Engineering and construction company, Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) with the help of North East and Yorkshire teams have hosted a successful event to celebrate women in construction. The event at Thirsk racecourse saw an impressive turnout with 120 colleagues attending, featuring five inspiring guest speakers, a networking session, and a question-and-answer panel. Attendees included professionals from Northumbrian Water, Yorkshire Water, and Turner and Townsend. MMB director, Phil Cundill began the event by defining diversity and discussing its importance in the workplace. Contracts manager, Lucy Lee, joined MMB in 2024. With 15 years of experience in construction, she was the first guest speaker at the event. “Since I was nine, I wanted to be an engineer and build a bridge, but statistics have followed me throughout my career, with only 15% of women being in construction and only 9.2% being in more senior positions”. Pictured (L-R): Lucy Lee, MMB contracts manager, Selena Uttley and Martha Smith (SHEQ Advisors) Selena Uttley and Martha Smith were the next guest speakers. They have recently completed their apprenticeships with MMB, working in the safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) team. They discussed their experiences as young female professionals during their apprenticeship and how they manage their roles both onsite and in the office. Anwen Gough, commercial manager, was the next speaker. She studied civil engineering, where only two individuals in her class were female. Her advice to women in the industry was to “grab any opportunity that comes your way, embrace it and be yourself.” Frances Elwell, design director, was the last guest speaker of the day. She shared her inspiring 20-year journey at Mott MacDonald and her experience joining MMB in 2024. "The key lessons I've learned in my career are to take responsibility for it, be yourself, seek learning and improvement opportunities, know your priorities, and always invest in yourself."  Frances Elwell. Pictured: Frances Elwell, MMB design director (Guest speaker) The event also raised £700 for Smart Works Charity , which will make a meaningful contribution to supporting women in need. The funds will be split equally between their Northeast and Yorkshire offices.  Lyndsey Boagey, commercial manager, who hosted the event, stated, "We planned a day to inspire and build a community within our networks, focusing on women in the industry. It was wonderful to see so many people, both female and male, supporting the event. The speakers were fantastic, providing insights into the experiences of women in construction. The feedback has been phenomenal, and we are all still smiling from ear to ear." The event was a great success, fostering community and support among women in construction and the business as a whole as well. The inspiring stories and insights from the speakers left a lasting impact. The positive feedback highlights the importance of such initiatives in promoting diversity and inclusion in the industry. - Interested in a career at MMB? Visit our careers website . Follow us: LinkedIn , Facebook , X .

Meet one of our brilliant people: Cam Yarker, a plant operative based in the North of England. Cam speaks about his day-to-day role as a plant operative, how he delivers excellence every day and the development opportunities at JN Bentley. Tell us about your role and where you are based I've worked at JN Bentley for over 8 years now. Currently, I am based in Yorkshire, working on schemes in the North of England for our client Yorkshire Water, as a plant operative. In my role, I am responsible for operating a range of plant on site, including excavators and dozers. How do you deliver excellence in your role I deliver excellence in my work by striving for perfection – no matter if I am laying pipework, top soiling a field or installing an alleviation tank, when the job is complete, I want people to know I worked on the project through its neatness, presentation and functionality. What opportunities have you had to grow your specialism or develop your career at JN Bentley? During my time at JN Bentley, I’ve received a great deal of support to develop through various qualifications and certifications which the company has supported me to achieve. I’ve continued to receive plenty of support and aim to work towards my crane qualifications, which is something I would love to achieve in the future. Describe what life at JN Bentley means to you in three words Safety, family and fun. What characteristic do you admire in other people Persistence – someone who is willing to get stuck in, no matter what. You see this a lot on site, with people working to get the job over the line if the pressure is on, or the rain is pouring down. What advice would you give to your younger self Keep your head down, work hard as a team player and show initiative. If you follow that, you will go far. Finish the sentence: I feel included when... When I’m asked my opinion, and given a platform to share my thoughts and ideas. __________________________________________________________________________________ Interested in a career at JN Bentley? Check out our careers page  or speak to our recruitment team at recruitment@jnbentley.co.uk .

A second cohort of apprentices and graduates have successfully completed MMB’s graduate and apprentice programme. Over 100 apprentice and graduates came together to complete their final in-person teambuilding module, marking the end of their journey on MMB’s bespoke graduate and apprentice development programme.   Two events – held in Leeds and Birmingham – saw colleagues take part in a head-to-head team challenge, putting theory learnt in the classroom into practice – a great way to wrap up months of collaborative and team-based learning. Although now at the end of the programme, delegates are now armed with the skills they need to take the next steps in their career. About the programme The graduate and apprentice programme extends over provides new starters with a structured framework for their development. Tailored specifically for MMB and delivered in partnership with Futureproof Training, the programme is designed to enhance personal and professional skills, preparing colleagues for their future with the business. Delegates complete modules focused on teamwork and developing key skills needed for the workplace, including effective communication and presenting with confidence. The programme also provides support on the route to achieving professional Chartership, with experienced colleagues providing mentorship and guidance along the way.    Hear from colleagues  “Developing my communication and presentation skills as part of the programme has definitely helped me a lot  - I now feel a lot more confident when I’m presenting and communicating to my team.” Hallie, apprentice civil engineer. “The best thing about the scheme is being able to meet new people and work on the skills that you use every day.” Alan, graduate in business support. “Going through the programme has been a really positive experience. I’ve really enjoyed the teamworking activities and getting to know people I otherwise might not have met day-to-day.” Sam, apprentice civil engineer. 2026 career opportunities  Applications for our 2026 intake of graduates open on 1 October 2025. Applications for apprenticeships open in February 2026. Visit our careers site  for more information.

Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) has launched a new early careers development programme for apprentices and graduates. The inaugural launch event, held at Aston University, Birmingham was attended by over 100 apprentices and graduates who have recently joined the business. The day - led by Lead Learning & Development Advisor Helen Bradford - began with an introduction to the scheme and included interactive icebreakers, presentations from directors Ian Bester and Nick Fawcett, team-based challenges and breakout rooms led by a number of colleagues subject experts in their field. Speaking about the launch event, Helen said: "The day was one to remember. It was great seeing all our new starters under one roof and seeing the energy and enthusiasm everyone brought to the event - even if it meant going outside of their comfort zones. "I’m really looking forward to seeing how our apprentices and graduates progress over the next 12 months and beyond." The structured 12-month programme provides a framework for career development, through a series of in-person events and online skills training. The programme will enable colleagues to develop key personal and professional skills that will support their progression and provides clear career pathways for their chosen discipline, whether engineering, business support or commercial management – setting them on the path to a successful career within the business. Sophie, graduate process engineer, said: "The event was great as I was presented with a clear route to progress within my role at MMB and given the platform to learn and develop within the business thanks to the wider early careers development network and the support of experienced colleagues throughout the business." Investing in and supporting early career development has long been part of MMB's approach to attracting and nurturing talent to create a sustainable workforce for the future. The company invests over £1 million every year in the training and development of its people, supporting them to achieve their goals, reach their potential and build a successful career with the business. Interested in building your career with MMB? Find all our current opportunities on the MMB careers website. Don’t forget to follow MMB on LinkedIn  and X (formerly Twitter)  to keep up to date with the latest news .

Mott MacDonald Bentley’s (MMB) project at Springwell Pipeline – part of the larger Springwell Enhancements scheme – was named the winner of the ‘Large Category Project Award (over £5m)’, at the annual Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East awards. The judges praised the project’s ‘use of machine technology, innovative techniques and forward planning’ to help accelerate the programme’s delivery. They further highlighted the excellent collaboration demonstrated with National Highways, particularly during the crossing of the A194. Additional praise was given to the project team’s dedication to community engagement, contribution to strong social value, and supporting great work placement opportunities. The £62m project - part of the Springwell Enhancements scheme which will increase water resilience for more than 250,000 customers across South Tyneside and Sunderland - comprises 6.9km of pipeline, alongside a new twin-compartment, semi-precast 43ML service reservoir. To deliver the pipeline, the project team have drawn on their combined expertise and engineering experience to deliver improved outcomes for the client and their customers. Pictured: MMB team celebrate Springwell pipeline award win At the awards, MMB was also recognised as one of the winners for the Technical Excellence Award, as a part of Northumbrian Water’s ‘Driving Down Capital through Collaboration – Five Point Plan’. MMB is one of the key delivery partners on the plan, which was commended by the judges for its ’remarkable strategy’ that demonstrates ‘exemplary collaboration between the client and suppliers’, resulting in successfully reducing carbon across the framework. Congratulations to the teams. Read more about our project at Springwell – and more - in our latest annual review . Pictured: MMB team celebrate Technical Excellence Award win with Northumbrian Water and contract partners

Meet one of our brilliant people: Holly Brockton, a skilled operative based in the Midlands. Holly speaks about her career transition from the military to working in the UK water industry, the development opportunities at JN Bentley and advice for those staring out their career in the industry. Tell us about your role and where you are based Currently, I am based in the Midlands, working on a scheme called Witches Oak wetlands in Derbyshire, for our client Severn Trent, as a skilled operative. Safety and efficiency are at the forefront of my role, with a skilled operative being responsible for operating a wide range of plant and machinery on-site, including dumpers, rollers, telehandler track dumpers, and many more. My role also involves working on the ground, supporting the rest of the operational team in everything from digging trenches to fixing flanges on pipework. What opportunities have you had to grow your specialism or develop your career at JN Bentley? During my time at JN Bentley, I’ve received a great deal of support during my professional development. The business has both encouraged and enabled me to achieve several qualifications and certifications in the plant operating space. I’ve also been given the opportunity to broaden my knowledge of overall site operations, after being put forward to complete courses in fusion welding, steelwork and working in confined spaces. Describe what life at JN Bentley means to you in three words Safety, excitement, growth. What has been your proudest achievement? One standout achievement in my career has been my ability to challenge gender stereotypes. This is reflected in my career path, with my first role in military- where I became the first female well driller in the UK - to working in the construction industry, where I was one of the first women ‘on the ground’ at JN Bentley. Do you have a mantra you live by or that motivates you? If so, what is it?   Start each day positively and be your best self. You never know what others are going through.   Also, live life to the fullest, so don’t take anyone or anything for granted.   Do you have a hidden talent?   I would say my hidden talent is crafting – I love making things whether it’s clay or crochet.   What advice would you give to someone looking to shape their own story and career at JN Bentley? My advice would be to say yes to all opportunities. Strive to be the best you can be and learn something from everyone. __________________________________________________________________________________ Interested in a career at JN Bentley? Check out our careers page or speak to our recruitment team at recruitment@jnbentley.co.uk .

Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) is proud to have supported Northumbrian Water’s (NWG) 2025 Innovation Festival, hosting a design sprint on theme of ‘storming for efficiency’. Hosted by Northumbrian Water – one of MMB’s key clients - the Innovation festival is an annual event that brings together colleagues, water companies and both industry and government organisations from across the supply chain including. In a truly collaborative setting, the festival aims to tackle challenges which are faced both by the business and wider industry, whilst addressing broader environmental issues that impact the UK water industry and communities which are local to the region. The theme for this year’s festival was regeneration - exploring how the industry can create both regenerative infrastructure and economies to ensure resilience for the future of the UK water sector and beyond. MMB colleagues based in the North East attended the festival at Newcastle Racecourse, where they led a design sprint, exploring how the water industry can enhance the delivery of efficiency to prepare for the AMP8 sewer overflow spill reduction programme. The sprint, expertly led by members of MMB and Northumbrian Water, brought over 70 participants across four days of the festival. Throughout the sessions, the team guided participants through a dynamic and collaborative process to develop an innovative solution to the challenge set. Following the sprint, the team had the opportunity to pitch their findings to the NWG Asset leadership team. They presented a design for a flexible and scalable Geocellular storm return storage system, receiving plaudits from the judges – with locations currently being selected to trial this design. Learn more about the innovation festival on NWG’s website  and check out our post on socials here .

Held this year at the Crowne Plaza in Nottingham, the annual ICE East Midlands Merit Awards (EMMAs) recognise brilliant projects, teamwork and engineering excellence across the region. The Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) and Severn Trent team involved in the delivery of the Ompton Ultra Violet (UV) emergency response scheme proudly took home the Team Achievement merit award, for demonstrating exceptional collaboration that ultimately compressed a two-year design and build programme into just four weeks. Following heavy rainfall and flooding in Nottinghamshire brought on by Storm Babet in 2023, Severn Trent’s water treatment works facility at Ompton suffered water quality issues, placing the critical asset offline. Despite multiple challenges including winter weather, poor ground conditions, difficult pipework integration with existing assets, and procurement delays on pipework and fittings, the team successfully designed, constructed, installed and commissioned a new UV system - capable of pumping 20 million litres of water per day - by the end of January 2024. Collaborating effectively on this project enabled a ‘right first time’ solution against an extremely tight deadline. Everybody involved worked together to realise design efficiencies, share knowledge between disciplines, and drive high-level communication with all stakeholders. A robust programme of works was clearly mapped, with key milestones and daily planning boards facilitating timely progress on this critical scheme. The judges recognised the project’s impressive speed of delivery and rapid mobilisation to meet a challenging deadline, which demanded first-class planning and co-operation at all levels. The project team clearly excelled in quick decision-making, adapting to daily changes, and managing a multi-layered programme of works in co-ordination with multiple suppliers and subcontractors. Commenting on the win, MMB Director Frances Elwell said, "Winning this award is a fantastic result and exemplifies the strengths of our diverse and talented teams when faced with emergency delivery challenges. We know we are at our best when working as one team with our client and supply chain, and with that approach we can deliver rapid solutions for our clients and their customers.” L-R: ICE EMMAs hosts; Leah Southan (MMB), Faye Welch (MMB), Jason Barnes (MMB), Mike Lewis (MMB), Kimberley Parker (Severn Trent) and Mark Clothier (Severn Trent)

As part of Anglian Water’s commitment to securing the East of England’s water supply, the Strategic Pipeline Alliance (SPA) – of which Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) is a key partner - has officially signed an agreement with the water company to deliver the next phase of pipeline as part of its ‘interconnector’ programme for the next five years. This agreement marks a significant step in enhancing the region’s resilience to climate change and water scarcity. SPA, comprising MMB and fellow leading partners Costain, Farrans and Jacobs, is set to deliver an additional 260 kilometres of new, interconnecting pipeline that branches into new areas in the East of England, taking the total length of the strategic pipeline to 580 kilometres. This will enable the crucial transfer of water from ‘wetter’ parts of the Anglian region in North Lincolnshire to ‘drier’ parts, including Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. The East of England is one of the driest regions in the country, with only two-thirds of England’s average rainfall. It is also one of the fastest growing, with potential population growth of one million people by 2045. Together, these challenges make the Anglian Water region particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including drought and flooding. This forms part of Anglian Water’s wider programme of work worth £11bn – its largest ever and almost double that of the previous five-year period. By the end of the decade, Anglian will have completed its main strategic water grid and be ready to begin construction on two new reservoirs for the region – both of which will create jobs and bolster the local economy, helping the region to thrive. Jason Tucker, Director of Commercial Operations at Anglian Water, said: "As we head into the next five years, which will see us deliver our biggest ever investment programme, our alliancing model continues to be an exemplar in the infrastructure industry, crucial to our success and meeting the demands of a growing population and climate change. I’d like to thank our partners for their ongoing commitment to the strategic pipeline and interconnector programme as we embark on this tremendous next phase.” The interconnector programme will play a vital role in safeguarding the environment by reducing reliance on water abstraction from sensitive areas, including chalk streams, to create sustainable water supply for generations. Andy Alder, Managing Director of Major Infrastructure Delivery at Anglian Water, said: "The Strategic Pipeline Alliance has delivered over 200 kilometres of pipeline since its inception in 2020. This is a monumental project, and the team should be incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, as well as what we will continue to achieve in the next five years following the agreement signed today. Thank you to everyone involved." Colin Wilkinson, Programme Area Manager at MMB, said: "MMB is proud to be a part of the Strategic Pipeline Alliance. We're working closely with our fellow partners and supply chain as an integrated delivery team to help Anglian Water deliver this significant interconnector programme that will leave a lasting legacy for the region." The project is leaving more than pipes behind, too. SPA has donated more than 2,500 books to primary schools and is proactively working with children on literacy development, planted thousands of trees to boost biodiversity, built special 'commuter' fences to help bats with their navigation and donated life-saving defibrillators to communities.

JN Bentley has been granted a Silver Award from the Fair Payment Code, following a successful application to the Office of the Small Business Commissioner. The Fair Payment Code (FPC) is a set of standards for payment practices and best practice, administered by the Office of the Small Business Commissioner on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) - recognising businesses who pay both quickly and fairly. A silver award is granted to businesses who pay at least 95% of all invoices within 60 days, including at least 95% of invoices to small businesses within 30 days. JN Bentley’s Silver award recognises the company’s high standard of payment practices. Dean Holmes, director at JN Bentley, said, "We are always exploring ways in which we can continue to support suppliers of all sizes across the supply chain. As we know for businesses to survive, develop and grow, cash flow is critical. "I am therefore thrilled that we have been awarded silver status from the Fair Payment Code because it demonstrates our continued commitment to the fantastic supply chain we have. "We won't stop there, however. Our commitment to developing our systems and processes is on-going." The award will allow JN Bentley to continue to positively promote its supplier payment commitments , with re-application to the FPC awards taking place every two years. Interested in joining JN Bentley's supply chain? Find out how to become a supplier on the JN Bentley supply chain pages .