Unsung Hero

This category seeks to shine a deserving light on the remarkable contributions made by women occupying back-office and non-consumer facing roles, such as marketing, communication and office management. Often working diligently behind the scenes, these individuals play a pivotal role in steering and helping their organisations. This award is designed to honour those who consistently go above and beyond for their companies, but are not often recognised.

Sarah Amores
Useful Simple Trust

In just eight months, I have transformed the Useful Simple Trust's marketing and communications landscape from fragmented to formidable, swiftly aligning our five brand strategies to unify our voices and mission. With meticulous planning, I have devised comprehensive business goals to drive brand exposure and engagement, in addition to championing initiatives like mental health support and Corporate Social Responsibility. By providing tailored in-house training and fostering a culture of participation, I have empowered our teams to generate a staggering 256 pieces of purposeful content across our websites, LinkedIn and Instagram profiles, and the results speak volumes: a 74% increase in followers and an 80% spike in engagement compared to Q1 2023. Amidst leading web development projects and upskilling endeavors, I am passionate about amplifying our unique interdisciplinary relationships and organizational ethos. As a result, I was promoted to Senior Marketing & Communications Manager in April 2024.

Samantha Barratt
Barhale

Samantha Barratt has been responsible for a transformation in marketing, communications and client relationship management within Barhale while, across the wider sector, she has championed women’s and non-engineering roles in construction, not least through her leadership at CECA, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, and her commitment to encouraging the next generation to consider careers in construction and civil engineering – all the while managing the needs of her own young family.

Alice Brookes
On The Tools

Alice Brookes, Brand Manager at On The Tools, stands as a beacon of change in the construction industry. Through her leadership, the 'Women On The Tools White Paper' emerged, addressing gender disparities with insightful recommendations. Alice's initiative prompted tangible action, evidenced by the Considerable Constructor’s Scheme's revision to include essential provisions for tradeswomen. Her strategic distribution of the report, both digitally and physically, fostered crucial conversations and real-time feedback. Social media metrics reflect a notable shift towards positive discourse surrounding women in trades. Alice's resilience and vision not only elevated On The Tools but also solidified her as a thought leader in gender diversity advocacy, notably in the Midlands.

Kate Garland
Selwood

Kate Garland, Head of Commercial Finance at Selwood, has proven herself to be a lynchpin of the business over 15 years of service. Known as a fantastic communicator who is able to present complex financial information engagingly to people at all levels, Kate builds valuable relationships and serves as a vital link between the people working across Selwood and the senior leadership team. Her contributions bring finance to life for all of Selwood’s people and have had a direct impact on the ongoing success of the business, including several milestones such as significant acquisitions and deals. Systems she has implemented, including financial dashboards in branches, have been instrumental in providing value for customers and supporting exceptional financial performance. Kate also supports charitable and social activities, volunteers in community life outside work and is a much-loved colleague, mentor and friend to many – truly an unsung hero!

Katy Hall
SC4 Carpenters

As an SME, SC4 has to be flexible enough to react to the variable market and levels of work. As such it relies on the ability of its team to adapt to current requirements and meet challenges face on. Katy is the linchpin behind this, working diligently, politely, professionally and with dedication to ensure the company's success. As Company Secretary and Director, Katy is being responsible for strategic decision-making and management and implementation of legal and regulatory requirements within the company. In addition, on a day-to-day Katy's role covers most of the back-office functions, including HR, finance, project management, technological solutions, training, welfare, marketing, copywriting, pricing, cost management, supply chain management and data management. Katy's role is vital in every SC4 project, ensuring that contracts are signed, regulations are met, certification and insurance is up-to-date, invoices are raised, staff, subcontractors and suppliers are paid and that marketing is completed.

Emily Irish
Multiplex Construction Europe

Over her 11-year career, Emily has become an indispensable asset, bridging communication between the Managing Director & colleagues while overseeing the Head Office operations. Beyond her core responsibilities, she actively supports the wider leadership team, whilst being a friend to all employees at Multiplex. Her impact extends to various committees, where she spearheads initiatives ranging from organising diverse events to promoting women in construction through the Women's Network last year, which achieved recognition as 'Network of the Year' at the London Construction Awards. Currently, she dedicates herself to promoting wellbeing across all projects and the Head Office, showcasing a commitment to the welfare of her colleagues. Her dedication, leadership, and proactive approach exemplify the essence of the Unsung Hero Award, making her a deserving candidate who embodies the values of dedication, collaboration, and inclusivity within Multiplex and the wider community. The events calender is attached which Emily manages.

Brooke Johnson
Berkeley Group

So, in summary, there will probably be lots of really well deserving nominees for this particular award but this is Brooke's year. Besides having a huge influence over how the business is growing the conversation about women and ethnic minorities, she is also seeing opportunity through our charities to make a difference to the wider communities in which we live and work. Practically by raising large amounts of money and through her behind the scenes, in private conversations with those who need a bit of a lift or someone who'll take the time to listen to their problems. Either way Brooke adds real value to how our business operates and we see a real return in the output of others because of her influence. Again, a true Unsung Hero.

Tara Kennedy
Patrick Parsons

Since joining Patrick Parsons, I have led transformative initiatives in marketing, employee engagement, and social value. My key achievements include managing a comprehensive brand refresh, which involved collaborating with an external design agency and conducting employee focus groups to create a new identity. This resulted in a successful brand relaunch, enhancing our industry presence. Additionally, I spearheaded the development of our Client Service Pillars through extensive market research. I implemented these pillars across the organisation and created a client feedback mechanism, allowing us to monitor and improve our service quality.In employee engagement, I chair our employee advocacy group, focusing on culture, benefits, career progression, and community involvement. My role also extends to overseeing diversity and inclusion initiatives, as well as coordinating STEM outreach activities with local schools. These efforts have significantly boosted Patrick Parsons' internal culture, industry reputation, and community engagement.

Helen Mason
Fulkers Bailey Russell

Helen is a marketing expert with nearly 20 years of experience in the construction and property industry. At Fulkers Bailey Russell, she has played a critical role in shaping the company’s strategic direction and contributing to its growth. Helen initially joined as a Marketing Manager at Fulkers and she successfully scaled her marketing team to nine members, reflecting the company’s rapid expansion. Her impact has been profound, particularly in developing Fulker’s first comprehensive business plan, aligning it with the company’s culture and setting the strategic framework for the future. Helen’s exceptional skills in innovation, collaboration and problem solving have been a driving force for Fulker’s success. Helen embodies the company’s values, friendly, ambitious, proactive, professional and supportive. Her dedication and willingness to go to the extra mile make her an invaluable asset to Fulkers. Her innovative collaborative and problem solving skills make her truly deserving of the “Unsung Hero” award.

Charlotte Mint
Willmott Dixon Interiors

Charlotte’s expertise, ideas, supportive nature and determined approach are invaluable to the business. Passionate about making a positive difference, she continually comes up with practical suggestions for improving marketing across the board and develops solid processes for implementing them. The results have been impressive, including a 64% increase in engagement on LinkedIn.

Greta Rusteikaite
4PS Construction Solutions

Since joining 4PS Greta has made significant strides in a vital support consultant role. Greta notably enhanced the employee onboarding process by developing an e-learning module, continually refining it to ensure effectiveness. Her meticulous attention extends to software testing where she improved scripts and reduced errors, maintaining high quality in our software products. Within six months, Greta mastered and received certification for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, showcasing her ability to work independently and handle major software like 4PS Construct. Beyond technical skills, she contributes to company culture through initiatives like community gardening and fitness challenges, and supports her colleagues as a Mental Health First Aider. Greta’s leadership in implementing sustainable office practices further highlights her dedication to making 4PS a responsible business. Her broad impact across various areas exemplifies the spirit of this award.

Clair Thomas-Poulton
V3 Group

Clair is undoubtedly the unsung hero of the team! She has demonstrated a breadth of knowledge and experience that has been fundamental to the where the company is today. She is a valued member of the team and winning this award would demonstrate that her hard work is not only recognised by her colleagues, but also by a wider audience within the construction industry. Her work ethic is inspirational and is a role model to her female colleagues in a male dominated sector. She is the glue of the team and will always go the extra mile to help any of her colleagues both professionally and personally. She not only works extremely hard, but ensures the office is a happy and motivated environment to be in- every organisation needs a Clair!