9 Nov 2022 Community

Illingworth & Gregory create a vibrant new space for The Kirkwood

Locally based construction firm, Illingworth & Gregory, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, and has pledged to support The Kirkwood throughout 2022. As part of their efforts, the team have gone above and beyond to transform an outdated dining space inside The Kirkwood’s main hospice building into a contemporary and vibrant place for their hardworking teams to recharge their batteries

Founded in 1972, Illingworth & Gregory, which is part of the Sewell Group, is determined to raise funds for The Kirkwood, a cause close to their hearts. They have already held a series of events and overcome heart-pounding challenges in their efforts to raise an awe inspiring £50,000 for the charity. Not content with abseiling from terrifying heights and taking on limb-sapping hikes through the peaks in their 50th Anniversary year, Illingworth & Gregory have also been putting their expertise to good use to help the charity improve its facilities. After discussions with The Kirkwood team to identify a project that would create a real difference, the team set to work on plans to transform the dining room at The Kirkwood’s hospice in Huddersfield.

The Kirkwood’s dining room is a well-used space but hasn’t seen many changes over the past few decades, with the occasional lick of paint the only minor updates to speak of. But that all changed once the team at Illingworth & Gregory got to work on a new design. Chris Carline, Manager Director for I&G said: “As part of our ambitious pledge for our 50th year to really challenge our teams and give back to the communities that we serve, we wanted to do something special that would benefit The Kirkwood and their hard-working employees and volunteers for years to come.

“With our design for ‘The Kirkwood Kitchen’, we wanted to give the charity something modern and fresh, whilst also delivering a flexible space for their hard-working teams to relax, eat and socialize in.”

With plans approved by The Kirkwood early in the Summer, Illingworth & Gregory got to work on making their plans a reality, carrying out all the work free of charge and even bringing in other contractors to support their efforts.

“We wanted to create a vibrant space where the workers of The Kirkwood could have a place to relax and socialize. Our vision was to create an inviting space using the colours of the Kirkwood, with pockets to wind down. We created custom furnishing by refurbishing the existing furniture that would allow the users to adapt the place to make it their own.

"By utilising the existing furnishing, we could revamp it to a more contemporary style - enhancing the perception of depth by elevating the storage off the floor using pin legs in the same colour as the walls and providing a dedicated wall space to share menus and meals of the day! Hexagonal dining tables were designed to allow more people to get together, as well as the ability to slot them together to create an adaptable seating area. Unique and custom ceiling baffles were kindly donated by one of our subcontractors, which allowed for a softer diffused light for the dining area to create a cosy and intimate atmosphere.

"We are pleased to have a good working relationship with subcontractors who were happy to be involved in such a scheme and be able to have a part in giving back [to our local community]. Our Site foreman, Mario Charbonneau, enjoyed getting a hands-on approach to the scheme, liaising with the facilities management to ensure the project was completed on time and to a high standard. We are all very enthusiastic to be involved to create such a unique space for the staff."

The completed dining space was recently unveiled to members of The Kirkwood team, and the feedback has been amazing. Michael Crowther, Chief Executive for The Kirkwood, was delighted with the new space and believes it will become a space not just to grab a bite to eat, but a haven for the charity’s dedicated volunteers and employees.

“The Kirkwood Kitchen is the culmination of a lot of time and effort from Illingworth & Gregory, as well as lots of other contractors who generously lent their support to this project, free of charge.

“What them team at Illingworth & Gregory have created has far exceeded our expectations. They’ve given us a modern, relaxing space to spend time in. The Kirkwood Kitchen is no longer just a room to eat a meal, but a vibrant place to take time out, catch up with colleagues and unwind.

“Our teams work hard 24 hours a day to provide outstanding and compassionate care for patients and their families, and it’s important that they have somewhere to relax during their breaks. I am thrilled with our new dining space.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to Illingworth & Gregory for giving our dining room a new lease of life. We’d also like to thank Airedale Flooring Contractors, G4 Design & Print, HEC Decorating Specialists, John Atkinson Interiors & Acoustics, Richardson’s Infinite Workspace Solutions and Richardson Electrical for generously supporting The Kirkwood Kitchen project.”

If you’d like to find out more about Illingworth & Gregory in their 50th Anniversary year, visit: www.iandgltd.co.uk