The North West Construction Hub (NWCH) is a leading public sector construction framework that has transformed procurement in the region for over a decade.
Its mission — “Transforming construction procurement in the North West: Delivering excellence through collaborative frameworks” — reflects its commitment to understanding and aligning with public sector clients to deliver effective, inclusive, and socially valuable outcomes.
As a member of Social Value Portal, NWCH measures its impact using the Social Value TOM System™. To date, they have delivered an incredible £176 million of validated Social Value, which includes:
- 4k+ weeks of apprenticeships
- 124.4k spent with local MSMEs and VCFSEs
- 8.8k hours of career support for unemployed people
- 2.3k local people employed
- £187,885 spent on local community projects
- 1k + weeks of training opportunities delivered
Driving gender equity in construction: NWCH’s Have-a-go event
In line with its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals, NWCH partnered with several framework suppliers to host a ‘Have-a-go’ event designed specifically to inspire the next generation of women in construction.
Held at Preston College, this event brought together students from three local schools to experience first-hand what a career in the construction industry could look like.
It was delivered with the support of several partners, including MC Construction, Vinci Building UK, and Equans UK & Ireland, and offered hands-on workshops in plastering, bricklaying, and woodwork, as well as talks from female professionals working in the sector.
It’s opening their eyes as to what different trades and what different jobs are within construction. Everyone automatically thinks trades but there’s engineering, design, tech — there’s loads of different ones to choose from.
Nicola Sorton, Social Value Officer at Equans
From trying on PPE and engaging in live trades workshops to hearing personal career journeys, the event offered a full sensory experience into construction life.
The focus on women in construction addressed an important local and national challenge: the underrepresentation of women in the built environment sector.
Watch our video round up on NWCH's Have-a-go event!
Collaborating to deliver real Social Value
The event aligned with a TOM System Measure: Investment of funds, time, materials, or equipment for employment taster days.
By donating materials and PPE, delivering workshops, and giving time to support the cause, the partners collectively created a high-value social outcome for the students, the schools, and the wider community.
We need to capture that group of young people – in year 9 – before they make their GCSE choices, and this event has done just that.
Hannah Bailey, Social Value Manager at Vinci Building UK
The event showed the power of cross-sector collaboration – which, after all, is the essence of Social Value in practice – to address local priorities. It also supported NWCH’s ongoing commitment to challenging gender stereotypes and promoting diversity in construction.
The event was brilliant. It gave the pupils a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience across a variety of construction trades.
Shamim Khan, Independent Careers Practitioner
Social Value Portal’s Account Manager Anna Randall was also on-site to support the initiative — even rolling up her sleeves to join the plastering workshop.
Diverse perspectives are essential for innovation and problem-solving. By engaging young women now, we’re helping to shape a more inclusive and dynamic future for the construction industry.
Anna Randall, Account Manager at Social Value Portal
💡 Read: Anna’s account of her learnings from the event!
Looking ahead
This event is part of a wider series and sets a strong precedent for future initiatives that focus on targeted, meaningful engagement.
It proves that when organisations come together around a shared goal, they can deliver real impact, not just in outcomes, but in inspiration.
Looking for inspiration for your own Social Value journey? Check out our success stories.
Or to see how Social Value Portal can support you, get in touch with one of our experts.
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