
British Forces in Business honour for Rachael Smith
27 Jun 2025Congratulations to Rachael Smith, our Head of HR – Strategy & Transformation, who was named Role Model of the Year at the British Forces in Business Awards 2025.
Congratulations to the project team at Farringdon Row, Sunderland who have achieved practical completion of the multi-storey car park (MSCP) recently.
With over 600 parking spaces, this state-of-the-art facility will provide much-needed parking provisions to cater to the needs of the city centre’s residents, commuters, and visitors.
One of the distinguishing features of the Farringdon Row MSCP is its captivating illumination during the night. An enchanting blue wave will grace the structure, and on special occasions, vibrant coloured displays will commemorate key moments and raise awareness for important events on the city calendar. This artistic touch not only adds beauty to the surroundings but also enhances the overall experience of those who utilise the car park.
Another striking feature is the living car park walls which feature more than 51,000 variety of plants that have been carefully selected to thrive in the local climate and to provide a habitat for insects.
The impact of the Farringdon Row MSCP extends far beyond convenient parking solutions. As we move forward with the development of Riverside Sunderland, it is anticipated that approximately 10,000 new jobs will be created, accompanied by the construction of 1,000 new homes and the introduction of exciting leisure developments.
Reaching practical completion is testament to a great deal of hard work and effort of all those involved at Farringdon Row. I’d like to personally thank the project team who have worked together collaboratively to design and deliver this development project at Riverside Sunderland.
John Ward Project Manager, Sir Robert McAlpine
Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, added:
“Sunderland has a strong association with light, so it’s fitting that the new spaces we are creating as we transform the city centre should feature it so spectacularly in their design.
“There’s a quality to the design of our new buildings that points to the ambition we have for this city. We want our residents to see exceptional buildings, because we want to create an exceptional city. And that applies to every new space we create.”
Congratulations to Rachael Smith, our Head of HR – Strategy & Transformation, who was named Role Model of the Year at the British Forces in Business Awards 2025.
During Armed Forces Week, we speak to Katy Maloney to understand how our commitment to the Forces community provides essential support for military families.
As we celebrate the beginning of Armed Forces Week 2025, we are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award.