses has been flagged red due to serious deficiencies in the control framework. It found that £236,781 of expense claims were inadequately described; £30,557 related to personal expenditure and £42,711 should have been lodged with NMP not the taxpayer funded body. The claims included £2,795 for flights to the US Masters golf tournament, rooms for 17 unidentified people that cost more than £3,000 and a £2,316 Apple computer.
Other NMP executives' claims included an £82 per person dinner in France, and £719 for Amazon purchases without providing a receipt."

Now just remind me, who did they say were wasting taxpayers money?
So, that was my opinion on the programme but following is the official NDA and Sellafield statement:
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Sellafield Ltd have issued a joint statement in response to this evening's Panorama broadcast.

Sellafield site, West Cumbria
Sellafield is safe, there is no question about that. Maintaining safety is the priority at Sellafield. Employees work around the clock every day to ensure that the site is safe today, tomorrow and in the future.
It is disappointing that despite giving BBC Panorama access to Sellafield and spending a significant amount of time explaining complex issues, the programme painted a negative picture of safety that we do not recognise.
Sellafield Ltd rightly operates in one of the most regulated industries in the world and current safety performance is excellent and improving and the workers are making great progress in cleaning up Europe's most complex nuclear site on behalf of the UK taxpayer.

Pile Fuel Cladding Silo
The first of six mighty doors which will unlock the contents of one of Sellafield's most hazardous buildings arrives safely at the nuclear site.
One of the 'big four' legacy facilities at Sellafield – the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo – is a step closer to being cleaned up thanks to the arrival of the 12.4 tonne stainless steel doors, which will be key to opening the building's 'locked vaults'.
The doors – equivalent to the weight of around 150 grown men and over 7m tall and 4m wide – will be the access point for waste retrievals machinery to safely begin lifting out the silo's contents for the first time.
Following years of design, planning, manufacture and testing up at the Rosyth site of supply chain partners Bechtel Cavendish Nuclear Solutions and BMT, the first door safely arrived at the site in early August.
The door was successfully lifted into a massive 40-tonne, 9-metre wide steel door frame on the side of the building.
All six silo doors are expected to be installed on the facility by Christmas 2016, ready for waste retrievals to start in 2020.
The Pile Fuel Cladding Silo, which dates back to the 1940s, is one of the most difficult tasks in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's (NDA) nationwide nuclear clean-up programme.
Nuclear waste was tipped into the building during the earliest days of Sellafield, when the site's purpose was to create material to make weapons.
But no plans were drawn up for how future generations would take out the waste when the building was at the end of its life.

BECBC
This month's BECBC meeting saw Sellafield's John Sidney, Head of Category Management gave a talk about Category Management.
Principles

• Aggregation enables meaningful analysis of the end to end values adding process
• Standardise to reduce waste from bespoke designs
• Simplify to reduce transactional waste eg. procurement
• Organise to streamline delivery eg. technical queries

The outcome should be transformational rather than incremental improvements

Category management is being delivered with intense early supplier engagement. Everything is open to challenge and the knowledge base is growing rapidly as a result.

Current plan

• Ventilation Systems £50m ITT Q3 2016
• Glove Box Systems £150m ITT Q3 2016
• Fire alarm Systems £5m ITT Q3 2016

These are future plans and are not in procurement plan yet

• Radiometrics
• Remote handling
• Control systems
• Electrical distribution
• Roofs
• Steam supply
• Pipework
• In cell equipment
• UPS - uninterruptible power supplies
• Valves (specialist valves only)

It was positive to hear that work is going to be coming out of Sellafield as the supply chain continue to struggle under the lack of work coming out. Every company you speak to regardless as to whether they are an SME or Tier 2 are struggling for work and a number of companies have closed down their Cumbrian offices, or hugely downsized, which is such an awful shame.

Supply Chain News
Carr's Engineering has successfully secured an exclusive framework to deliver high integrity in-cell tanks and vessels including heat exchangers and evaporators to Sellafield Ltd for the next 10 years. At time of tender the framework was valued up to £48m and was won through a competitive European wide OJEU process.

Carr's Engineering adopted a collaborative approach with Global Energy who secured the contract to manufacture high integrity out-cell tanks and out-cell medium integrity tanks and vessels. This working partnership offers Sellafield Ltd a high degree of flexibility to manage capacity demands whilst also providing opportunities to share best practice across suppliers and to expand the apprentice exchange programmes and skills development across the two businesses.

To enhance the value of their service with extended programme management and process design capability their team also includes Copeland based Prima Uno, an SME, and Amec Foster Wheeler.

Brian Sherwen Photography
It is with a heavy heart that I bring the sad news that during the summer, one of West Cumbria's characters died at just 69. Brian retired from Sellafield in 1999 and took up photography. He did some great work for Sellafield, the council and general local events and he was a huge advocate of SME's and keeping work local. More than that though he would always bring a smile to your face whenever you spoke to him. He always had the craic, always went out of his way to speak to me and always made me laugh. My heart goes out to his friends and family and West Cumbria have lost a legend.

NuGen

NuGen has begun to evaluate the feedback from the second stage of its public consultation on plans for the Moorside Project.

During the consultation:

• 34 consultation events were held across Cumbria over an 11-week period
• More than 3,000 people visited the consultation events
• More than 1,000 pieces of feedback were submitted#
• Exhibition events were held at schools, in the workplace and on-site at Sellafield

NuExec
Things are going well in the NuExec offices and we have taken on a lovely new lady called Katie who is doing extremely well. We had the filming this week for our BECBC Small Business of the Year Award as a shortlisted company. It was great fun and we were actually told off for laughing too much. Nuclear business remains quiet as it does for most businesses, but we have a few roles ticking along and our Recruitment business is flying with a number of vacancies, which is great. As ever though if you are looking to recruit for your business or you are looking for a new role – get in touch.

Night Sleeping Rough
So as you will all know on the 27th August I did a night sleeping rough at Egremont Castle to raise money for Calderwood House homeless hostel. As expected it was the worst night of my life and very emotional too. As promised I did do a few short videos so please have a little watch if you have some time: https://www.youtube.com/user/EJGNUEXEC - Be warned there are tears, snot and ugliness!
I am delighted to at time of writing this have raised a massive £1550 for Calderwood House. Every penny of which will help inspire change and give those of Copeland, with a priority to ex- service men and women, somewhere safe to call home. I am eternally grateful for peoples generosity it means so very much and I am going to thank everybody here now:
Tim Chittenden, Liz Bowe, Steve McCullough, Sara Lamb, Peter Gregory, Chris Dempsy, Mark Holmes, Grant Gilmour, Kevin Farrington, Rob Greaves, Neil Fennel, Tony Dutta, Peter Doyle, Dave Henderson, Mike Newell, Ben Pascall, Gill Marsden, Jackie Wilkinson, Glen Edwards, John Edwards, Victor Plaskowski, Lee Butterworth, Elaine Gooch, Joanne Holliday, Stephen Carruthers, Alexandra Greenlees, Alan Rankin, Stefan Liesker, Katie Rumney, Kate Garratt, Lisa Kent, Lindsay Edmiston, Lee Grears, Sarah Doyle, Joanne Knight-Green and Gary McKeating. – You are all my hero's thank you!

If you haven't donated and still want to here is the link: https://www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/Emma-JayneSleepOut

It Could Only Happen to Me!
My husband has been trying to get me skiing since we first met. He has been skiing since he was 4 and is keen for us to go on a skiing holiday. So finally at the end of August myself and my two daughters went for a day of skiing lessons. Now I thought a day of skiing lessons would be 9am until 2.30pm but oh no, it was 9am – 5 pm with 30 minutes for lunch.
We arrived, and I was dressed like the Michelin man, and headed out onto the snow. Things started ok and we learnt to put the ski's on. I just about managed that. Then we practiced sliding with one ski on and one off. I kind of managed that too. Then came the slope. To begin with we just went a little way up the slope. We all had to learn to side step up the slope to get to the level we needed to be. I managed that and managed my first ski down without any trauma. – Maybe I could be alright at this after all. My girls of course were naturals and did everything they were asked like they had been skiing for years. We then moved a little higher. The order we were in was Maddy, me, a random boy who didn't have his parents with him so decided to become an addition to my family, Caity, another boy, the boys Dad and another couple. The instructor was moving a cushion barrier and she lost her grip and it started to slide down the hill. Me being me went to help her, completely forgetting I was in ski's and was half way up a ski slope. The result was "the domino". I knocked into the boy who knocked into Caity who knocked into the other boy (you get the drift) until we all ended up on our bums. I was so embarrassed and from that moment decided I hated skiing, but it was only 11am and we still had the whole day to go. I fell over – a lot! I cried, I swore and if the kids hadn't been there I would have quit. It was definitely one of the longest days of my life! As for the skiing holiday the girls can't wait to go, but I have told Stefan he can take them on his own and I will book a spa holiday – now relaxing I can do! 

Until next time.....

This week has been one of those weeks that makes me feel truly grateful for the people I am lucky enough to know in this industry. I have had a few conversations with people this week that truly inspire me; people who are real leaders in the industry, but who take time to have a coffee with me. It almost makes me feel a little bit important.

So on with the blog:

There aren't any real Sellafield stories so I am going to tell you about the Cumbria Nuclear Conference in Carlisle I attended this week. Apparently this was the "only ever nuclear conference to be held in Cumbria." It's funny though because I swear I have attended a number of conferences in West Cumbria focussed on Nuclear. Still, if the MP for Carlisle and the press say it is the first Cumbrian Nuclear Conference, then that must be right.

Cumbria Nuclear Conference

WYG and North Associates sponsored the event and were kind enough to invite me along to the dinner and the conference.
John Stevenson, MP Carlisle opened the event and said it was about highlighting opportunities and letting businesses get a chance to grasp them.

Tom Samson NuGen
Announcement about Hinkley is starting to gain momentum for NuGen. Importance of Cumbria and the role that it plays is unrivalled across the world.

Part of Cumbria future
Tremendous opportunity for the supply chain
Delivering 7% energy for the UK
Community, social and education initiatives already underway

Why Nuclear New Build is so Important

• Security of supply
• Domestic source of base load generation
• Stable platform for affordable power
• Serious about environment nuclear has to be part of programme
• Economic prosperity for Cumbria
• Rich legacy in this part of country and should embrace it and build on it

NuGen's Vision
Creating safe, reliable, affordable, low carbon energy using proven nuclear technology.

Values:
Ambition
Teamwork
Integrity
Accountability
Safety

Building structure and definition around organisation.
Process
Perform
Protect
Plan

Stakeholder Engagement
Challenges
Partnership with stakeholders to move forward
National Grid starting second stage consultation soon

Opportunity to deliver economic, social and industrial change
Delivery of nationally significant critical infrastructure must ensure wider regional benefits.
Regional economics play an important part of that critical national infrastructure but they have not always prospered in those communities closest to those developments.

Taking a layered approach to tackling the workforce challenge.
Train and develop the under and unemployed locally to take advantage of the employment opportunities during both construction and operational phases.
Develop exciting career paths
Make NuGen opportunities accessible to as wide a regional workforce as possible
Attract national skills to Moorside
Supplement national skills gaps with international talent

Board meeting held in Cumbria last week.

UK Industrial development potential
A sustainable nuclear new build programme offers a significant opportunity for wider UK industrial development to support that growing domestic need.

NuGen are focused on delivering sustainable solutions across local communities.
Will ensure British companies are integral to moving forward but some of the expertise will come from companies outside of the UK as that is where the experience lays.

Rail strategy to bring workers to site
Worker housing - not temporary camps sustainable infrastructure
Amenities - recreational facilities to allow businesses to be developed locally and community to benefit
Iconic infrastructure including visitor and recreational area

Improving accessibility and resilience of infrastructure
Facilitate conversations with Government to ensure wider benefit to Cumbria regarding roads.

Are making significant progress especially with speaking to investors.

Pete Lutwyche NDA
Pete was standing in for John Clarke and at the end if his presentation advised us that he is leaving the NDA and going back to Jacobs. There are certainly some interesting changes going on and it does make you question why. Is it because they see the changes that need to be made having worked for a commercial organisation but haven't had the backing to implement it? Or is it just because Jacobs offered a nice big salary that was too good to turn down?

Anyhow on with what he said:

• Importance of Hinkley Point a real boost for the industry.
• Cumbria massively important to us heart of the nuclear industry
• Challenges - face a lot of things that we are dealing with weren't built with decommissioning in mind.
• Recognise need support of the supply chain from large companies to SMEs
• Approach very complex and political. Lots of risks and challenges that fall into the unknown area
• Incubate supply chain that helps support the unknown
• Provide supply chain with longevity of work and a landscape to compete in
• Want to move away from short term horizons and do longer and broader
• History of big programmes going up in cost have a more holistic approach to delivering work
• Spend on decommissioning is significant. Half of the £3bn spend goes to supply chain
• Look at Sellafield and how we provide support to the community alongside NuGen
• Working with CONE to set that framework
• At Sellafield need to encourage a genuine nuclear supply chain. Up until now it has been a food chain not a supply chain.
• Encourage companies to come with longevity to invest their business in the area.
• Need to focus right across the supply chain. It's about how the large companies work with their supply chain.
• SMEs offer innovation 21% spend
• Need to continue to engage with SMEs
• Sellafields performance over last couple of years has been good especially safety
• Met all operational targets over last couple of years
• Legacy ponds and silos making real progress
• Magnox storage - bulk retrievals
• Sludge being removed and going into safe storage
• Silos will have retrievals before 2020
• Biggest improvement Magnox swarf silos - treating waste in a different way with huge time and financial savings.
• Understand how build on these achievements
• Complex problems - plans in place to develop them - how we engage
• Still have an important mission to deliver
• Try and do things differently
• Collaborative approach has to be driven forward
• Wants to partner from the beginning not when problems set in
• Have to think differently and do different things.

Believes the industry is on the brink of doing something special.

Professor Fyfe
I am not sure what to say about Professor Fyfe's presentation other than it was absolutely full of passion, personality and a couple of "F Bombs" that even shocked me.

Community development
Economic development

Areas of improvement - have been phenomenal achievements
Building from it not blaming

Partnering improvements - need to do it better
Bigger companies buddying with smaller companies in an entrepreneurial way.

Still have a concern about social issues in Cumbria who may not benefit from growth. Companies and social enterprise may help.

Paul Howarth NNL
The principal R&D organisation to underpin UK's national nuclear programmes
Work with government to come up with industry strategy

NNL supports the UK's entire civil nuclear fission programme

Role of nuclear R&D
Underpin critical operations and safety case
Ensure right approach is taken
Innovation opportunities
Reduce cost, reduce timescale, improve safety

NNL's leverage and uniqueness exists in bringing its network of academia, national labs, industry (SMEs, supply chain) together to address S&T challenges.

NNL operations model is unique
Deliver R&D solutions to customer to time, cost and quality in a commercially effective manner

What we do
Underpin operations
Reduce radioactive hazards
Accelerate programmes
Facilitate innovative solutions

Innovative technology to support clean up
Laser scanning of legacy facilities
Reconstruct cad drawings
Enable remote operations to be deployed
Remotely decommission and decontaminate

Reactors - what we do
Reactor technology
Reactor and station plant chemistry
Reactor material assessment
Ageing plant strategy management
In service plant inspection

CONE
Cumbria - enables delivery of the UK's energy, defence and economic growth policy objectives
To achieve this requires a coordinated approach across the region
High levels of quality jobs delivering significant local spend by employees
Supply chain - mix of major players through to SMEs
Workforce - unrivalled breadth of experience and expertise

Challenges:
Skills
Infrastructure
Supply chain
Innovation
Community
One voice

So what is CONE?
Brings together organisations across the sector with a single voice: Nuclear Industry, tier 1, supply chain, public sector, academia etc

Cumbria needs a collective voice

NAMRC Peter Handley
Spoke about what they do and what they offer as a business.

Clive Anderson - WYG - main board director
How we became part of the supply chain

• Over 25 years in Cumbria in nuclear
• 1989 commissioned to undertake bridge inspections at Drigg - first time in nuclear
• Nuclear rebirth in and around Cumbria
• WYG global project management and technical consultancy
• Employ 1,600
• Export UK knowledge across the world
• Leeds based Plc
• One office Carlisle and one Cockermouth
• Strong partnerships
• 2015 framework for RSRL and Magnox secured
• Mod is WYG's biggest client
• Over 600 security cleared staff

Polish new nuclear - Amec foster Wheeler and WYG secured contract in 2014 to oversee EPC contract and oversee from a project management perspective

After lunch there were breakout sessions. I went into the Supply chain session but after 15 minutes of listening to the exact same presentation I had heard from the NAMRC not an hour before I decided it would be a good time to sneak off back to the office.

So my thoughts of the event was that it was a good networking opportunity, it was actually nice to have a nuclear conference outside of West Cumbria. I was concerned it would be highly political but I actually found the morning of the conference really interesting and there were some different presentations and messages from the norm. The Dinner the night before which I haven't mentioned was actually a really good evening. The food was fabulous and the Ministers that spoke were very interesting. It does of course come attached to an it could only happen to me which you can read at the end of the blog!

Supply Chain
ISA
ISA have had their contract renewed with the NDA which is fantastic news for Morgan Sindall, Arup and the supply chain companies they engage with.

Mitchell Dryers
Sad news that Mitchell Dryer of Carlisle have gone into administration.
The privately owned firm, which makes and supplies industrial dryers for the food, chemical, mineral and pharmaceutical industries, has a history dating back to 1859. There are 32 jobs at risk.

New Build

I know we all know but last week came the exciting news the Government announced it has signed a revised agreement in principle with EDF for the Hinkley project. While the agreed contract for difference (CfD) - the guaranteed price for electricity generated by Hinkley Point C - still stands, the government has imposed what it calls "significant new safeguards for future foreign investment in critical infrastructure".
In a statement, Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), said: "Having thoroughly reviewed the proposal for Hinkley Point C, we will introduce a series of measures to enhance security and will ensure Hinkley cannot change hands without the Government's agreement."
According to the statement from BEIS, "The government will be able to prevent the sale of EDF's controlling stake prior to the completion of construction, without the prior notification and agreement of ministers." It noted that existing legal powers, and the new legal framework, will mean the government is able to intervene in the sale of EDF's stake once Hinkley is operational.
The new legal framework for future foreign investment in UK critical infrastructure will mean the government will take a "special share" in all future nuclear new build projects. This, it says, will ensure significant stakes cannot be sold without its knowledge or consent. Developers or operators of nuclear sites will be required to inform the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) of any change of ownership or part-ownership. The government will then "advise or direct the ONR to take action to protect national security as a result of a change in ownership".
This approach, the government said, will bring the UK's policy framework for ownership and control of critical infrastructure "into line with other major economies".

This is fabulous news and brings new confidence for Cumbria in Moorside going ahead.

NuExec
As is always the case the last two weeks have absolutely flown by. We have some interesting roles linked to the Hinkley New Build project based down in Bristol and also have a number of non nuclear roles we are currently recruiting. As is always the case, if your business is looking to recruit or you are looking for a new role, please do get in touch.

It Could Only Happen to Me!
Wednesday was the day of the dinner. I had a meeting and then headed to Carlisle. Now when I left the meeting I kind of needed a wee, but I decided I would stop on the way to Carlisle. The journey was underway and I decided I would stop at the garage to use the facilities however, I got stuck behind a tractor and only managed to pass it just before the garage. There was no way I was going to stop and get stuck behind it again. So I carried on my journey getting more and more desperate. I was staying at the Ibis on Botchergate and managed to drive past the car park. Then I got myself stuck in traffic and got into a complete pickle on the one-way system. By this point I was beyond desperate and was actually having to hold myself. The trickles of sweat were forming on my head and I was now beyond concerned. As I managed to get myself on the right road I hit a traffic jam. I was convinced I was actually going to wet myself and started to work out what I would say and how I would hide the fact I had wet myself on entering the hotel. I started to try and work out what I could put on my seat to keep me dry when I got back into the car. Finally, I made it to the car park. With tears in my eyes I left my stuff in the car and ran to the hotel. Thankfully the toilets were straight through the doors, I have never been so pleased to wee in my life.

Now you would think that would have been enough drama for a day but oh no, I wasn't finished with yet.

My hotel was just a five-minute walk from the hotel where the dinner was being held, so a quick walk and I would be there. I decided to wear my hair down and straightened. So as girls do, I took ages to do my make-up and straighten my hair. I then headed downstairs and was about to step out when I noticed it was raining. Shit! I had no coat and no umbrella. I decided I would make a dash for it, but the rain got even harder so I dived under this big parasol where another man was standing. Just as is my luck, the other man was a very special man and wanted to talk to me - a lot! He told me all about how he has his washing on the line and if he had gone straight home it wouldn't be wet and how he would have to wash it again. He told me last time that happened he told his wife to get it in but she didn't, but she is now his ex wife. Etc etc.

Just at that point I saw the guys from React so I made my excuses from my new friend and asked if I could walk with them. It was absolutely throwing down and no word of a lie, when I arrived I looked like I had been swimming. My lovely straightened hair I could now ring out, my make-up had all run from the water dripping down my face and I could actually ring out my dress. I fought my way through the crowds to the toilet and the hand dryers were so low there was no way they would help. So I rang out my hair, dabbed my face with some tissue and thought "oh well, at least I have an it could only happen to me for the blog."

Until next time....

Another two weeks have flown by and once again it is blog time. It has been a ridiculously busy couple of weeks resulting in me accidently booking a holiday for December.

The industry remains relatively quiet but with a positive under tone. Under the BECBC section make sure you read the presentation from Martin Chown, Supply Chain Director at Sellafield. I have to say I was dead impressed by him and his approach. Now Rory has gone I
may well have found my new Sellafield crush.

Sellafield

Calder Hall 60 Years old!

As you will know I am a huge fan of the Beacon and my kids love to go. I am delighted that the Beacon is housing a new exhibition that marks 60 years since the Queen opened Calderhall, the worlds first full-scale nuclear power station. Calder Hall was first connected to the grid on 27th August 1956 and the Queen officially opened it on 17th October 1956. – I am sure some of my readers will remember this, I however, was not born!
The Calder Hall power station transformed West Cumbria physically and socially overnight. It changed a quiet farming community into thriving villages.
The exhibition will give visitors the chance to find out about the power station's rich history and see previously unseen photographs and memorabilia from the site and surrounding communities. It is running until the 30th October so make sure you pop in and take a look.

Legionnaires!
Sellafield have been given an 'improvement notice' over the condition of a cooling tower on site.
The ONR says that improvements must be made in the management and control of the legionella bacteria in the tower at its Highly Active Liquid Effluent and Storage (HALES) facility.
There has not been an outbreak of legionnaires' disease, but regulators say that steps must be taken before January 27, 2017, to "minimise the likelihood" of the bacteria spreading and being released.
This issue obviously doesn't impact nuclear safety and there hasn't been an outbreak it is just a required improvement to ensure that the risks arising from legionella are being appropriately controlled and managed.

Most Hazardous Building a Step Closer to being Cleaned up!
The third of six mighty doors which will be the access point to safely lift out the contents of the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo for the first time, has arrived safely at the Sellafield site.
This is a significant step forward towards Sellafield's mission to deliver the 'early retrievals' approach which is leading to a simpler, quicker, safer and more efficient way of getting the waste out of this legacy facility.
All six silo doors are expected to be installed on the facility by Christmas 2016, ready for waste retrievals to start in 2020.

Remote Cutting
A complex remote cutting job is underway at Sellafield to enable the removal of cladding waste from an outdated silo. Engineers are using an innovative jet to remove plates of steel while maintaining an inert atmosphere important for safety.
The work is taking place at the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo, which contains cladding materials removed from fuel assemblies used in some of the UK's earliest reactors at Windscale and Chapelcross. Irradiated cladding had to be removed before used fuel assemblies could be reprocessed to recover the uranium and plutonium they contained for the purposes of the joint power and weapons nuclear program run by the UK in the 1950s and 1960s.
The concrete silo is based on facilities normally used to keep grain and was in operation from 1952 to 1964 with some other additions up to 1968. Since then it has remained in the status of 'care and maintenance', benefiting in later years from the removal of redundant structures for better seismic safety and the injection of inert argon gas to its six storage chambers.

NDA
Time is fast approaching for Novembers NDA Estate Supply Chain Event in Manchester. Currently there are nearly 1,000 delegates registered but they have capability for 1500 so if you haven't registered yet you best be quick. Exhibition space is already fully booked. NuExec have a very exciting stand at number 37 and everyone will be asking; #whatsbehindthescreen

BECBC
This was an extremely well attended meeting with a full auditorium. Due to other business commitments I was only able to catch the first two presentations but they were absolute corkers.

Business Service Marketplace Update
Jonathan Evans

LLWR update with the business services marketplace:

• Dynamic purchasing system 13 categories for route to market for SMEs
• Professional services route to market
• 44 suppliers qualified
• Over half are SMEs
• Three work packages in progress (IT / Engineering / Commercial)

Next steps
• Continue piloting the system with more work packages
• Interested suppliers can join at any time
• Working with other SLCs to identify work package opportunities
• BSM can be accessed via CTM link in LLWR website

Shared Services Alliance Overview
What is it:
• Part of the NDA estate
• This is where all come together to collaborate.
• Leads on procurement for shared services.
• Delivering value through collaboration
• £286m saved since 2010
• Successful collaborative procurement programme annual spend £400m annually

New collaborative category management model
• £2m a year investment from NDA
• Full time team of 16
• £175m savings to deliver by 2020

Vision
To work together to deliver best value from shared service procurement and supply chain management

Objectives
• Build a high performing SSA Programme Team and Network that delivers quality services
• Integrate procurement and Supply Chain management best practice across the alliance
• Targeting savings form new value delivery opportunities
• A different focus on where and how to derive value to unlock greater opportunities to create savings

SSA covers
People
Corporate
Buildings
Technology
Operations
Nuclear

SSA sponsored by NDA
Shared services Alliance Board
Setting up steering groups for each area covered

SSA
Best Practice
Simplification
Standardisation
Consistency
Rationalisation

Outcome Across Alliance Members
Reduced cost of supply for new and existing suppliers
Opens up competitions and increases attractiveness
Focus on value added activities and productivity

Shared service procurement available on CTM

Transformation Programme Martin Chown, Supply Chain Director Sellafield

Martin started with Sellafield in April and he looks after reputation and spend. I had the pleasure of meeting with Martin after his presentation and liked him immediately. My view of him is: he is from outside of the industry and brings a fresh view on things. He has an absolutely open and transparent approach and wants to remove the barriers that stop the supply chain being able to engage with Sellafield. He understands that historically Sellafield has been removed from the supply chain and engaging has been hugely difficult for businesses but he is determined to change this. In addition, he is going to change the way contracts are put out hugely reducing the number of questions. I really liked his approach. He was very professional but also really personable. He spoke with passion and dealt with questions beautifully. So here is what was said:

Why Transforming?

• Recognised as a complex nuclear site
• Have a strong nuclear capability and safety record
• Need to build on reputation and be recognised as being world class at delivering programmes and projects.
• Need to be recognised by delivering value for money, spending wisely in the supply Chain.

April 1st new Sellafield operating body. Focussed on performance. Run a performance reporting mechanism.
The report allows actions to be taken where issues arise.
Need to work on reputation – our supply chain a big part of our reputation.
Spoke to workforce delivering the same messages regarding mission
Sellafield all touch the supply chain, working alongside or using tools etc.
Progress - things do happen. Has been spending time in all areas of site and sees the progress.
Over 3km of security fencing installed.

Transformation at Sellafield

• Need to build on what we have
• Steady state reprocessing activity, the focus of the business for 50 years, will end by 2020
• Focus shifting to spent fuel management, nuclear materials management, waste retrievals and decommissioning
• Need for improved performance in programme and project management
• Need to reduce costs to deliver mission

Supply Chain Engagement

• Want a new open approach to deal with the supply chain.
• Have become a little distant and unapproachable and standalone - this is not going to be the case moving forward
• Will not deliver promises that won't happen
• Will be changes on how we engage with the supply chain
• Open and transparent
• How we contract with supply chain
• Have got over complicated on how we contract with the supply chain
• Simplifying how contract - focused on performance and value for money
• Want to get the areas down to 5 not 27 plus
• Need measures in place but need to focus on delivery and outputs
• Will be implementing changes over the next few months

Supply Chain Innovation

• Done fantastic things in terms of high tech innovation.
• High tech innovation really important but so is low tech innovation. There are things we can do in our everyday jobs that are innovation.
• Keen to know the professional services innovation
• Want a balance on innovation and not just focussed on high tech innovation.
• Want to help you exploit your innovation to win work in other locations and industries
• Taking a long hard look at intellectual property
• Wants to see large and small business working together in collaboration

Summary

• Sellafield is changing - we have a transformation programme underway
• Can only drive value with engaged supply chain
• Contracts can build value
• Need incremental step change innovation

Will deliver by doing things. There have been significant changes. Wants the supply chain to play a part.

Time of changes at NDA leaders changing - have secured funding at Sellafield for 3 years. Intend to continue to spend in the supply chain. Need a strong NDA to make a strong Sellafield. Reputation is very important in what they do.

He was asked a question from an exhibition company that arranges all the technical exhibitions on site for the engineers to come and see the technology, services and products the supply chain have to offer. This chap has been doing this exhibitions for many years and he was quite rude when he stated that he wanted to know why Sellafield are cancelling these events he is organising. He says that it is the wrong thing to do and the exhibition doesn't cost Sellafield anything.

Martins answer was perfect, now this isn't word for word but it will give you the general gist. Instead of saying "I will answer that off line" like we might normally hear, he said that yes the exhibitions have been cancelled and he stands by the decision. Whilst Sellafield doesn't have to pay for the exhibitions, those exhibiting have to pay. This means only certain companies get the opportunity to attend these events, plus he does not believe that the supply chain should have to pay to engage with Sellafield.
I think this was absolutely bang on. This man has made a lot of money over a number of years by charging people to speak to Sellafield. It is about time this type of practice was quashed and an open route for all businesses to engage with Sellafield is established.

A question was also asked regarding innovation. A business has a new technology that they believe would be of benefit to Sellafield, but they have no idea how to get it in front of them.

Martin explained that they will be making a clear process for companies to be able to come in and talk about the innovation they have. Will share approach for sharing innovation once it is established. This is likely to be after Christmas.

NuExec
We have had a busy couple of weeks with exciting new roles in and tenders to write. We also had a visit from the BECBC judges regarding our Small Business of the Year entry. I can't believe how nervous I was. I had a nightmare about it the night before and was so nervous before the judges came, I felt really sick. It was the same as when I go to pitch, I always get really nervous. I guess that isn't a bad thing though, as it demonstrates how important it is to me and how much I want it. I think the minute I lose those nerves is the time I should find a new career.

It Could Only Happen to Me
So a couple of weeks ago I went to the cinema with one of my grown up friends. (obviously not Claire who is a total bad influence.) My friend picked me up and we went to the Gaiety to watch the new Bridget Jones film. It was a great film and I laughed all the way through. At the end of the film I needed a wee but the queue was ridiculously long, so I decided it would be quicker to drive home than it would be to wait in the queue. We got in the car and Jane set off. Whilst we were driving it became apparent that we had no lights. The only way we could get lights was if the lights were on full beam, but full beam would only come on if the lever was held forward. So Jane was trying to drive, change gear and hold the lever on full beam at the same time. She was going at a snails pace, understandably so, and I was desperate for a wee. We decided going back to mine was a bad idea as she would then have to drive home on her own. So we headed to hers. To make things easier I was leaning over and holding the lever on while she was trying to drive. I thought about getting out for a wee but decided the full beam lights would illuminate my bottom like a massive beacon and cause too much glare for oncoming traffic. Of course this was a ridiculous situation which caused us to laugh and every time I laughed it was getting worse and I am sure Jane was purposely going over every possible pot hole. Half way to her house I had to change arms as my arm had gone numb from leaning over and holding the lever. We got flashed at a huge number of times but finally got to her house where I made a mad dash for the toilet. Then my ever tolerant husband came and collected me to take me home.
Until next time.....

Today I am feeling a little tired after what can only be described as a fantastic evening spent last night at the CN Awards. I was really impressed by the Small Business Minister, Margot James, who gave an inspirational speech. I was also absolutely delighted to see my good friend, Sarah Purdham of Prima Uno, win the Service Business of the Year award. It was so deserved.
So on with the blog. Here is a roundup of what's been going on with a little bit of Sellafield gossip!

Sellafield

PPP
I have heard some fab news on the grapevine. Last month PPP (Programme and Project Partners) was put on hold. We were told it was to allow the Infrastructure Projects Authority to review the model. However, the supply chain just felt it was another false start for a contract that would never come to fruition. I have heard, but please remember this is hearsay and not fact, that this contract is going to go ahead and is being pushed by Sellafield. Apparently there are a few recommendations following the IPA's review but nothing that will stop this moving forward. If this is true it will be awesome for the area and should see a number of companies who have retreated from the area coming back. It will also mean the Market Enhanced model is closer as this was a key element of the transition. – I absolutely love good news.

Prince Philip visits Sellafield
Today the Duke of Edinburgh has visited Sellafield. He was given a guided tour of the site, and saw first-hand the size and scale of the clean-up challenge at Sellafield and the innovative ways they are being overcome. This is his third visit to Sellafield, having previously visited Windscale and Calder Hall in 1955 as well as opening the Sellafield Visitors Centre in 1988.
The Duke was accompanied on the visit by the Lord Lieutenant for Cumbria, Claire Hensman, and members of the Sellafield Ltd and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Executive and Board.
During his visit, the Duke also met with employees who not only drive forward the Sellafield Ltd and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority mission, but also hold crucial voluntary roles - from emergency service volunteers to flood recovery heroes - within the local community.

HLW
The second and final shipment of HLW from the UK to Switzerland has been completed. The waste resulted from the reprocessing and recycling of used nuclear fuel from Swiss nuclear power plants at Sellafield.
The consignment - comprising four flasks, each containing 28 containers of HLW in the form of vitrified residues - was delivered to the central Zwilag interim waste management facility at Würenlingen on 13 October.
INS - a subsidiary of the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority - said the flasks were loaded on to the specialist nuclear transport vessel Oceanic Pintail and sailed from Barrow on 7 October. The vessel shipped them to the port of Cherbourg in northern France, from where they were transported by rail to Switzerland. INS said it contracted with its historical partner Areva to safely manage the overland transport in France.

National College for Nuclear
The National College for Nuclear is set to open in September next year.
The Northern Hub, built at the Lakes College site, will feature virtual reality suites allowing learners to experience nuclear installations in a virtual environment, science and radiation laboratories and specialised design and modelling suites.
The National College for Nuclear will train the next generation of nuclear workers in a range of specialised careers, and aims to train over 7,000 learners across both facilities by 2020.
Some of those will be taking longer courses and some will be taking part in specialist one-day training opportunities.
Led by Sellafield Ltd and EDF Energy, in partnership with Lakes College and the University of Cumbria, the training facilities will include a realtor simulator and engineering workshops.

Supply Chain

Safety Critical
Initially I was quite sad to hear that Safety Critical, who provide safety design and safety case management services for the process, nuclear, and oil and gas industries had been bought. The press release came out just after the last blog to say that Nuvia had purchased the business. I felt sad because it seems as soon as a small company is established and does well a large company comes along and swallows them up. However, I happened to bump into Kurt on Wednesday and he feels this is a really positive move and is want the business and the employees of Safety Critical needed to enable them to grow. Nuvia have the infrastructure in place to develop and grow the staff and the business. Kurt will be employed by Nuvia but will also remain a director in his other business iControls and Innoflow.
So if Kurt and his lovely wife Rebecca are happy then I am happy for them and I am delighted for the employees of Safety Critical who aren't in danger of losing their jobs and instead will be given the opportunity to flourish.

James Fisher Nuclear

James Fisher Nuclear have started deflector plate removal on the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo at Sellafield.
The cutting work is being carried out on one of the oldest and most dangerous buildings on the site.
The plates were originally used to deflect magnox swarf, pile fuel cladding and other toxic waste tipped into the building during the Cold War.
They need to be removed so the waste can be lifted out and put into a safer place when retrievals start in 2020.
Shepley Engineers Ltd is also helping in the work. Both firms are part of the Cumbria Nuclear Solutions consortium.
It was awarded the first phase of the contract in 2012 and would eventually see old steelwork removed in preparation for waste retrieval work.
James Fisher Nuclear used a full-scale mock-up of the silo at its Egremont facility where staff from the firm and Sellafield worked together to tackle the project.
It allowed them to design and manufacture the equipment and processes to carry out the job.

BAE
The first of four new UK submarines to carry Trident nuclear missiles will be named Dreadnought, a decision inspired by famous ships from the past.
The Ministry of Defence revealed the name, to coincide with Trafalgar Day, for the first vessel of the £31bn project to replace existing submarines.
The MoD said nine Navy vessels had previously been named Dreadnought.
Perhaps the most famous was HMS Dreadnought, commissioned in 1906, which transformed naval warfare.
The name became used at the time to describe a new era of warship design.
Other Dreadnoughts included one that sailed with Sir Francis Drake to battle the Spanish Armada in 1588, and another that was present with Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Britain's first nuclear-powered submarine, launched 56 years ago, also shared the name.

Calderwood Coffee for Business
On Tuesday 25th October Calderwood House is launching their Coffee for Business with a tasting session. Calderwood are offering new, bigger, business sized packs of their delicious coffee with every penny made going to their homeless shelter, that prioritises ex forces men and women, in Egremont.
The drop-in coffee tasting session will be running from 10.30am to 12.30pm, with a talk at 11am from the founder and Cumbria Woman of the Year, Rachel Holliday.
I will be there for the duration so please do come along, try some coffee, have a craic with our staff and residents and maybe even purchase some coffee for your offices.

New Build
National Grid has announced a new consultation on its plans to connect Cumbria's proposed nuclear new build to the electricity network.
It will hold 30 public events in both Cumbria and Lancashire, starting with one in Rampside Village Hall, Roa Island Road, Rampside, on Tuesday, November 1 to discuss the £2.8bn project.
These will see the firm explain the technologies which will be used to connect the grid to NuGen's planned development at Moorside, near Sellafield
The company has been working on these plans for six years of work and say they have tried to find balance between protecting landscapes and the passing costs on to bill payers.
National Grid is due to apply to the Government next year for permission for the connection to be built. This means that the forthcoming consultation may be the last to cover the whole route.

NuExec
I can't believe it is only three weeks until NuExec turns 5 years old. It has been a mad journey with many ups and downs. I have learnt so much from the last 5 years. I've learnt my strengths and weaknesses, I've learnt that business can be so hard and taking the personal feelings out of it is incredibly difficult. I've learnt that somethings you just can't control and regardless of the result, you should never compromise your beliefs, ethics and gut feel. Plus, the week after we turn 5 it is the BECBC Awards where we have been shortlisted for Small Business of the Year which is such a massive achievement and accolade.
It is only two weeks until the NDA event, which I am really excited for. We are trying something very special on our stand this year. So we are asking: "To what extent do you believe people are a company's biggest asset? Come and #challengeNuExec and find out just #whatsbehindthescreen!" Make sure you come and say hi on stand number: E7

It Could Only Happen to me / NDA Supply Chain Event November 2014
As the NDA Supply Chain event is fast approaching, I wanted to share with you a part of the blog I put together following the 2014 NDA event that encapsulated the type of people you will encounter whilst in attendance at the event:

The Nicker Pincher - early riser who visits your stand prior to you being there purely so they can nick your goods without you knowing

The Ignorer - I don't really want to speak to you but I'm paid to be here!

The Handbag Ladies - the business development guys who all stand in a circle around an imaginary handbag making 'small talk'

The Code Breakers - the people who insist on talking in acronyms and abbreviations.

Billy No Mates - standing on their own in a big crowd with no one to talk to

The Hungover - the people who thought it was clever to go out to dinner and drinks the previous night and are suffering terribly especially by 2pm

The Smoker - the person who greets you and speaks to you stinking of stale fags!

The Technologist - the ones that walk the whole exhibition on their phone or pretending to be so they don't have to speak to anyone!

The Uninterested - the ones who ask you what your company does and the minute you start speaking you see the glaze descend over their eyes.

The Couple - the two who go everywhere together

The Letch - the one who can be spotted closest to Women in Nuclear area and whom you can see following every lady with their eyes.

The Boob Watcher – The guy who spends the whole conversation speaking to your breasts

The Magpie - the person who is attracted to all things shinny!

The Talker - Comes to the stand and then won't leave

The Confused – The person walking around with that confused look who finally realises they are at the wrong event.

The Lost – (This was me) The person that keeps walking past the same stand because they can't find either the stand they are looking for or the way back to their own.

Until next time.....

Well what an awesome week this has been, but before I tell you all about it I want to share something very important with you. On Wednesday NuExec celebrates 5 years of trading. This may not sound a big deal to some of you, but for me it is absolutely huge. More than half of new businesses don't survive to 5 years so for us to have reached that milestone and still be going strong makes me so very proud.

During our five year's we have achieved some fantastic things including:

• 2012 Won BECBC New Business / Entrepreneur of the year award
• 2014 Won Managed Service Contract for LLWR
• 2015 Grew the business by 150%
• 2015 Won Best Nuclear Recruitment Consultancy, UK in the Corporate Vision Awards
• 2015 Achieved Cyber Essentials Certification
• 2016 shortlisted for BECBC Small Business of the Year Award
• Placed with over 30 nuclear supply chain companies
• Helped over a 100 people secure their dream careers

Our biggest ambition when we started the business was to be the nuclear recruiter of choice, and there is no doubting we have achieved this through our extensive networks, our unique approach to recruiting and this blog which apparently continues to be the leading voice in the nuclear industry. – This always makes be chuckle!

I have to say with hand on heart we couldn't have achieved what we have without the support of our fantastic clients and candidates, who continue to believe in us, and the service we provide. We feel privileged to be part of the nuclear supply chain and work with such exceptional individuals.

So, thank you if you have worked with us and thank you for reading my blog. When I get disheartened and wonder if it is still worth writing it is those emails I receive, and the comments of encouragement, that keeps me believing in what I do.
Anyway, enough of the self- indulgence and on with business!

This is always my favourite week of the year. We always have the NuExec annual outing to Manchester to the BECBC Nuclear Sector Group meeting on the Wednesday and then the NDA Supply event on the Thursday! So, get a brew sit back and get ready to hear all about it:

As is always the case when I plan a trip it is always done with military precision. (I am a prisoner to the clock.) Lisa was due to arrive at my house between 7am and 7.15am on Wednesday. Now, obviously this means arrival is due at 7.07am (and 30 seconds if we are being precise.) I waited patiently for her to arrive, car already running and sat nav programmed when I received a call at 7.12am:
Lisa: Emma it's Lis, where are you?
EJ: I am at home waiting for you? Where are you?
Lisa: I am at your house and can't see your car. Oh shit hang on I've gone to the wrong house. I'm at your old house. Right I'm on my way.
I obviously couldn't be cross with Lisa for being late as I found it absolutely hilarious that she had gone to the house. Anyhow, she arrived and we set off at 7.22am (behind schedule.)

The journey was going fine until we hit Embleton and the traffic lights. I got to the front and they were on red. Even though cars were pouring through I followed the rules and stopped at the red light. After all I believe in fair shares and if I went through on red it would mean others wouldn't be able to come through on green. I sat waiting and the lights changed and loads of cars and lorries continued to pour through having obviously jumped the red light. I was so cross and started to move forward as my light was on green so it was my turn. Lisa was telling me I had to stop as they had nowhere to go and I couldn't block the road. Rather begrudgingly I sat and waited and then went through.

We arrived at the sector group meeting in plenty of time. We got a coffee and sat down. Over walked a lovely chap we know called Phil who had recently moved to a new business much to mine and Lisa's amusement the company is called Bender UK. Of course, this is something we have only laughed at in private. When Phil arrived at the table we did the normal greeting and then Lisa, in fits of laughter, said in a rather loud voice: "I can't believe you are a Bender". I was mortified but thankfully Phil found it hilarious and showed us with pride his embroided work shirt which has, in proud letters, on the collar "BENDER". Lisa and I also got much enjoyment in explaining to an American colleague what bender meant and why it was so funny. In addition we also had to explain to him what Christmas tat was which is now renamed for his ease as Christmas crap – Although we do jest, Bender UK is actually a really good business that focuses on electrical safety using innovative technologies to find solutions for its clients.

We then entered the meeting room and here are some notes from the really interesting presentations:

BECBC Nuclear Decommissioning Sector Group
Dave Pickles MD Bilfinger
Safety key priority for the business
Part of cluster for 3.5 years worked in nuclear for 25 years across the estate
Lots of experience
Manufacturing facility moved two locations together bespoke and standard manufacturing using a lean process
How to drive top quality

Tony Business Director, Bilfinger
Did you know:
Broad offering
Make super magnets
Look after robots at Porsche
Are assisting technological transformation of water ways
Run and maintain 125 power plants
19 years of consecutive excellence in H&S

Bilfinger are an engineering and service provider
Industry 30,000 people design, engineering maintenance and modernisation of industrial plants
Power 9600 people
Driven and committed to sustainable principals and safety
40000 employees
Diverse range of competencies
U.K, Germany and Middle East locations

Bilfinger industrial automation services
Leader in automation, control and maintenance services
Over 450 employees
Have a number of accreditations and standards

What we do:
Design and Engineering
Construction and Build
Automation and system integration
Installation and commissioning
Asset service and support
Project and Programme Management

Industries:
Chemicals
Pharmaceutical
Power
Water
Nuclear
Oil and Gas
Metals

Work as a Tier 2 to Sellafield
Been on Sellafield since 2000

Thames Water Technology Alliance
£350-£400m over 3.5 years - Bilfinger £60 - £70m
In a consortium with IBM, Accenture and Deloitte

Doing a lot of work for United Utilities in Cumbria.
Looking for services

Decommissioning Delivery Partner, Sellafield
Simon Martin - Programme Manager
Now Simon gave a very interesting presentation, but it left me feeling uncomfortable and with some conclusions drawn that don't seem right. Anyhow here is what he said and I will give you my thoughts at the end.

Thorpe has only 100 weeks left reprocessing.

Business migrating into a decommissioning business

Still working through the changing governance at Sellafield - this has caused problems with timings

Paul Foster made clear Sellafield have the most staff they will ever have. The number of staff will decline

This year budget still around £2bil mark. Scope was £2.5bil so needed to reduce scope. Had to pick out the essential work. Have got scope to budget through those cuts. Slow 6 months with work but expect things to start to flow now. Can see more work flowing.

Acquisition strategy is diverse and things procure has a huge range. Generated broad spectrum of frameworks. Trying to help the guys placing orders.

MDSW ends at the end of this financial year

PPP major projects being scrutinised. Now got green light with some observations moving forward. More to do before can release it.

DDP Vision
To make DDP the framework of choice by delivering risk and hazard reduction through a robust and collaborative partnership.

10 year framework 5 + 5
£1.5bn worth of work
Current forecast circa £500m
This year £20m - work is beginning to come through
Six lot Delivery partners
The framework scope covers a broad range of project lifecycle activities - flexible and adaptable.
Can award work directly or run a competition
DDP went live April 2016

What is it?
It's a partnership not an alliance
Long term framework
A change programme
A quicker way to access capability
A platform to engender behaviour changes both for Sellafield as well as its Supply Chain

What kind of work
Scope Delivery covering full task or project life cycles
Tasks, minor projects, or major projects
Not intended to replace existing site wide frameworks
Increase the social impact

Lot 1 – Remediation, PFCS, PFSP, Calder, Others ie Ops & Major Projects
Adapt – Areva, Doosan & Atkins
Cnsl – Jacobs Stobbart, React, JFN, Shepley, Westinghouse & WYG

Ids – Atkins, Hertel, North West Projects, Westlakes Engineering
Nexus – Costain, Mott Macdonald, Safety Critical & Squibb

Lot 2 - FGMSP
TDA – Atkins, Jacobs, Westinghouse

Lot 3 - MSSS
I3 – Amec, Hertel & Shepley

Benefits
Improved schedule delivery
Effective planning of work
Timely access to SQEP resource
Right first time technical solutions
Increased supply chain innovation

Focussing on demolition - key part of DDP
About early engagement

Current position
Placed £10m of work to date
B6 demolition contract had been completed and awarded to Adapt £15m
Asset card contract had been competed and awarded to CNSL £55m over period
Internal board audit has been completed
The demolition team have now removed 10 buildings form across site
Formation of remediation and the placement of it all
FGMSP transitioned to DDP
MSSS plans to transition from incumbent in place

So, from what I picked up there seems to be this new section on DDP which is for "Sellafield others" and from the sounds of it, this is the vehicle contracts are going to be let through so rather than their being an opportunity for businesses to tender for contracts if you aren't on the DDP framework you are shit out of luck. When there is a focus for helping SME's do business this feels completely against this. I have a feeling they will be expecting their Tier 2's to feed down but without enough work to feed their own team it will be mere scraps, if anything, that those businesses outside of that framework will receive.

Then a question was asked about something in the contract that mentions "Rotation of workforce" for contracting organisations on the framework. Now Simon seemed a little vague in his answer and spoke about an aspiration of having some kind of floating workforce on site, fully SQEP to do the work. Now I may be putting 2 and 2 together and getting 4 but at the beginning of his presentation he mentioned 100 weeks until Thorpe closed and that all the people there will need new roles. Will this "floating workforce" the contracting organisations need to use be one made up of those Sellafield employees?

Someone also asked about category management and this too looks like it will be going through DDP.

LLWR
Elaine
Environmental Safety Case - advertise award in New Year

Waste characterisation - be out in the New Year in 4 lots

Alex McCarthy now head of commercial for LLWR replacing Jonathan Evans who is now shared services. – We are dead pleased about this as we love Alex!  (-Jonathan's alright too ;))

I have to say the sector group was a really interesting meeting and Bilfinger were awesome hosts.

Once we had finished Lisa and I headed to the hotel, cleared our emails and then went to the Trafford Centre for an hour for our obligatory annual shop.

We then went and set up our very exciting stand that has a screen which only special selected people could step behind and see what was behind it.

As Lisa and I are so rock and roll we had dinner and then were back at the hotel and tucked up in bed by 8.45pm. – You may laugh but this is our opportunity to showcase our business to 2000 people and we want to be on top form.

We were up bright and early and even had time to visit the drive through Starbucks on the way.

As expected the event was huge. We took our seats and I got really confused as to why I couldn't take a selfie as I couldn't see us in the camera. It took Lisa to point out to me I actually had the camera pointing the wrong way – Selfies are not my forte!

The event was opened by Jo Telfer who has worked in the industry for 18 years. She told us how this was the 6th event (I have been to every one) and that 2000 delegates had attended, with over 288 exhibition stands. I felt Jo was the best presenter they had and she came across brilliantly.

A film was shown prior to John Clarkes speech that highlighted:
17 nuclear sites clean up
120 years to clean up
Success is working in collaboration
Together we are making progress
£14b spent
£1bn SME spend
Collaborative procurement
Hazards reduced across estate
£85mil invested in R&D every year
Skilled and diverse workforce critical for mission
3mil apprentices by 2020
40 contracts to be placed in decommissioning across the estate

Presentation - JohnClarke
Background to NDA sixth year of conference. A lot happening at the NDA. Have effectively got a new Government. New department for business and energy. New ministers. Continued commitment to nuclear Decommissioning.
If you don't put away your old toys you can't get your new.
Sellafield structure has changed
Retiring middle next year
Pete Lutwyche has gone back to Jacobs
Broader estate a lot is going on. Hinckley C going ahead and hopes for horizon and NuGen
Making progress with geological disposal
Supply chain is essential to the work the NDA work does
£3bn a year to decommissioning
£1.8bn spent in supply chain
Supporting Growth and export agenda
Support 3000 companies and about two thirds are SMEs.
Very supportive of SME agenda
31% spend direct and indirect is their commitment
Revised SME strategy is with Government for approval
Looking at intellectual property
Licensed companies have a coherent method of advertising opportunities
Tier 2's are beginning to pilot using the same method to give visibility of their opportunities
Skills fundamental - all about people
NDA launched a skills brochure
Skills development in tenders is vitally important

He then went off script and talked about diversity in the workforce, which to be honest didn't come across very well. He said that he had been to a WiN event and said that if we are serious about being inclusive you need to look at the outcomes because if you don't do something it will be a predominately white male industry. It seemed like he was saying that people should recruit more women or more black people. Both Lisa and I get quite offended and annoyed by this. Lisa would hate to be given a job because of her skin colour and I would hate to get a job because I am a woman. When recruiting, it should be the person that is the best fit for the role based on skills and experience, not the colour of their skin or their gender. I think the diversity should come in at school when educating kids that anyone can be an engineer and it isn't just for boys.
I've always been a huge advocate of John's and always love to hear him speak but was a little disappointed this year.

Rear Admiral Keith Beckett
A year of significant change
Won majority vote to go head with nuclear deterrent
Bright future of continued success.
Defence and nuclear civil there is much that binds them together
Most significant changes over past 12 months
£5bn annual spend

Supply Chain Awards
Ron Gorham, Head of Supply Chain Optimisation and SME Champion
Ron was his normal self and the awards came across almost as a 'comedy of errors' than a professional business awards ceremony. Company names were said wrong and a great deal of chat was going on when everyone was just keen to get on and get networking.

Capability and Capacity Award
Highly Commended: Stainless Metalcraft
Winner: Profile Security Services

Technology/ Innovation Implementation Award
Winners: OC Robotics & TWI
Winners: Westinghouse & NNL

SME Innovation Award
Highly Commended: DBD
Winner: Omniflex

Supply Chain Collaboration Award
Highly Commended - nucleargraduates
Winner – Activ Nuclear

Export Award
Winner - Nuvia

Ministers SME Award
Winner - stainless Metalcraft

Following the rather long speeches and awards we went to our exhibition stand and I have to say for us this was the best event yet. We did not stop from the second we got there until we left. We were always speaking to people leaving our throats soar and feet throbbing. We picked up some great business and spoke to people we had never spoken to before, in addition to catching up with some of our favs!

I would like to say a huge big thank you to the NDA for continuing to provide a free of charge event, that genuinely generates business for SMEs. It is my favourite event of the year and the event that everyone attends. You do a great job allowing your supply chain an opportunity to showcase and I thank you for that!

Sellafield
Just to make you all aware Sellafield have set up a new twitter account for the supply chain so make sure you are following them: @SELLtdBusiness

NuGen
Tom Samson, gave evidence to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee on the Economics of UK Energy Policy – speaking about the company's Moorside Project.
Facing questions from the Committee, Tom spoke about the progress and momentum behind the project to develop three Westinghouse AP1000® reactors in West Cumbria which, when operational, will generate up to 3.8GW of affordable low-carbon electricity from a sustainable source.
Tom also spoke about the benefits that come from the strong progress being made in constructing other AP1000 nuclear power plants elsewhere in the world.

There is no "it could only happen to me" this week as it has been a generally chatty informal blog. I will be back in a couple of weeks, when we will know how we got on in the BECBC Small Business of the Year Awards that we have been shortlisted for.
Until next time....

Apologies I am a week late with the blog, but I just didn't get a minute to write last week. The next blog will be on the 9th December and then that will be it until the New Year. I haven't much news for you this week but I certainly have loads of funny craic which I will tell you about at the end of the blog.

Sellafield
ONR have removed an improvement notice served on Sellafield Ltd.
The ONR served the notice in 2015 following a number of issues at the Magnox plant. However, it has now revealed that the plant now complies with standards and the legal notice has been removed.
Although no harm or release of radioactivity had occurred, the notice was in response to shortfalls in the way operating instructions had been followed at the Magnox facility.

Calder Hall
The painstaking task of removing tens of thousands of fuel rods from the world's first nuclear power station is halfway to completion.
Workers at Calder Hall have now finished unloading fuel from the second of its four reactors, leaving two left to empty.
The defueling programme began in 2011 and is scheduled for completion in 2019. Once finished, this will allow the station to be fully decommissioned.
Calder Hall began powering homes and businesses with carbon-free electricity in 1956, the year it was opened by the Queen.
It closed in 2003, following 47 years of safe operations – 27 years longer than was originally planned.
Calder Hall was the first of a series of Magnox stations to be built in the UK, so-called because the fuel cans were made of magnesium alloy. Eleven stations were eventually built, producing 10 per cent of Britain's electricity.
As well as producing electricity, Calder Hall was also used to sterilise hypodermic syringes and produce radio cobalt used in the treatment of cancer.

DDP
In my last blog, I spoke about a presentation I had listened to from Simon Martin. I had the pleasure of meeting Simon at the BECBC awards evening and he wanted to reiterate his commitment to SME's.
He told me that one of the fundamental drivers of DDP is to allow access to the SME community, and the expertise and skills they can bring to support the Sellafield mission.

Each of the six Lot Delivery Partnerships are supported by a broad spread of SME's, which they will utilise.

They have developed a number Social Impact principles for DDP, one of them being to collectively optimise the use of local SMEs, aligning to the target of achieving 22% flowdown to the SME community.

DDP is still in the very early phase of a ten-year framework, and as yet the volume of work placed has been relatively modest. As DDP workload increases, then no doubt the flow down to the SME's will also increase.

I felt it was really kind of Simon to take the time to share that additional information with me and I really hope that the DDP community really will feed down to the SME's. All too often I have heard of SME's being named on a bid and then not ever receiving a bean out of it.

Board Game to Train Sellafield Managers
I absolutely love this story and I want to play! Vulcain Engineering has come up with the product - called Synergy - which is designed to help train the site's asset management team.
It focuses on four teams within Sellafield and aims to get all of these to work together.
This has gone down well with staff and has been shortlisted for two prestigious awards.
Apparently by doing an interactive activity you retain between 50 – 75% of the information as oppose to just 20% from a conversation.
The game covers four areas of the Sellafield business - retrievals, projects, operations and infrastructure.
Teams will at first focus on one of these but as the game progresses they then have to learn how to work together and consider the organisation as a whole. They have to consider issues like cost, risk and performance and the impact of each of these on the other.
The game is usually played by between eight and 12 people from various different staff levels around Sellafield. It usually takes about three hours to complete.

BECBC Awards 2016
Well what an evening. We had an absolute ball celebrating our 5 years of trading and being shortlisted for small business of the year. We had a table of Clients and we spent the evening playing games and carrying out forfeits, which were just hilarious and included the conga, the twist, dressing up and making a false toast. I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time.
During the speeches of the evening, Martin Chown, Supply Chain Director of Sellafield Ltd, said: "Tonight is all about good news and I'm delighted to be able to share a big change in the way that Sellafield Ltd will do business with its supply chain in future".
"From first thing on Friday morning, intellectual property (IP) rights for the innovation and ideas in our supply chain will stay with those companies".
"Sellafield Ltd will then work with them to exploit that innovation and IP around the world."
Following are all the awesome winners form the awards:

Excellence in Health and Safety
Winner: Nuvia Limited

Business Innovation
Highly Commended: Forth Engineering
Winner: Rovtech Solutions Ltd

Sustainability and the Environment
Highly Commended: West Cumbria Composting Ltd
Winner: University of Cumbria

Socio Economic Commitment to West Cumbria
Winner: Livingstone Surface Treatments Limited

Inspiring People
Highly Commended: TSP Engineering
Winner: NIS Limited

Growing Business of the Year
Winner: Prima Uno Limited

Small Business of the Year
Winner: Responsive Ltd

Large Business of the Year
Highly Commended: James Fisher Nuclear Ltd
Winner: Westlakes Engineering

NuGen

Taxpayers could shoulder the multibillion-pound cost of civil engineering works for new nuclear power plants to make them easier to finance and reduce their impact on energy bills, the company seeking to build reactors in Cumbria has suggested.
Tom Samson, chief executive of NuGen, proposed reviewing how the different elements of new nuclear plants could be "carved up in a different way to allow the Government to take a role in some of the enabling infrastructure".
This could include funding major aspects of construction such as "the civil works", he told a House of Lords committee.
Mr Samson's company wants to build three Westinghouse reactors at Moorside, near Sellafield in Cumbria, in a 3.8-gigawatt project he said was expected to cost up to £15bn.
But financing presents a major challenge for the project, which is 60pc owned by Japan's Toshiba and 40pc by France's Engie, formerly GDF Suez. It has been in talks with potential investors for months about a deal.
Under the funding model used for the £18bn Hinkley Point nuclear plant, developer EDF is to shoulder the full cost of construction in return for a 35-year contract from the Government guaranteeing it subsidies for the electricity it eventually produces.
These will be levied on consumer energy bills and could cost as much as £30bn.
But the model has been criticised as inefficient and expensive.
Even EDF, which is majority-owned by the French government, struggled to raise enough funds for the construction, raising major questions about how non-state-owned groups like Toshiba could hope to.
Appearing before the Lords economic affairs committee, Mr Samson said it was "actively engaged right now in finding solutions to our financing challenge" and working on "what that funding structure looks like".
It hoped to find conditions that would allow it to "bring in debt and other sources of equity" in order to be able to take a final investment decision by the end of 2018.
Lord Darling, the former Chancellor, suggested that instead of the "elaborate quasi-market process" used for Hinkley, resulting in an "extraordinarily high" subsidy price, it could make more sense for the Government to "just build nuclear power stations".
While Mr Samson said nationalisation would be an "extreme solution", he opened the door to the Government taking a role in the non-nuclear elements of the project, saying this would be a "valid perspective".
Areas the Government could look to fund would include "potentially some of the common works, the sea water intake, the civil works", he said.
Civil works such as earth movement at Hinkley have stretched to several billion pounds and preparatory works for Moorside could be of a similar magnitude.
NuGen is already lobbying via the Cumbrian Local Enterprise Partnership for Government assistance in improving the transport infrastructure in the Cumbrian area to help support both decommissioning operations at Sellafield and the proposed construction site at Moorside.
Ministers are reported to have commissioned a study earlier this year to consider alternative funding models, which also suggested the Government could take direct stakes in future projects.
Earlier this year rival developer Horizon warned that the Government needed to come up with a framework that was palatable for private investors, not just state companies like EDF.

NuExec
Things are really busy for NuExec currently and we have some great new roles. Some of the roles we are recruiting include:

• Mechanical Design Engineer – Cranes and Handling, Cumbria
• Structural Design Engineer – Steel, timber & concrete, Shrewsbury
• Mechanical Design -Substations, transmission, steam supplies, compressed air or Water, Cumbria
• Electrical Design -Substations, transmission, steam supplies, compressed air or Water, Cumbria
• Structural Design -Substations, transmission, steam supplies, compressed air or Water, Cumbria
• Principal / Senior Mechanical Engineer – Remote handling & robotics, Oxford
• Quantity Surveyor – Any industry, Cumbria
• Principal Consultant – Radioactive Waste, Bristol (Plus some home working)
• Land Surveyor, Scotland
• Fabrication & Welding Trainer, Cumbria
• Training Manager, Cumbria
• E&I Trainer, Cumbria

We have many more vacancies including a number of non-nuclear opportunities. Please visit our websites: www.nuexecconsulting.co.uk www.nuexecrecruitment.co.uk

It Could Only Happen to me!
So, I have a story of my weekend to share with you. Get yourself a brew and sit comfortably because it will be a long one.
On Friday, me and my best friend Claire headed to Manchester for her birthday. We decided we would drive to Penrith and catch a train. The journey was uneventful and we just chatted on and drank pimms. When we arrived, we jumped into the taxi to our hotel which was about 20-minute drive out of the city. Unfortunately, Claire had decided that for this weekend I should be the designated adult. The only thing is I am not very good at adulting so knew it would be a challenge. Once we were all checked in we decided to head to the city for dinner. The guy on reception told us to cross the road and walk to the bus stop. Now I hardly ever go on buses so this was like a major challenge for me. As we crossed the road we saw the bus approach so we ran as fast as we could shouting bus, for some strange reason. A very kind man, who I think thought we had special needs, kindly let us on the bus in front of him. Half way through the journey I started to panic that although they had told us where to get on and which bus to catch they hadn't told us about the journey home. There was no option I would have to ask the bus driver when we got off, but in typical fashion at one of the bus stops he got off and another got on. Now I was really panicked as this driver didn't know where we got on. I managed to stay calm though and as we got off I explained to the driver where we needed to go back to and he kindly pointed out where to catch the bus and what bus to catch.
After dinner, we headed back to the hotel as we had had a very late night at the awards the night before and were planning a big one on Saturday night. When we got on the bus I asked if the driver could please tell us where to get off. – Maybe I am not so bad at adulting after all.
We were up early the next morning as we had plenty of shopping we wanted to do. We caught the bus without any drama and headed to the city. We were having a great day and even waited until 11.30am before having a mulled cider on the Christmas Markets. We decided to have lunch in the posh Selfridges restaurant. We were enjoying our cocktails and they brought out our food. Everything was going well until Claire noticed that on her salad was actually a real-life caterpillar having a good old munch of her lettuce. After some more shopping we decided to call into a bar for some more cocktails and the bar tender spilt a whole cocktail all down my coat – raging!
We headed back to the bus so we could get back to the hotel and get ready for our evening. In our new-found bus confidence, we jumped onto the bus without paying much attention to its number. Everything was going well until it turned off the main road and started heading through an extremely rough looking estate. I started to panic. What would we do if it didn't head back to our hotel. In my flustered state, I told Claire she would have to be the adult and at the next stop she would have to ask the bus driver for help. Thankfully a lovely older lady was sat behind us and she leant forward and said: "Don't worry girls this is the right bus. What will happen is it will go back onto the main road and as soon as you see the gym press the button and get off otherwise the bus will head off the road again." We thanked her very much and made it safely back to the hotel and I even got to press the stop button.
We got ready for our night out and headed into town. We had a lovely meal and then headed to the Alchemist for more cocktails. Our friends turned up to meet us but the bouncer wouldn't let them in which was very frustrating and no amount of negotiation would change their mind. So, we finished our drinks and went to a few more bars before heading to the Gay Village to the best club ever.
Next day we headed back to the city. We were catching a train from Manchester to Preston and then changing to Penrith. However, the train was delayed and when we finally got on it was so crowded we had to just stand in the walkway with a 100-other people. We missed out connection which was very frustrating. Thankfully there was another train we could catch with just a few minutes' wait. The journey really wasn't ideal when we were feeling fragile and shattered. We finally arrived at Penrith and I couldn't find my car parking ticket anywhere. I have never lost a parking ticket in my life – the result £60 fine!
I finally got home and decided it was time to take off the party lashes the beauticians had put on for me for the awards dinner. I got out the oil and followed the instructions but the thing wouldn't budge and my eyes were throbbing. Finally, 2 pieces came off but attached were all my own lashes and I had two bald spots. I cried and panicked and didn't have a clue what to do. I sent a message to the owner of the salon but they weren't back open until Tuesday she told me to leave them alone until then and they would wipe some lash remover on and they would come right off. I was there first thing on Tuesday and they couldn't get them to budge. After an hour of rubbing and scrubbing with this very strong glue remover that actually stripped the beauticians nail varnish they finally came off. I am now left with just a few lashes and bald patches – gutted. I definitely won't be getting them again, nor will I be fluttering my eyelids at anyone for a very long time.
Until next time.....

Well this is my very last blog of 2016. I can't believe another year has flown by, time really waits for no man! There is no denying that this past year has been a tough year in the industry. I have been in the industry for 8 and half years now (I am not as old as a lot of you) and I have to say this is the hardest I have ever known it. Many companies have made numerus redundancies, there have been many sleepless nights over when the work will flow, and people have watched teams they worked so hard to build disband due to such a lack of work. We have heard over and over again that Sellafield are spending, and I don't doubt they are, but the supply chain don't seem to be benefiting in any way. It isn't just the tier 3's and 4's struggling but even the large tier 2's aren't getting enough for them to be sustainable. We have seen many companies move to the area with the hope of winning work and then quickly retreat when they realise it isn't going to happen. Paul Foster told the whole supply chain at the beginning of the year that we should all be diversifying as Sellafield is changing hugely and it also seems to be trying to further utilise its staff to self- deliver.

However, it isn't all doom and gloom. Martin Chown has come in as Supply Chain Director and has made some brave promises, which I hope he can deliver on. DDP looks like it is going to start spending and ISA has good pipelines for 2017. This coming year should see further momentum on the Market Enhanced model - strategic partner, which should hopefully give more opportunity to businesses. I guess when times are tough it teaches us as businesses to become more nimble and agile. We learn to adapt and to focus our business in the direction it needs to go to remain sustainable. Change is hard but embracing it will make the difference between success and failure. Having personally experienced some really hard situations in my personal life I have learnt that if you feel like you are at the bottom of where you can possibly be and you can't take anymore – then the only way is up. So, keep the faith, keep believing and keep working hard. 2017 could just be your year!

Any way enough of my rubbish and on with the blog:

Sellafield
Sellafield has been selected by Government to act as a "trailblazer" for new project management apprenticeships.
Over the past year Sellafield has been working alongside BEIS, and other employers including: Rolls Royce, Transport for London, Lloyds Banking Group, Balfour Beatty, training providers, education awarding bodies and the Association for Project Management (APM) to develop the new and improved national project management apprenticeship.
The new employer-designed apprenticeship standards must be short, easy to understand and able to describe the knowledge, skills and behaviour that an individual needs to be fully competent in an occupation.
This is the latest step in the government's 'Trailblazer ' scheme, and forms part of their plans to deliver three million new apprenticeships by 2020 by giving employers a greater say in designing high-quality apprenticeships that meet the needs of employers.

Sellafield Tenders
HM Government published a new set of standard tender questions on 26th September 2016 which will be asked on all Sellafield Ltd tenders. Suppliers need only answer these questions once as CTM will remember these responses and display them on future tenders.
To enable suppliers to complete these responses without the pressure of a tender deadline Sellafield Ltd has published a 'dummy' tender in 'Current tender opportunities', RFT 9052 Standard Tender Questions.
Sellafield, Magnox, LLW Repository, Dounreay, and INS (International Nuclear Services) are participating in this process so your responses should be valid on future tenders from any of these listed

Asset Management Game
On the last blog I mentioned the board game, Synergy, which was developed for Sellafield Ltd by Vulcain Engineering Ltd, a French company with an office in Phoenix Enterprise Centre, Cleator Moor and with team members from its partner company Oxand Academy. Well I am delighted to say that it won the innovation category in the international Institute of Asset Management awards in London, having been up against Atkins and the National Grid.
I am delighted for Simon Spencer for his success, and even more delighted that he has promised to bring the game to the office in the new year so I can play.

NDA
The NDA is asking for fresh membership to the NDA regional steering groups. The groups have now been running for 3 years and they feel it is time to re-evaluate and refresh the membership and focus to ensure that they are still relevant to the market place and give good value to all those involved or interested.

The five Steering groups are regionally based in Scotland, Cumbria, Wales, North and South England. Each group has an SME company member as it's chair and they currently have the opportunity for 2 new Chairs, along with new members in both the Scottish and Southern regions. Other regions may also have opportunities, so they are asking for people to get in touch if you are interested.

The benefits of these groups to those who are involved have included a greater understanding of the challenges faced by both the SME and Supply Chain communities for both the Site Licence Companies and Tier 2 suppliers. Similarly a greater understanding for the SMEs on how to bid for work and what is looked for by their clients. Three Guideline booklets have been produced by the groups on Collaboration, Innovation and Frequently Asked questions, also open days with workshops have been arranged for SMEs, with the opportunity to work with local and regional governments, Tier 2s and other organisations to support SMEs.

They want to encourage more SME and Tier 2 involvement in these groups – whether by joining the group on a regular basis (numbers are limited), giving a single presentation to the group on an ad hoc basis, or by keeping up to date via the NDA website where minutes are posted.

My opinion on these steering groups are they switched a lot of people off when they first launched them. Many SME's were really keen to get involved and instead of having an open meeting allowing everyone who had an interest to attend they cherry picked a few to be part of it and basically told the others they didn't want them involved. It is no wonder they are now out to the supply chain requesting involvement again.

John Clarke
I was delighted last week at the NIA Dinner in London when John Clarke was given a lifetime achievement award for services to the nuclear industry. He was presented the award by Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Minister.
The award is recognition of the 30 years of leadership and dedication John has shown the UK nuclear industry.
Some of Johns pivotal roles include: Sellafield Production Director for BNFL and Managing Director of International Nuclear Services Ltd.
A member of Sellafield's executive team for eight years, he spent five years as head of environmental, health, safety and quality, followed by three years as director of production where he was accountable for the majority of operational activities at Sellafield.
He has held the position of CEO and Accounting Officer at the NDA since April 2012, having joined the NDA Board in 2008 initially as Commercial Director and subsequently as Business Planning Director.
I hope John enjoys his retirement next year, however I don't think we have seen the last of him.

UK business to benefit from new nuclear projects
Supply chain plans and reformed Nuclear Industry Council to aid in the UK's nuclear renaissance.

Greater transparency on the sourcing of work and materials for new nuclear projects and a reformed Nuclear Industry Council were announced by Energy Minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe at the Nuclear Industry Association annual conference.
New nuclear power will play an important role in building a secure, affordable and clean energy system fit for the 21st century.
In total, there are industry proposals for new nuclear developments at six locations, including Hinkley Point C, which would deliver around 18GW of capacity over the coming decades and a substantial opportunity for UK businesses in the supply chain.
New nuclear developers are being encouraged to share supply chain information with industry in the early stages of development to ensure that UK companies are positioned and prepared to bid for these opportunities.
Energy Minister Baroness Neville Rolfe said:
"The UK's nuclear renaissance will trigger big benefits for British businesses and it's important they are ready for the challenge."
"This is why I am making sure developers will be required to show evidence that their projects support growth in the UK supply chain, improve competition, and boost innovation and skills."
"Having visibility of the projects will give UK companies the incentive and confidence to invest, expand their capabilities, and train and retain their skilled employees".
In response to feedback from members, the reformed Nuclear Industry Council will take a more strategic approach covering the whole spectrum of the nuclear industry; including defence and decommissioning as well as having a specific focus on driving UK supply chain growth and skills development.
The first meeting of the reformed Council will take place early 2017.

Tidal Lagoon – West Cumbria
Workington MP Sue Hayman has given her backing to a proposed tidal lagoon for West Cumbria.
Renewable energy company Tidal Lagoon Power is targeting West Cumbria as one of six sites where it wants to build.
The West Cumbrian project, which would be in the Solway Firth, starting north of Workington, is dependent on the success of the firm's first project, planned for Swansea Bay.
With planning permission in place, the firm is waiting on Government to agree what subsidy it will pay to allow the green energy project to go ahead.
During a debate in parliament, Mrs Hayman said: "I'm here to put on record my support for the proposed tidal lagoon in West Cumbria."
"In West Cumbria we market ourselves under the name Britain's Energy Coast. With Calder Hall, now part of Sellafield, we were home to the world's first commercial nuclear power station. We now have the new-build reactors at Moorside, which we hope will be given the go ahead very soon."
"It's been reported that the West Cumbria tidal lagoon, with its 90 turbines set within the breakwater, could have a generating capacity of 2GW, and a lifetime of 120 years. Add this to the 3.4GW of capacity provided by Moorside, and West Cumbria alone is producing around 10 per cent of the UK's electricity needs."
"It's clear that a West Cumbrian tidal lagoon could bring huge economic benefits for my constituents – in the form of thousands of jobs during the construction period, as well as regeneration and investment in the local community."
The tidal lagoon plans are in their very early stages.
Once the Swansea Bay project is up and running, the company's next planned scheme is in Cardiff, which it hopes to submit a planning application for in 2018.
The West Cumbria project is among four others in the pipeline, with the others at Colwyn Bay, Newport and Bridgwater Bay.
No timescales have been drawn up for the later schemes yet.
A spokesman for the firm confirmed that early informal consultation had taken place in West Cumbria and formal consultation, including with local fishermen, would be held before the West Cumbria plan went ahead.
Sue Hayman, who is Shadow Minister for Tidal Energy, added: "I know that the company has been consulting with local people on the proposals, and it's important that they listen to local fishermen, whose livelihood comes from the waters of the Solway.
"They have expressed their concerns to me, so I'm glad that Tidal Lagoon Power earlier this year set up a Fisheries Peer Review Group, to advise on the effects and impacts upon fish. It's vital that do everything in their power to mitigate any impact upon local fisheries.
"I was impressed by Tidal Lagoon Power's comprehensive strategy for wider community investment in Swansea Bay, in the form of investment in local recreation, tourism, sport, and arts. This is exactly the sort of thing we also need in West Cumbria.
"The Solway Firth is beautiful – it's a hidden gem, and more people need to know about it and to come and visit our attractions, taste our local food, particularly the seafood, and realise that there's so much more to Cumbria than just the Lake District.
"So I absolutely support the pathfinder tidal lagoon project in Swansea Bay. If we can get this first project off the ground, then areas like the one I represent will be able to benefit greatly from a huge investment in our future that would help bridge our national energy gap and ensure we meet our international climate change commitments."
Although a long way off this would be fantastic for West Cumbria and having seen presentations on their Swansea Bay project it is a very exciting concept.

NuExec
After a very busy November and, as is always the case in December, things are starting to slow down as people start focussing on their Christmas holidays. If you are looking to recruit or are looking for a new opportunity now would be a perfect time to get in touch. Just looking back over the past year following are some of our achievements:

• Celebrated 5 years of trading
• Shortlisted for Small Business of the year
• Gained our Cyber Essentials
• Joined the board of Calderwood House
• Spent a night sleeping rough to raise money for homelessness
• Secured a place on a couple of large PSL's for recruitment
• Recruited the Business Director for BECBC

I would like to thank all of you who have worked with us over 2016 and we are looking forward to working with you in 2017. From all of us at NuExec have a very Merry Christmas and a Posperous New Year.

Calderwood House
I just wanted to say how proud I am of all the staff at Calderwood House. At the Cumbria Hero Awards Calderwood House was awarded the best community project. This is such a huge achievement and is down to the tremendous hard work of our support staff, who go above and beyond that for which they are paid, and genuinely care about the wellbeing of our homeless here in West Cumbria. I would also like to say a huge well done to our founder Rachel Holliday, whose passion, enthusiasm and commitment astounds me. She is a true angel who cares so deeply for those less fortunate and who goes out of her way not only for those in the hostel, but for those we can't accommodate ensuring they all have a tent, sleeping bag and some food.
We have some exciting things planned for Calderwood next year with new business initiatives and a corporate ball. I hope I can continue to count on the support of my fantastic readers to help ensure our homeless and ex-servicemen and women aren't without food and shelter in 2017.

It Could Only Happen to Me!
Today I have a guest it could happen to me, which is very exciting, especially as the guest doesn't know yet that they are featuring.
On the 25th November were the West Cumbria Hero Awards. I was absolutely delighted to be invited by Stephen McCullough from CN Group and I have to say it was, as always, an inspirational and humbling event that shows the real heroes in our community.
At the beginning of the evening I was stood speaking to Adrian Bull, NNL, Kerry Burns, Technical Administrator, NNL and the very important Paul Howarth, NNL & COnE. I felt somewhat embarrassed when Adrian started to discuss my "it could only happen to me's", especially in front of a very important person and a real grown up like Paul. I was really surprised when Paul said he enjoyed reading them as it was good to hear of these things happening to someone else. I chuckled to myself on the way back to my table: how could someone as important and grown up as Paul have any type of bad or embarrassing thing happen to him? Surely he must be really professional at Adulting!
The evening was going well and there was a short interval before the second half of the awards. We were then asked to take our seats for the second half. The compare for the evening invited the Chair of COnE, Mr Paul Howarth to the stage. But Paul didn't appear. Everyone was looking around for a good couple of minutes and then Darren Ennis went up on the stage just as Paul emerged from the toilets. Everyone started pointing and shouting he is here. So Darren came off the stage and Paul walked on, took the trophy from Darren, said thanks and then started to head back to his seat with the trophy, which he seemed to think he had won. He then got chased by one of the ladies and was sent back on stage where he proceeded to stand with the trophy and the envelope clearly displaying the winners name before even hearing the shortlist. Maybe it was one of those "you have to be there" moments, but I laughed so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks. (No Adrian I didn't wee myself – not all my blogs are about that). And in that moment Paul made me realise that no matter how important you are, no matter how many people look up to you or are desperate to have a conversation with you, you can still be really bad at adulting and it really can happen to you! 

Until next time.....

Do you ever feel like you are climbing a mountain but never quite getting to the top? Every time you reach a ridge and think you are there you climb over it to still see more and more climbing. Then you are nearly there and you see people waving and shouting "come on you're nearly there, you can do it." And just as your hand touches the top to haul your body up, there is a massive landslide and you end up back where you began without ever having stood on the top! - Well that is how I've been feeling and that is why I haven't written since the beginning of December. I have been fighting with myself over whether to write or not. It feels like all I ever have to write about is how companies are struggling, profits are diminishing, people are being made redundant, new build is under threat and I have just fallen out of love with the industry.
I had just about talked myself out of ever writing again but then people started asking me why I hadn't been writing, how much they missed reading the blogs, what an influence I had (I still don't believe this one) and how losing the blog would be like losing the supply chain voice of what's really going on. So, I have given in to peer pressure and decided I would write again.

Sellafield
Just a little fresh news from Sellafield this week:

For the first time, radioactive sludge from the world's oldest nuclear storage pond has been packaged safely within a modern store, ready for long-term disposal.
The sludge has been transferred from the pond to a new encapsulation plant, where it is grouted and processed into a storage state ready for final disposal in the UK's geological disposal facility.
The mud-like substance has developed in the depths of the Pile Fuel Storage Pond during its 65 year lifespan, and is now being removed so the facility can be safely decommissioned.
This key step follows years of careful planning and preparation and it will take several years to remove all of the sludge in the pond.
Once the mixture is cured and a cement cap has been added, the drum can be lidded and transferred remotely to a modern storage plant where it will remain pending final disposal to a long term facility.
The project is being delivered 10 years ahead of schedule and for half of the predicted cost of £200 million. A 10-year project to dewater the pond will start in 2019, while sludge is still being removed.
The 100-metre long pond was originally used to store nuclear fuel used to make atomic weapons.

BECBC Nuclear Group
Hosted by Areva
Areva - Steve Topping set up Westlakes office

Areva created in 2001

Was a merger of Framatome created in 1958 French American nuclear construction developed PWR, Cogema 1976 production division of CEA, and Technicatome 1972.

In 2016 did a restructure as Fukushima had a big impact on their business. In November 2016 contract signed between Areva and EDF regarding the sale of Areva NPs activities: reactors and services.

Nov 16 launched new UK Business model greater focus on decommissioning and engineering

New Areva maintains an experienced and expert view of the entire nuclear lifecycle

UK business units include Areva Projects UK, with extensive experience in delivering specialised consultancy and engineering services, and Areva UK business development and stakeholder engagement

45years in waste management and recycling used fuel
15 years in decommissioning and dismantling
Areva is able to support each stage of the decommissioning process with a broad range of expertise and experience.
Engineering and operations team in Warrington

In 2008 Areva bought RMC.
100 people
Skill mix - Nuclear safety, fire safety, shielding and dose assessment, human factors, waste management and decommissioning and engineering

Sellafield
Simon Martin, DDP Programme Manager

DDP - £50m placed through framework
33% has gone to SMES

6 -9 months at Sellafield.
Became a standalone company for the first time. Decommissioning is the best it's been for a while.
MSSS Sep 2 machine constructed and going though commissioning. Passive ventilation system.
Pile fuel storage - moving and successful
Cladding silo - major prep work going on
Processing plants achieving well same as vit facilities
B204 stack - carousel moving up ready for demolition starting early summer
Adapt - won contact for B6 stack through DDP
Supply chain supported and helped with all the work

What's Next:
Reprocessing nearly there Thorpe will be ending and Magnox not far behind
Government consultation on pensions is having an impact
Trying to move mission forward

Transformation programme focussing on:
Leadership
People
Enterprise
Supply Chain Opportunities

New Decommissioning Director John Oliver
Head of Development and Communities Jamie Reed

DDP
Current forecast £600m
Competition in Lot 1 £5m other than that direct award
Vision - to make DDP the framework of choice
Not intended to replace existing frameworks e.g. Access or ISA
Scope Delivery covering full task or project life cycles
Increase the socioeconomic footprint

Lot 1 Remediation, PFSP, PFCS, Major Projects
Lot 2 FGMSP
lot 3 MSSS

DDP is working differently with the supply chain
7 partners including Sellafield as they see themselves as a partner
Collaboration is key to the success
Create continuity in the supply chain
Early engagement with the supply chain
Greater focus on rewards based on business, programme and project outcomes

2017 -19 plan
Collaboration to maximise social impact return
Alignment to new SL social impact strategy
Outcomes and impact based
11 social impact principles
Nominated lead JV with support

LLWR Martin Harrison Business Services Manager

Business services market place is now open to all SLCs in the NDA estate.

Environmental safety case framework announcement of successful business soon

IT expertise need to get registered as IT work coming out.

NI Dinner
I was absolutely delighted to attend the NI Dinner last night as a guest of NIS. The dinner reminded me what wonderful people we have in our industry. Speaking to people it feels like things are starting to move again, someone described it as "feeling like spring" which I really felt summed it up. But more importantly than that I noticed something very special last night, that made me feel extremely proud; instead of the supply chain fighting with competitors looking for scraps of work, I saw businesses offering a united front. Competitor businesses sat together side by side understanding that they are stronger together than on their own. Instead of (going back to my opening, which I wrote on Thursday) standing at the top of the mountain and sticking their fingers up at their competitors, they are reaching down and helping them climb back up. That spirit of togetherness wasn't there before and to see the support, collaboration and partnership was very humbling.

New Build
Well here lies another pile of hot steaming poo! So the latest at time of writing, is that
Toshiba will still consider participating in the Moorside project to build three new nuclear reactors near Sellafield in Cumbria.
But Toshiba has now published a provisional outlook report for its third quarter, which outlines the status of major projects in its overseas nuclear power business including in Cumbria. Toshiba is a 60 per cent shareholder in nuclear developer NuGen, the owner of the Moorside project.
In a section entitled 'outlook for the project', Toshiba said that it "will consider participating in the project without taking on any risk from carrying out actual construction work". The outlook section concluded that "as planned from the beginning, Toshiba will seek to sell the shares to interested parties".
NuGen is continuing to progress plans to develop Moorside but the question has to be asked as to who will buy the 60% shares from Toshiba? In addition, with this on the Horizon it is likely to be back to square one for all those businesses who for the third time have built relationships and secured contracts / frameworks / agreements. In my opinion the only way there is any chance of this moving forward is if the Government step in and make the decision to fund it. There is no question that we need nuclear power to keep our lights on, but who is going to be man enough to do something about it?

NuExec

Things are certainly hard going at the moment but we do have some great roles and are always looking to work with businesses to find them exceptional individuals for the nuclear industry. Likewise we are always looking to speak to great candidates.

BECBC / It Could Only Happen to me replacement!
So it is with a really heavy heart that after 7 years on the senior management team and laterly as a director I have decided to stand down from my role within the cluster. This actually makes me really emotional and I would like to tell you a story:

I was 32 and was so nervous going to my first board meeting, I felt like a school girl going into the head teachers office. Sat at the table were all these very important, rather older (sorry guys) and all but one were men. I sat there without daring to speak just working everybody out and trying to carve a place for myself. It didn't take me long to realise I was going to be the "doer" and that suited me very well. I didn't feel important enough or adult enough to do all the "strategic" big boy stuff so I took on the role of marketing, sales and obviously recruitment when required. Whenever BECBC had a stand at all the different events I was always there raising our profile and signing up new members. I brought an energy and enthusiasm to the board of which had never seen before. (Between you and I, I think I became a bit like marmite.) I also became, and remain the voice of the SME's and the not engineering and technical businesses that make up our membership. In fact, even to this day I must bang on about it at least 5 times in every board meeting - however I digress from my story. So I became a regular at the board meetings and began to build excellent relationships with the likes of Dick Razz, previous MD of LLWR, Neil McNicholas, previous MD of DRSL, Steve McClure of Bardon Aggregates. These guys taught me so very much, although they may not know it. they helped me become the person in business that I am. Also when Alison Johnston, Dodd and Co joined the board she became a real friend to me, for which I will be eternally grateful. Without these key people and BECBC I would never have started my business. Let me explain, Dick Razz quickly took me under his wing and started to give me business and life advice. He would take me for lunch and coffee, and by association people started to be interested in speaking to me, after all if someone as important as Dick was having lunch with me I must be worth talking to? I fondly remember the fantastic tour he gave me of LLWR with his light on the top of the car taking me all over the site. Steve was a strong character but with a really good heart and really looked out for me. We worked together on the very first awards in 2010 and he gave me such praise building my confidence which to be fair was very low. Alison not only gave me great dating advice, but also gave me some fantastic accounting advice in encouraging me to set up NuExec. She might not remember it but she told me she believed in me and that meant the world to me that someone as successful as Alison could believe someone like me could actually run a successful business. Then the lovely Neil gave me my first two roles when I set up the business to ensure we had a revenue coming in. The fact he believed in me enough to give me an opportunity was so very humbling and I was so grateful. In addition to the board team, through my role I was able to build my network to a level that made it possible for me to start my business. Some of you may not know but back in June 2008 I arrived in Cumbria with a 22 month old and a 3.5 year old and just the things I could fit in an old Ford Fiesta. I had nothing, no money, nowhere to live and no job. I was broken hearted and suffering with an eating disorder, I couldn't have been at a lower place. I genuinely believe my involvement in the cluster, the people I became associated with and who guided, mentored and cared for me made me the person I am and helped me achieve all I have achieved over those years. I also need to mention one more person who has helped me on my journey who has been my rock, my confidante, my sounding board, my partner in crime and most importantly my friend and that is the lovely Hazel Duhy. It would be remiss of me not to thank the current board many of which, I would like to think, have become friends. I would like to thank them, especially Liz Bowe who goes above and beyond for the members and the cluster. Keep up the good work. I will still be attending the BECBC monthly meetings so you can't get rid of me that easily.

Until next time.....

Happy Friday my lovely readers!!! - No I don't want anything, I am just full of the joys of spring. I can't believe another 2 weeks have raced in and we are now in March!

It has been a fairly quiet couple of weeks on the news front, but here is what I know:

Sellafield

A 350-tonne machine has been installed at Sellafield to tackle one of the world's most challenging nuclear clean-up jobs.
The £100m silo emptying plant will scoop radioactive waste out of the Magnox swarf storage silo.
The 1960's storage facility contains 10,000 cubic metres of intermediate level nuclear waste.
This is the first of three machines that will sit on rails on top of the silo's 22 vertical waste compartments. Each compartment is big enough to accommodate six double decker buses stacked three high.
Once in operation, the emptying machines will be manoeuvred into place over the top of each compartment to scoop out their contents. The material will then be packed into nuclear skips and sent to modern waste stores at Sellafield, pending final disposal in the UK's geological disposal facility.
The machines will be ready to start retrieving waste in 2018, taking an estimated 20 to 25 years to complete the task.
The emptying machines were built by NES Ansaldo at its Wolverhampton factory, before being dismantled and sent to Sellafield in 23 separate modules. The modules were then lifted one by one into the silo building and re-assembled in situ.
The silo took waste from nuclear power stations all over the UK until its closure in June 2000. Its contents are chiefly made up of magnesium cladding which was stripped from nuclear fuel rods before they were sent for reprocessing.

Supply Chain Robots
One of the world's biggest TV news networks is featuring a special report on Sellafield.
US broadcaster Bloomberg TV, filmed a feature on how Sellafield is working with their supply chain to develop robots to help decommission the site.
The video report features the Pile Fuel Storage Pond at Sellafield and showcases the innovative work being done by supply chain companies Createc , Forth Engineering and the National Nuclear Laboratory.
Sellafield Ltd's technical director Rebecca Weston is among those who appear in the report. Bloomberg has also produced a piece on Sellafield for its Businessweek magazine which is read by one million people, mainly in the US

Community Choices – Calderwood House
A shameless plug for Calderwood House! Sellafield has a new scheme called Community Choices – offering not-for-profit charities and community groups the chance to apply for grants for their good causes and letting the public decide who will get the funding.
Calderwood Furniture Services has been shortlisted in the Improving Social Inclusion category and we need you to vote. Let me quickly tell you the back story. I set the residents of Calderwood House a challenge to write a business plan for a sustainable business that would bring money into the project to make us self-sustainable, whilst giving our residents work experience. One of our awesome residents, that never fails to impress and inspire me, wrote a comprehensive business plan to open Calderwood Furniture Services. The idea would be to take in donated furniture and get it improved for resale. In addition, residents working within the business will earn points and when they move into their own home they can use their points to purchase furniture to furnish their homes. The money from Community Choices would enable the business to set up and run for a year. – So please get behind those people who want to change their lives and help others do the same.
decidingtogether.org . Voting closes on 26thMarch.

NDA
So a new CEO has been announced at the NDA. The lucky chap is David Peattie.
David will be responsible for leading the NDA in the decommissioning and clean-up of 17 legacy nuclear sites across the UK, including Sellafield. He started in the role on 1 March 2017, when John Clarke stepped down after five years in the role. – I would like to thank John Clarke for his contribution and commitment to the nuclear industry and to our area. He has arguably had one of the hardest roles in the industry and has stood strong and remained passionate and consistent throughout. I am sure we haven't seen the last of him though and he is bound to pop up again somewhere in the industry.

Anyway, I digress, on with David:

Prior to taking up his role at the NDA David Peattie was Chief Executive Officer at Fairfield Energy, where he led the successful turnaround of performance of North Sea assets and oversaw the start of the decommissioning project for the Dunlin Alpha Platform.
David began his career at British Petroleum in 1979 as a petroleum engineer and during his 33 years at the company held a number of technical, commercial and senior management positions. His roles at BP included Head of BP Group Investor Relations, Commercial Director of BP Chemicals, Deputy Head of global Exploration & Production, Head of BP Group Planning, and finally as Head of BP Russia where he was responsible for BP's interests in the TNK-BP joint venture as well as its businesses in the Russian Arctic and Sakhalin. In addition, he was BP's lead Director on the board of TNK-BP and Chairman of its Health, Safety and Environment Committee.
David is a Chartered Engineer and Member of Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (Petroleum Engineering).

Tom Smith also took over as Chairman of NDA on 1 March 2017 from Stephen Henwood, who stepped down as Chair after 9 years in the role.
Tom Smith has a strong track record in delivering infrastructure projects and complex commercial contracts between the public and private sectors, and since 2013 he has been an invaluable asset to the NDA Board.
Tom read Chemistry at Balliol College, Oxford and is a Member of the Institute of Directors. His initial career was in the Diplomatic Service, working in London, Hong Kong and Beijing between 1979 and 1990, when he was part of the team that negotiated the 1984 treaty with China on Hong Kong.
With a career embracing both public and private sectors, he spent 10 years at the Go-Ahead Group plc, becoming Managing Director Rail Development and was instrumental in making Go-Ahead one of Britain's largest train operators. He was Chairman of the Association of Train Operating Companies from 2009 to 2013. Previous to his career in the rail industry, he was Managing Director of Midland Expressway, the company that developed and operates the M6Toll; and held a number of senior positions at Trafalgar House plc.
In 2013 he was appointed as Non-Executive Director of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, serving as a member of the NDA's Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. In January 2014, Mr Smith was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Highways Agency and became a Non-Executive Director of Highways England on 1 April 2015. He is also Chairman of Angel Trains Group.

Dounreay
It isn't often I mention Doureay on my blog, but the lovely Liz Bowe shared some information that I thought many of my readers may benefit from so here you go:

Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) is seeking to award a Framework Agreement to a maximum of six Contractors for a duration of up to four years (2+1+1) for the period July 2017 to June 2021. The Framework Agreement is for the provision of Building and Civil Services to support a number of projects on the Dounreay site. The anticipated value of Work Packages that may be awarded through the Framework Agreement over the four year duration is GBP 10M.

The scope of works includes the following activities:
• Excavations
• Foundation Works
• Minor Concrete Pours
• Maintenance of Pathways, Car Parks, Roads, Drainage
• Provision of Aggregates
• Joinery Services including Shuttering
• Masonry Services
• Plumbing Services
• Painting Services
• Roofing Renewals & Repairs
• Building Maintenance Services
• Transportation of non radiological waste to Landfill Sites
• Provision of Labour & Plant to work under the Employer's direction
• Demolition of small buildings primarily in non-active areas where the services of  a specialist Demolition Contractor are not required
• General Building and Civils Activities

Although, the Framework Agreement has a duration of four years, the initial award will be for a period of two years (July 2017 to June 2019). Thereafter, two further one year extension can be awarded at the sole discretion of the Employer. Any extension to the initial two year period will be based upon the continued requirement of the Framework Agreement and the performance of the individual Contractors.
Value of contract £10.0m - £10.5m

Published date 20 February 2017

Closing date 23 March 2017

Contract start date 01 July 2017

Contract end date 30 June 2021

Contact name Carly Mackay carly.mackay@dounreay.com Telephone +44 1847802766
Dounreay, Building D2003
Thurso, Caithness
KW14 7TZ

Supply Chain

Prima Uno
Prima Uno's new Portfolio, Programme & Project Management consultancy P4M has now launched its own website. Following the growth of P4M's strategic & programme management portfolio there are plans to open a Manchester and London office to cope with demands from other high profile UK and international projects such as the new Heathrow Runway.

Sarah Purdham of Prima Uno said "We are excited about creating a sustainable future for our employees as we break into new sectors and technologies. We are very excited about 2017. Expanding our geographical area is key so we can continue to service our East & Southern clients by having premises in these key growth areas"

If you would like any information about Prima Uno (, P4M or Prima Uno Training please visit the websites below or call 01946 817209.
http://primauno.co.uk/

http://p4m1.co.uk/

http://primaunotraining.co.uk/

I am so proud of Sarah and her team. Sarah is a true representation of an entrepreneur who is passionate about what she does and the area she lives. A true inspiration.

Forth Engineering
As part of the ongoing commitment to expand their capabilities, Forth Engineering are delighted to announce the incorporation of Aerosnapper Ltd into Forth Group.
The capabilities and experience of Aerosnapper will undoubtedly enhance their services and complement their ongoing development of robotic remote vehicles, beyond climbing, walking, crawling and swimming, into the skys!
With immediate effect, they are now able to offer the following state of the art drone related services and are working on innovative drone technologies for tank vessel and harsh environment inspections:
• Aerial Photography
• Aerial Filming
• Aerial Surveys/Inspections
- Roofs
- Buildings
- Pipe bridges
- Chimneys
- Over water – e.g. pond, sea, water course inspections
• 3D mapping using Point Cloud data
They can also offer ground based filming and photography which is ideal for documenting product trials and testing either here at Forth, or on client's premises.

Aerosnapper will be working closely with the existing Research & Development team at Forth to develop specialist aerial platforms to meet their client's demanding requirements.
They are certain this exciting new development will be of real value to their clients, and will allow their Business to grow, which ultimately will impact positively on the West Cumbrian communities that they are proud to be a part of.

NuExec – It's been a busy couple of weeks and we have some interesting nuclear and non-nuclear opportunities we are recruiting. Check out: www.nuexecconsulting.co.uk and www.nuexecrecruitment.co.uk to view out latest opportunities. In addition, if you are looking to recruit within your business get in touch!

It Can Only Happen to Me
I actually don't have an it could only happen to me – maybe I am finally growing up and turning into a responsible adult???
Anyhow I put a plea out to my friends and my lovely friend Dianne Richardson, who many of you will know, shared this lovely story with me as a guest "it could only happen to me."
So a few years ago my hubby was honoured to be awarded a MBE. You get to take 3 guests, so along with me, he decided to take our mums to the palace which delighted them. As a thank you for the invitation my parents took us to the Ritz for dinner afterwards.

There we are all dressed up & enjoying the evening, we managed to get right through to coffee before my moment arrived. Talking away about the excitement of the day I reached out & added a spoon of sugar to my coffee & took a sip only to discover I'd added salt by accident! They were so posh they didn't use salt cellars!

At first I thought, being a hardy Cumbrian, I could grit my teeth & drink the coffee but a second sip soon told me I was deluded. We'd earlier had a really good chat with the Sommelier & discovered he was Cumbrian so I came up with a plan. Saying I needed to visit the ladies I stood up to leave the table at which point my mum decided to join me. Desperate to cover my mistake I moved rapidly & quietly said to the Sommelier "as a fellow Cumbrian I need your help, I've managed to put salt in my coffee instead of sugar" Completely unflappable he replied "Don't worry Madam leave it with me"

As mum & I exit to the ladies everyone on the table is very impressed that the Ritz is so concerned about the details that they replace your coffee if you go to the loo!

I almost got away with it until the distraught waiter who was meant to take the salt away at the end of the main course came over to apologise profusely........

You can follow Dianne's blog on: www.diannerichardson.co.uk

Until next time.....

So here it is! After having written my first blog in September 2012 it is time to say goodbye. This will be my last ever Cumbrian Nuclear Blog! It has been an absolute ball and I have really loved writing it. The blog changed hugely over the 4.5 years of writing: I have been controversial, I have been honest – sometimes too honest-, I have laughed, I have cried, I have made friends and I have made enemies, but most importantly I had 6000 readers!

Many of you will already know, but for those who don't here is a copy of an email that I sent out to my stakeholders last week:

"I am writing to inform you that After 5.5 years of trading I have decided to close NuExec Consulting.
Whilst some of you may be surprised at this news, others will know that I have been slowly falling out of love with recruitment, which has changed so much, particularly as more and more companies establish internal recruitment teams. In addition to that, you will all know that my real passion lays within the supply chain.
I have spent so much time working with companies to help them in the industry; to broker relationships and to give general advice. I love attending the events, getting involved in the community through Calderwood House and giving talks to kids; writing my blog and being part of the nuclear industry. Unfortunately, though, those things I love don't, or should I say haven't up until now, generate an income. That is why I am absolutely delighted, and honoured, to have been invited to join Martin Chown, Supply Chain Director for Sellafield, as a Senior Supply Chain Manager. I see this as not only as an awesome opportunity for me, but an opportunity for the supply chain to have my passion, enthusiasm, commitment and drive within the walls of Sellafield. I only hope Martin knows what he has let himself in for and let's hope he hasn't read too many of my 'It can only happen to me's'.

Lisa has decided to work as an independent recruitment consultant offering that specialist recruitment service for those key roles that we have always excelled at. I am sure she will be in contact in the coming weeks to tell you about how she, as 'The Tiny Recruiter' can help your business.

NuExec Consulting will stop trading on 27th April 2017, but don't worry, the business account will remain open in order to receive all those outstanding payments - there will be no free recruits here!

Finally, and this is where I get very emotional, I want to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you reading this email. In some way, each of you has played a part in our success over the past 5 years. It has been such a journey and a real learning curve for me personally. I don't feel I have just built a network of connections, I feel I have made some lifelong friends. I have been inspired, impressed, felt blessed, been criticised, been praised, have received hundreds of thanks and have helped change lives by helping people achieve the career of their dreams - and now it's my turn!"

Over the past week I have had a very mixed response to the news. People who know me well have been jumping with joy for me and are really delighted that I have the opportunity to follow a dream and do something I love and be paid for it. Those who don't know me so well have contacted me and said how sorry they are! There is really nothing to be sorry about. Five and half years ago I had a dream to set up a nuclear recruitment business that would become well known within the industry and be a recruiter of choice. Not only did I realise that dream, but I smashed it. But once it was done, and with recruitment changing, it wasn't my dream anymore. I always tell people that they should have a career that is their passion and now I get to follow my passion and work for Martin as a Senior Supply Chain Manager! So, no sympathy is needed. Nothing failed, no one died and I for one am buzzing! – although I have to tell you a quick story as it really tickled me. A lovely chap who works at Sellafield came over to say 'hi' to me at the gym and to say congratulations on the news. He told me that he had been off work on Friday when Sellafield were told the news about me joining. So when he came into work and was asked "OMG have you heard about Emma-Jayne" he actually thought I had died! Nope, sorry, it's much worse: you are going to have to put up with me every day!

Sellafield
Sellafield workers can now support their local community on the way into work, through the simple act of buying a coffee:
Calderwood House homeless hostel in Egremont has launched a new coffee van business. Not only will the coffee van generate an income for Calderwood House, but it also provides an opportunity for their residents to gain work experience, learn new skills and develop the confidence to get back into work.
For a trial period, the van is at the Yottenfews car park, close to Sellafield, between the hours of 6am and 9.30am, offering a hot drink to workers who use the park and ride service onto the site.
So next time you are at Yottenfews be it car sharing with your colleagues, or catching the bus please do come and support Calderwood and buy #coffeewithaconscience. Not only will you be supporting the community but the coffee tastes great too!

Astute Submarine – Lessons Learned
I have been asked by APM North West branch to promote this evening event where Tim Chittenden will use examples from his extensive project experience to highlight why projects fail to deliver and focus on the lessons he has learned.
The event is being held at the Samuel Lindow Building, Westlakes - 6-8pm Wednesday 5th April
Topics covered will include:
• the importance of understanding requirements
• selection of KPIs
• programme optimism
• objectives and requirements creep
• incentives and EVM
Tim is a brilliant speaker with fantastic experience so I am sure this will be a not to be missed event.

NuExec Consulting – Well what is there to say. We are still recruiting until the end of April, so if anyone wants to squeeze in any last minute recruits with the experts then you best be quick.
Of course, the lovely Lisa, who has been my partner in crime for many of years, is going to be trading as an independent consultant. She will be focusing on key roles for your business, which is where we have always excelled. Do keep in touch with her and she can be contacted on: 07751720375/ tinyrecruiter@outlook.com

Finally, I would like to thank all of our clients and candidates, past and present for working with us and contributing to our awesome success. We have had some amazing achievements over the five years including:

• Worked with over 30 companies in the nuclear supply chain
• Helped over a 100 candidates find new career opportunities
• Won Business Start up of the year 2012
• Won Best Nuclear Recruitment Business, UK in the Recruitment Awards 2015
• Won the contract with LLWR initially as a managed service and then as a preferred partner for all permanent recruitment
• Gained our Cyber Essentials certification
• Doubled the size of the team
• Had a huge social impact through our community activities
• Inspired people from apprentices through to Managing Directors.
• Was shortlisted for BECBC Small Business of the Year Award 2016
• Won 2016 Nuclear Recruitment Specialist of the Year Award

Best Soapbox Memory from 31st May 2013
I really am on my soapbox again this week and although it might be over something really, trivial it is really making me cross. So much so that I feel like poking someone in the eye! So here it is. As you know Lisa and I have offices in the Samuel Lindow Building in the incubation unit for start-up businesses. In the unit is a large hot desking facility for small start-ups, and then there are individual offices that new businesses can rent. Now, apart from the fact that it seems anyone and their father can use the incubation unit for free regardless of how many offices they have throughout the UK, but these people- who pay nothing- also feel it is appropriate to help themselves to other peoples things! Let me explain. The unit provides tea and coffee free of charge for people but milk is something you provide yourself. Each week I buy milk for Lisa and I, and any NuExec visitors, and each week these greedy bastards feel it is appropriate to take my milk and use it for themselves and their 10 visitors who are using the facility! Now, Lisa and I were getting so frustrated with things being taken that we put a large note on the fridge reminding people that the things inside belong to individuals. We also put one up reminding the scruff bags that washing up their cups and putting them away was just standard etiquette, especially when they are using the unit for free!
So, on Wednesday I happened to be sitting on the round table reading some documents looked up and caught the milk thieves in action! So I stormed out of the door and went "Excuse me that is our milk you are using." "Is it?" came the response. "Yes! The sign clearly states that the contents of the fridge aren't communal." "Oh" came the answer! I shut the door! Oh, oh I will give you bloody oh! Surely common sense says that you don't just take something that isn't yours. It seems that people think it is ok to use other peoples' things because that is acceptable. Well I am telling you it isn't. If you didn't buy it then it is not yours and you will have to go and buy a costa coffee with all that money you are saving by not paying for an office! The End!

Best It could only happen to me from August 2014
I am beginning to think that my life is actually the Truman Show. I keep thinking that there must be hidden cameras following me around because surely all these things don't happen to one person. Well I hope you are sitting comfortably and I would probably recommend getting a cup of tea as this is going to be a long read!
On Thursday 17th July my preparations for Holland began. As we were attending a wedding on the Saturday I felt I should get a spray tan so I didn't have lily white legs. Having only ever had one once before, I was full or trepidation. The thought of stripping practically naked in front of a perfect young lady does not fill me with glee. So there I was standing in a booth in nothing but a paper thong, with any ounce of dignity far behind me, whilst the lady sprayed me from all angles. When she had finished she told me I had to stand in what I can only describe as a muscle man position for 5 minutes to allow it to dry. It was during those ridiculously long 5 minutes that I decided that this would definitely be my last spray tan, after all would anyone really notice or care if I am tanned or not. The lady came in, gave me a prod and told me I could slip my dress back on, being careful not to rub myself or get wet for at least 8 hours. As I got dressed I decided to keep the paper knickers on to prevent unnecessary rubbing and I shoved my knickers in my bag and headed off to the girls school summer fete. I was standing in the packed hall when the girls decided they wanted a go on the tombola, so I pulled my purse out of my bag and my knickers catapulted across the hall, much to the horror of my girls! I quickly hurried across the hall to collect my knickers trying to cause the least amount of fuss as possible.
On Friday we headed to the airport and all seemed fine. The plane was delayed by 30 minutes but that was no big deal and the flight was problem free. As we walked into the airport I said to Stefan "just the luggage to go now then all will be fine." I wish I had kept my mouth shut. As we approached the conveyor first we retrieved my suitcase and then Stefan's. Then we waited and waited but the girls suitcase didn't arrive. Now, normally when I go on holiday I always split clothes between suitcases but as we were only going to Holland I didn't bother, so all the girls had were the clothes they stood in, and to make matters worse we were due at a wedding at 2pm the next day. Now I actually stayed uncharacteristically calm and was just so very grateful it hadn't been my case, as if it had I would have without doubt boarded the next flight home. So Stefan went to speak Dutch to the information desk while we sat and waited. It turned out they had no idea where the suitcase was, but if it was still in Manchester they could try and get it in on the morning flight and we could collect it then. We headed to his parent's house with a slight glimmer of hope that maybe just maybe the girls wedding outfits that I had spent over £150 on would be there in time for the wedding.
It was approaching 1am when we finally headed to bed after the delay and the suitcase debacle. I was trying to find my toothpaste in my soap bag and managed to cut my hand on my razor. It was one of those stupid cuts that isn't deep but bleeds and bleeds. I was so tired that I decided to put a plaster on and go to sleep. Next morning we were awake early to call the airport to see if there was any news on the suitcase. The answer was no. So we had just a couple of hours to go to the city and buy everything the girls would need for the week plus outfits for the wedding that afternoon. We managed to find underwear and shorts and vest tops without much bother but we couldn't find any wedding outfits. It was like kids don't dress up in Holland. We went to every shop that sold children's clothing, even designer shops and we couldn't find anything. They didn't even have any bridal shops where we could have got little bridesmaids dresses so they looked half decent. We were drastically running out of time so ended up buying some cheap looking dresses that I wouldn't even put them in for a children's party. Stefan was under strict instructions that he must tell everybody that the girl's suitcases were lost and that they both had beautiful designer outfits in their suitcase!
So we got back to the house with about 30 minutes to get ready. I took the plaster off my hand and OMG!, the plaster had taken off my tan! I had a white plaster mark then a brown square where the pad had been and another plaster mark the other side. It was ridiculous and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I had two choices: either I put on another plaster to hide it or I keep my hand hidden for the duration of the wedding. Rushing to get ready for the wedding I decided to go for the hidden hand option. After all everyone would be looking at the bride not me – and thank god they kiss 3 times instead of shake hands!
The rest of the holiday passed without too much drama but still no suitcase. Stefan had many calls to Easyjet but still no case. On Sunday, 9 days after we had arrived we were back at Amsterdam airport and Stefan spoke to the information desk. It turned out that nobody had actually spoken to Manchester Airport so the case could be there. Beyond cross, I told Stefan to ask them if we could call Manchester but they didn't have their number and couldn't go on to the internet to google it. They sent us back to the place that luggage comes in and told us to go back and speak to the lady we originally spoke to. Thankfully she could get on google and got a number but said she couldn't get through. I took the number whilst Stefan went to look at their found cases. I called the number and got straight through. So I told the chap about the suitcase that we had lost 9 days earlier and he asked me to hold for a moment. He then told me he was sure he had my suitcase in his hand and could I give him the combination. I gave it to him and he did indeed have our suitcase and I could collect it when we landed in England. I was absolutely delighted that the case was found but was also extremely cross that for 9 days we had had no suitcase when all they needed to do was call Manchester to identify the fact our case was there.
Still we landed at Manchester, picked up our case and headed home!

That's it folks! No more until next times! Don't forget about me too quickly, and next time something bad happens to you, just remember: – it isn't only you!