Melhuish and Saunders News from 2023
Keep up to date with the latest news from Melhuish and Saunders.
Winter Newsletter 2023
The latest newsletter from the greatest building contractors in the South West is available now!
Please have a look & see the projects we’ve been privileged to be part of & projects that have just started or soon to start in 2024.
Take a picture of our Christmas card or our latest Newsletter with your company logo, like us, tag us & share on your social channels using: #mellieschristmas to be in with a chance of winning Glastonbury Abbey membership.
Entries close on the 21st December 2023, the winner will be announced on the 24th December.
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Principal Building Contractor for new Specialist Care Scheme
We are privileged to be the Principal Building Contractor for a specialist care scheme working in collaboration with Ross Management Services Ltd and NOMA Architects.
The project comprises six self-contained bungalows designed to cater to individuals with learning disabilities or autism and complex care needs, with a separate unit for staff that will allow 24/7 support to residents.
The Scheme has been developed jointly by Elim Housing Association, Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, North Somerset Council, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB and Deeley Freed amongst other key stakeholders.
Strode College Immersive Learning Laboratories
Works are progressing well on site at Strode College, we are on the final stages and soon to be preparing for handover. This project has been extremely fast paced and included the coordination and planning of a complex new ventilation and heat systems within the existing structure and with specialist lighting throughout the various teaching rooms.
Abseil success for the Melhuish & Saunders team
The team from Melhuish & Saunders in Glastonbury abseiled 130ft off of Uphill Quarry near Weston-super-Mare on the 23rd September.
The weather couldn’t have been better for the team of nine! Heading to the location you could see the equipment in place, and it looked very high from afar and at the foot of the cliff it seemed to double! Undaunted the team trekked up to the top of the cliff and prepared one by one to take a backward step over the edge ! Darryl Mitchard, Managing Director of Melhuish & Saunders said afterwards:
“I was so impressed by everyone who took the plunge, special shout out to my children who seemed to just take it in their stride, Bella being the youngest to take on the abseil at being just 9 years old!! Everyone did so well, and it has been great to raise money for the Somerset Wildlife Trust!”
Melhuish & Saunders have been a Corporate Supporter of the Somerset Wildlife Trust for many years and celebrating their 100th year in the construction industry in April, part of the celebrations was wanting to raise money for Somerset Wildlife Trust!
Many thanks to the instructors from Aardvark Endeavours who facilitated the abseil and for Somerset Wildlife Trust for the opportunity!
If you haven’t and would like to sponsor the team any donations are appreciated: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/melhuishandsaundersltd
Horse Pond Inn, Castle Cary
We are pleased to announce we have started on site at The Horse Pond Inn, Castle Cary. This project will convert what was once a public house in to a retail unit and accomodation. Working again withour valued Clients Westcoast Convenience Limited on a new project following our completion of a new build dwelling and convenience store in Coleford.
Lubborn Cheese Factory in Chard
Construction has officially begun on the new factory expansion project at Lubborn Cheese Ltd in Chard!
The team are hard at work building an extension to the existing factory, and we're committed to maintaining our high standards of care and consideration at this live factory environment.
This expansion includes a steel frame structure, concrete foundations, and a floor slab. We can't wait to share more key milestones with you as the project progresses.
Official Opening of Norman Scott Pavilion
Our Managing Director, Darryl, had the honour of attending the official opening of the Norman Scott Park Pavilion in Patchway on Saturday, 8th July 2023. This newly constructed and improved pavilion boasts impressive features, including a high-class changing facility designed specifically for visiting sports teams, four changing rooms with showering facilities, officials' changing rooms, a café with a kitchen, a function room, and public restrooms. The grand opening ceremony was graced by renowned Bristol sports personality, Geoff Twentyman, along with the Mayor of Patchway and esteemed members of the Patchway and Charlton Hayes Community Sports Association.
Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Patchway becoming a Parish, the opening celebration was nothing short of extraordinary. Despite some wet weather, everyone's spirits remained high, and Darryl and his son thoroughly enjoyed attending the event.
Abseil for Wildlife! Supporting Somerset Wildlife Trust
A team from Melhuish & Saunders in Glastonbury are abseiling for wildlife! We'll be stepping backwards over a 130ft cliff & abseiling to the bottom, all to raise much needed funds for Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Melhuish & Saunders have been a Corporate Supporter of Somerset Wildlife Trust for many years, and with us celebrating our 100th year in the construction industry, we wanted to celebrate by raising money for Somerset Wildlife Trust!
Every penny that you can sponsor us will help the charity protect the wildlife & wild places across Somerset.
Strode College, Block B
We're thrilled to share the exciting progress made on our latest project at Strode College! Our team started onsite last week and have been working tirelessly on the alterations and refurbishment of Block B to create state-of-the-art Immersive Learning Laboratories.
As part of the project, we're making internal alterations to the ground floor and 1st-floor corridor. Additionally, we're removing the existing ground floor teaching spaces and staff admin areas to make way for the new T Levels. This will provide exceptional facilities for Strode College and offer cutting-edge learning environments to their students.
The Old Vicarage, Bruton
Refurbishment, alterations, with sympathetic restoration works at The Old Vicarage in Bruton have been completed earlier this year.
A truly lovely setting for a new home, we hope the new residents enjoy them for many years.
Summer Newsletter 2023
The latest newsletter from the greatest building contractors in the South West is available now!
Please have a look & see the projects we’ve been privileged to be part of & projects that have just started or soon to start.
Are you awaiting an outcome from a CIF bid application?
Conditional Improvement Fund application outcomes will be announced soon! We wish you every success in receiving the funding you may have applied for!
If you are successful in a CIF bid and are looking for construction guidance, a reputable Principal Contractor to negotiate or tender for the project, or just some expertise of how to sequence the works with minimal disruption to building users please do get in touch.
Melhuish & Saunders have a wealth of experience and expertise of undertaking a wide range of projects within the Education Sector, from constructing new buildings to refurbishing and upgrading current buildings. Our teams are experienced at working within a ’live’ educational environment, and the safety of students, staff and visitors are always of utmost importance to us. We are trusted by our clients who come back to us time and again.
Education providers who are eligible were able to apply for capital funding from the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF), the applications usually run yearly between October and December, with the outcomes of applications announced during May.
The Department for Education prioritise the funding to ensure education providers’ buildings are safe and in good working order.
This includes funding projects that address:
• buildings in poor condition
• building compliance and
• health and safety issues.
The fund also supports a small number of expansion projects, these are for education providers rated good or outstanding by Ofsted that can demonstrate a need to expand.
Please call 01458 831349 or email office@mandsltd.co.uk with details of your project.
Start of a new Somervale Rounders League Season
Last Wednesday, 3rd May 2023 Fumblers took to the pitch for the first time this season to play Winns Phillies in Division One of the Somervale Rounders League, the game was played at Tor Sports and Leisure in Glastonbury. It was a tough first game for Fumblers who have recently moved up from Division Two, Winns Phillies took the win, but it was a great game for Fumblers playing against a great friendly sporting team!
Melhuish & Saunders are the main sponsors for Fumblers and we will be watching them throughout the season and wish them all the best.
Coronation Tea at Mind in Somerset
Darryl Mitchard, the Managing Director of Melhuish & Saunders attended the Coronation Tea at the Shepton Mallet Hub for Mind in Somerset today; it was a great chance to look at work the Melhuish & Saunders team did rebuilding the shed to become useable. Darryl met Lord Lieutenant, Mr Mohammed Saddiq and Dr Alexander Priest DL the Chief Executive of Mind in Somerset.
Darryl said: "It was a great opportunity to see the shed being used again and really glad Melhuish & Saunders could help.
Marpool Primary School, New Resource Centre
In May 2021, we started onsite for Marpool Primary School, their dream to create a new resource centre, fast forward to May 2023 and we are all so pleased to attend their grand opening of Juniper Resource Base, held yesterday (4th May 2023). The new building will provide specialist support for children with special educational needs, enabling children to access mainstream education.
The project wouldn’t have been possible without the drive of the Executive Headteacher Mrs Pattison who has worked tirelessly for her students to ensure this project was started through to its completion; other great supporters who made the build possible were Exe Estuary Federation, Marpool Primary School, their local Rotarians, Dave Roberts, The Bailey Thomas Charity, The Norman Trust, Tesco, The Co-Operative and many fundraisers through the GoFundMe page. The children and their parents/guardians are very lucky to have such great support around them.
Bobby Vining, Site Manager and Darryl Mitchard, Managing Director of Melhuish & Saunders attended the opening and said:
“It was great to meet the children who will be using this new building and facilities within, hearing their comments about all being in the same space and not having to move around so much was great to hear and how we have positively impacted on them. Some of the parents I spoke with were emotional now that the building was ready to use. I always say my job isn’t just about construction, it is about transforming lives by turning their dreams into reality and this project is a great example of this.“
Darryl and Bobby were presented with gifts from the children, which included a CD of Marpool Melodies to enjoy with some homemade jam and cake.
The works involved the completion of the design from RIBA Stage 2 through to the completion of the construction phase Stage 5 -7. The works was to construct a new resource centre for Marpool school which includes classrooms, office, staffing area, WCs, communal areas, break out areas, the build had to be designed to resemble a house as far as practical to enable the children that were going to use the building to feel at home.
We wish all the best to Mrs Pattison, all at Marpool Primary School and their wider community. Thank you all for being so hospitable during the different phases of construction.
New Project at Welham Farm Barn
We are more than pleased to announce we are starting a new project for Emily Estates at Welham Farm Barn, with Studio Mark Ruthven and Lionstead.
The project consists of the erection a metal clad storage barn with a climate control system to ensure consistent temperature and humidity levels. The structure will be steel frame with metal cladded walls and roof. Significant excavation and retaining walls together with drainage and the creation of a Bat loft.
MEM Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine - Avalon Plastics
Check out the latest Edition of MEM Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine which features Avalon Plastics (from page 74 onwards), a local business near to Melhuish & Saunders. An interesting article to read about their approach to ensuring they are agile, responsive and reliable within their business, how they are tackling their energy consumption, hearing from Richard Winterbottom on their future ambitions and of course it’s great to see inside the factory that we pass by every day!
Avalon Plastics in Glastonbury were a Client of ours in 2020 with Wotton Donoghue Architects, where we extended the factory to help enable the growth of their business, more details can be found on the Melhuish & Saunders website.
CHAS Health & Safety Assessment has been approved for another year!
Great to receive news that our application for CHAS Health & Safety Assessment has been approved for another year!
Our Vision: "To be the Greatest Building Contractor in the Southwest of England, constructing as a team with vision and passion to complete projects to the highest of standards, giving exceptional value for money and well exceeding our client’s expectations"
Date Palm Developments update
Great to see progress at Date Palm Developments! The scaffolding has been removed and you can really appreciate how impressive this building will be once complete now with the curtain walling installed.
A Great Celebration of 100 years
This time last week we were busy getting ready to celebrate Melhuish & Saunders 100th year in the construction industry! A milestone we are delighted to have reached as well as celebrating John Mitchard owning the company for 25 years!
We have worked on many great projects over the years and continue looking forward to the new and exciting projects on our horizon. We are always grateful for the relationships we make with suppliers, subcontractors, architects, clients, and other professions throughout the lifespan of a construction project, it was great to raise a glass and share in our celebrations with everyone last Thursday, 6th April 2023.
Our celebrations took place at the beautiful Abbey House in Glastonbury, we were so pleased the sun was out so our guests could enjoy the gardens. The crazy golf, total wipe-out and garden games were enjoyed by all, and we also had the very talented Rainbow Gecko - Face Painting and Bubbles, ViX Caricatures, Fully Funktional and Unexpected Singers to enjoy throughout the afternoon and evening. All topped off by a wonderful bar, fabulous DJ, sweets treats and delicious hog roast by Smoulder & Scorch
We look forward to celebrating the next milestones and turning dreams into reality.
Melhuish & Saunders 100 year milestone! From 6th April 1923 and beyond
Melhuish & Saunders, a Somerset family business are celebrating 100 years in business, succeeding to grow from strength to strength during some tough times!
Melhuish and Saunders who are a renowned Principal Building contractor operate in the South-West of England. They have been privileged to work with numerous great clients on high profiled, high specified projects over the years and leave many great buildings as part of their legacy.
Owned by John Mitchard for 25 years (this year!) and led by Managing Director Darryl Mitchard since 2017, this family business has moved with the times to ensure they are delivering high quality builds on time and on budget for their clients.
Managing Director, Darryl Mitchard, said: “It’s phenomenal to think that we have been in business for 100 years and being owned by my family is a great feeling, being able to take the lead from John has been a great accomplishment and I look forward to taking the business forward and continue to grow.”
“We have been fortunate to have a really great team to support us over the years and they have been vital in the success of the business and with their ability to move and change with the times”. “We’re now looking forward to the next milestones!”
New Project: Working with Meare & Westhay Village Hall Charity
We are pleased to announce a new project working with Meare and Westhay New Village Hall and Hill.Reading Architects the construction of the new Meare Village Hall is in progress.
Melhuish & Saunders start onsite today (27th March), this project will be a phased approach with foundations being the first important milestone to be completed.
We will bring you more updates on this exciting community project when available.
Mind in Somerset
A team of volunteers from Melhuish and Saunders visited the Mind in Somerset base in Shepton Mallet in 2022.
The Melhuish & Saunders team members met with one of the Mind in Somerset's trustees – Dr Chris Norris – and stripped old plasterboard from the charity's dilapidated old shed to assess the building.
Darryl the Managing Director from Melhuish & Saunders has donated his staff’s time and materials, making the building a safe and useable space – a community space for anyone affected by or vulnerable to mental illness.
Darryl said: “It’s great to be back at Mind in Somerset, helping with community projects like this is really important to the company. Improving the facilities will help Mind in Somerset support people and improve their quality of life and wellbeing.”
