‘Over the Moon’ as Tom Wins Quality of Work Award

Tom Keane, 51, has won a Quality Award in the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) annual Pride in the Job competition – one of just 449 UK site managers out of over 8,000 nominated to receive the accolade.

He was recognised for his work at Bellway’s Barleywoods development in Oakham.

Tom has been automatically entered into the next stage of the competition – the NHBC’s Seal of Excellence and Regional Awards, which will be handed out later this year.

Tom said: “When Dean Takkou, my Construction Manager, gave me a call to say I had won the Pride in the Job award, I didn’t believe him. It was only when my wife Googled it and showed me – I was then over the moon!

“It is great to have won this award and been recognised for my hard work so early, as I only joined Bellway last ye

“I wouldn’t have been able to win the Pride in the Job award without the incredible efforts of our team; all the different trades really came together, and we’ve produced a high standard of work at Barleywoods.

“It has been great to have the freedom to run this site the way I want to. My next goal is to win the Seal of Excellence award or a Regional Award.”

Tom has been working in the construction industry for 33 years and he joined Bellway as a site manager in 2023.

Tom added: “I was around 18 when I started working as a labourer. It was there that a site manager I met recognised my potential. He said to me, ‘You are more than just a labourer.’

“It is incredible that years later, I have progressed to become a site manager myself and have even won this prestigious award.”

The NHBC judges site managers on criteria including attention to detail, leadership, technical expertise and health and safety.

Dean Takkou, Construction Director for Bellway Eastern Counties, said: “The awards are rightly held in high regard nationally as everyone in the industry knows just how hard it is to win this accolade. The judging is incredibly rigorous.

“I would like to congratulate Tom and every member of his fabulous site team for their achievement and wish them all the best for the next stage of the competition in the autumn.”