Committee
Chair
Pippa Full is regional supply chain Manager for Rok based in Exeter. Pippa joined Rok in 2003 as a Graduate trainee and since then has worked on a variety of projects including an £8m PFI hospital project before moving into her current role. Prior to being with Rok, Pippa studied Construction Project Management (Postgraduate Diploma) at The University of the West of England. Pippa enjoys working at Rok and the variety of opportunities and challenges available to her.
When not at work she enjoys a variety of things including outdoor pursuits, badminton, squash, playing the piano and DIY!
Education Officer
Sue Turpin-Brooks is an academic member of staff working with the Environmental Building Programme team in the School of Engineering, University of Plymouth. As a Chartered Building Surveyor, Sue has worked in both industry and academia throughout the U.K. A move to the West Country has proved rewarding, with the opportunities afforded of a fantastic environment on the doorstep and a dedicated team of enthusiastic colleagues.
Research fields of particular interest include: gender balance and culture in construction, approaches to learning, teaching and assessment, surveying and health & safety.
Sue has enjoyed many years assisting voluntary committees most recently with SWWIC and the South West Skills Forum (part of Constructing Excellence South West). Sue is keen to see an improved gender balance within Construction related education and in industry - if you want to support such aspirations with hands-on help at school events or through mentoring, please get in touch with me or SWWIC. If we can't help you directly, we'll probably know 'a woman who can'!
As you can see from the photograph, pursuits outside of work centre upon amongst other things, outdoor recreation!
Vice Chair
Thelma Sorensen is SWWIC's Marketing and PR Officer. Thelma is a passionate campaigner for construction led initiatives in the South West of England, particularly Cornwall. The various construction bodies and committees of which Thelma has led and participated in are too numerous to list here. Thelma has vast experience of marketing through her many roles within the industry, in particular with the Business Task Force of The Objective One Partnership for Cornwall and Scilly. In addition, Thelma is a prominent figure in Construction Industry Council South West and, somehow, finds the energy to host musical garden parties in her spare time.
Treasurer
Bernadette Parkinson is SWWIC's Treasurer. Bernadette is a Training Adviser to the Construction Industry with the CITB-CS (Construction Industry Training Board - Construction Skills). In Devon and North East Cornwall, Bernadette is a Project Manager for Constructive Cornwall, and Constructive North and West Devon Project Manager for various training programmes for owners of small construction companies. Other construction-related roles include: organiser of National Construction Week 2003 in the South-West, member of Devon and Cornwall Business Council, member of North Devon College advisory Board, adviser to Plymouth and District Construction Training Group, Princes Trust Volunteer, member of Dartmoor Prison construction training committee.
Originally from Blackpool in Lancashire, Bernadette now lives in Portwrinkle, Cornwall via Maidenhead, Lower Earley, East Hagbourne and Exeter. Last, but not least, Bernadette enjoys taking trips abroad.
Charity Liaison Officer
Karen Trickey is SWWIC's Charity Coordinator, having been appointed to this new committee role in 2005. The purpose of the position is to promote SWWIC's annual charity, which has in recent years become an increasing part of the group's work. The group's charity for 2005/6 is Dame Hannah Roger's School in Ivybridge, Devon which provides care for children and young adults between the ages of 8 and 19 who face physical and communication disabilities.
Karen is a Planning Law Solicitor at Foot Anstey Solicitors. Prior to joining the firm she was Head of Legal Services for two local authorities. Her planning work has includes advising local authorities, developers and objectors on planning applications and agreements. She has successfully represented local authorities at Planning Inquiries and in the High Court on all aspects of planning matters including complex judicial reviews.
She is also an advisory member of Planning Aid, a voluntary service offering free, independent and professional advice on town planning matters to community groups and individuals who cannot afford to employ a planning consultant.
Secretary
Nicky Sadler is this year's Secretary. She works as a marketing executive for Cowlin Construction, one of the leading privately owned regional contractors in the South West.
Nicky began her career working for a building services engineer, before joining Cowlin Construction as secretary/receptionist in 2003. As the company began to grow, within a year, she moved to become PA to the regional managing director, and has recently been promoted to marketing executive. With approaching 15 years experience in the industry, Nicky represents Cowlin's offices in Plymouth, Exeter and Truro.
Interests outside of work include sailing and photography, although both of these pursuits have been fully utilised during the working week as she photographs many of the Cowlin projects for both internal use and marketing purposes. She was a also member of Cowlin team who recently won the much coveted Michelmores Challenge Cup, one of the premier events in the annual yachting calendar for the South West.