Staff News

The key at HOP has always been and will remain the fostering of long-term relationships; not short term gain but long-term survival and improvement. Our 22nd anniversary year sees us in excellent shape with a good plan for structured growth not only of client and projects but, most importantly, the people in the firm.

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HOP Scoops Engineering Innovation Award

HOP Civil Engineers are very pleased to have won the Institution of Civil Engineers (South) Geoffrey Osborne Award for Innovation presented by the President of our Institution, Dr Jean Venables, on 19 June at the ICE South Awards Dinner.

This was for the  civil engineering  design of the roads and permeable paving drainage for the new school access, car park and sports court at Hurstpierpoint College,  incorporating reduced flood risk by using Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems  (SUDS). 

The judges said that “… it was clear that the project paid a lot of attention to overcome problems to an exceptionally high innovative standard  ... a number of exceptional innovative solutions …”

We have very strong  Highways,  Flood Risk,  Marine  and Civil Engineering teams here at HOP  able to offer engineering advice for feasibility and planning applications through to construction stage.   

Our  Civil Engineering teams have been quietly getting on with things like this for approaching 10 years now, so it’s nice to get a bit of recognition.

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INVESTORS IN PEOPLE Review

As a measure of the training, nurturing and importance we give to staff, we have passed the second round of Investors in People’s reviews with flying colours, with our assessor using words like: ‘truly impressive’ in relation to our commitment to learning and development. HOP are pleased to employ top quality staff and only by proper investment in people can we continue to maintain and improve.

The assessor’s overriding impression of HOP was of a ‘professional and progressive firm where investing in people is seen as pivotal to on-going success’.

We are also members of CONSTRUCTION LINE and are a Construction Health and Safety (CHAS) registered contractor.

All members of staff who are likely to go on site now hold CSCS cards - keeping right up there with health and safety legislation and procedures.

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"Love Conquers All"

….Hemsley Orrell played cupid recently when two of our Engineers tied the knot.  Elodie Coudert and Martin Perry married in St Ives, Cornwall, where a large number of HOP staff travelled down to witness and celebrate their very special day. 

Elodie, who came to HOP from her home town of Toulouse in France, is one of our French work experience students, who joined us approximately 2 years ago. French students normally stay with us for 3 months, but it was obvious that Elodie was destined to stay much longer!  It was just a matter of days before she met Martin, also a trainee Engineer, who must have made quite an impression on her because, as they say, the rest is history.

Congratulation Elodie and Martin from your friends and colleagues at HOP!

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New Arrivals

Nigel Hosker celebrated the birth of Holly Maria Brady Hosker who was born on 12th July 2008 weighing 8 lb 9 (or 3.88kg in standard international units!)

Congratulations also to Waldo Zaragoza who recently celebrated the birth of Reuben, Matthew Johnson with the arrival of Mia, and finally Steffan Thomas with the recent birth of Robyn.

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HOP Training

Congratulations to Adam Ellis who is now a Chartered Structural Engineer, passing first time.  This is a very difficult exam with an average 30% pass rate.

HOP staff now have an impressive record:-

MICE – 100% pass rate

MIStructE – 92% pass rate

A number of our staff deliver presentations throughout the south on Engineering and Construction-related topics. We are also lecturers for the Structural Design Module at the University of Brighton. See also “HOP Presentations”.

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HOP Goes to Wembley and the Emirates Stadiums

Several of the HOP teams, including some of the Falmer Stadium team, recently enjoyed a technical tour of Wembley, followed by a curry and a live football match (Sweden v Brazil at the Emirates stadium). A great fun day and of high interest to those involved in state of the art modern football stadiums.

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HOP Staff Visit to Gibraltar

A number of HOP staff recently enjoyed a day trip to Gibraltar to visit Ocean Village, one of HOP's overseas projects nearing completion.

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Onwards and Upwards

Adam Humphrey joins John Spearman, Jon Orrell and Alan Taylor as an Equity Director.

The key Associates of David Jones and Phil Hedges are now strengthened by the promotion to Associate Director of Mark Naumann, Lee Stewart and Nigel Hosker. These guys bring special skills and assume specific responsibilities within the HOP organisation.

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HOP Community Service

Involvement in the community is one of HOP's main aims and objectives. We very much support Brighton & Hove Albion's work, both on and off the pitch, are a “Friend of the Albion” and match sponsor.

Some of the most rewarding projects we are involved in are those where we provide our services free of charge. We assisted in the design, procurement and management of the Hove Lagoon Splashpool children's paddling pool, which has now been enjoyed for several years by the local kids.

On the same site, we have been working with Skatexpectations to construct a skatepark. Again, we have produced design details and schedule of works and are pleased to be working with RLF construction consultants and Dean & Dyball as main contractor on the scheme.

We are very proud also to support the Whoopsadaisy charity. This is a charity for the benefit of physically disabled children living in the Brighton area. We are currently assisting in putting together design information, again with the kind assistance of RLF Hove, and look forward to getting fundraising and procurement up to full steam in January 2007. More information may be found at www.whoopsadaisy.org

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HOP Launches ICE South Schools Initiative

Our presentation ‘The Rough Guide to Civil & Structural Engineering’ has been adopted by the Institution of Civil Engineers to show schoolchildren how interesting and fulfilling a career in Civil engineering can be.  [See also ‘Presentations’]

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HOP Sends the R.E’s to Normandy

We were recently pleased to sponsor the Royal Engineers Troop Commanders course via our own Ross Wendover, through Sandhurst and the Parachute Regiment, now with 9 Para RE. The lads took a section of World War II Bailey Bridge panel out to Le Grand Bunker in Normandy (Sword Beach), which proved to be a great photo opportunity for the French press as you can see.

HOP’s connection with the military extends back to D-Day when Lt Bob Orrell blew the doors of the main command bunker on Sword Beach, capturing 52 officers and men for which he received a King’s letter, a Mention in Despatches and promotion to Captain. This bunker is now the best museum of D-Day on the Normandy coast and features Bob Orrell RE and the work of the Royal Engineers at D-Day – well worth a visit.

‘Saving Private Ryan’s Landing Craft’
HOP procured a WWII Higgins boat, the actual one used in the dramatic opening sequence of the film ‘Saving Private Ryan’, saved from a naval scrapyard in Portsmouth.  Now on display as part of the sponsored landscaping of the Holmbush Roundabout, Shoreham. 

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HOP IDOLS Football

Hemsley Orrell's homegrown football team HOP IDOLS, having won the ICE South football tournament, took up the challenge of the national finals in Belfast. Having played some good football HOP IDOLS finished third in the second tier competition.

Since returning from international duty in Belfast, the team has continued a fantastic winning sequence in which they have been promoted to the Premiership of the Brighton region five a side football leagues. There are six leagues; to date HOP IDOLS have won every division from conference to first and need to win the Premiership to have a full house in winner's trophies.

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HOP and Brighton Pier

Even Zoe Ball is interested in HOP’s work under the pier. Our teams regularly check the structure and design all necessary repair, renewal and extension works. See the new mega-rides in 2006. See www.brightonpier.co.uk