NFB welcomes new chair Clare Watson
Clare Watson, director of Preston based construction company Bernard Watson, became chair of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) on Thursday 8 June at the NFB AGM which was followed by a celebratory gala dinner.
Construction industry professionals and guests gathered at the historical Clifton Arms Hotel in Lytham for an evening of dinner, entertainment, and networking.
The NFB’s annual general meeting which took place earlier in the afternoon saw the outgoing NFB chair, Simon Girling, director of Ipswich-based construction firm SEH French, hand the ceremonial chains of office over to Clare to mark the beginning of her twelve-month term.
Guests were entertained all evening by former Manchester City footballer Jim Whitley, who serenaded those in attendance with a medley of classic hits.
Clare Watson delivered an outstanding speech at the event. She said: “During my tenure as the National Chair of the NFB, I will work with our chief executive, Richard Beresford, and the NFB team to build a federation that is relevant to the needs of a digital construction sector; one that helps members gain, and maintain a competitive edge, ensures they feel supported in the challenges they face and inspires them to speak up and be heard.”
“Following in the spirt of Simon’s legacy, I will work tirelessly to promote the ethos of ‘together we are stronger’ and build on the ambition of the NFB to be an inclusive federation with clear values of addressing the issues our industry faces, improving and developing the businesses of NFB members, and fighting to ensure equal opportunities for SMEs within the sector.
“The challenges the sector faces around skills, diversity and sustainability will be the three pillars of my chairmanship. I look forward to working with you all in the coming year to place the NFB at the heart of efforts to overcome them.”
The National Federation of Builders would like to thank the sponsors of the AGM & Gala Dinner:
CITB, Croner, Crosby Associates, CSCS, Freeths, NFB Fylde Association, North West Federation of Building Trades Employers (NWFBTE), NFB Preston Association, and Woodsford Tradebridge.
