Congratulations to the December 2022 Thanks For Your Effort winners – UK Materials – Yorkshire Readymix – Huddersfield Plant team; David Roberts, Marcus Bedford, Dan Wilkinson and David West.

The team won their award for responding to an emergency situation – when discovering a member of the public in distress, they reacted to the potential life-threatening situation with calmness and control.

Whilst working on structural improvements to the Huddersfield plant, the Plant Manager, Dave Roberts, heard shouting from along the riverbank. As the shouts became continuous he went to investigate and found that a lady was in the river shouting for help.

The team of people at the plant responded quickly in setting up a means of rescue. Ladders were secured to the riverbank and Dave managed to get access to the lady and pull her to safety. She was extremely cold, dazed and confused. Dave and the Area Fitter, Marcus Bedford, worked together, calling the ambulance and police whilst administering first aid for potential hyperthermia. The lady was given a warm drink, comforted, and reassured until the emergency services arrival. The team’s actions may well have saved the lady’s life, thanks to them stepping in and acting fast.

Richard Kelly, Operations Manager, Yorkshire Readymix, who nominated the team for the Thanks For Your Effort award, commented: “As the Operations Manager I’m very proud of the guys involved for reacting, caring for this person and showing real human qualities. The team acted out of human kindness. It shows a level of integrity, and great people who care that we have working for us. They care about the immediate team and our public. This more than anything is the greatest reward for CEMEX and how are reputation is seen from the outside world.”

Well done to the whole team – a fantastic effort and achievement.