Social value
Engaging with the local community.
What is social value?
Social value is the quantification of the relative importance that people place on the changes they experience in their lives.
At Southbay, we define social value as the action we take to improve people’s wellbeing, whether that’s through the way we operate our business or the services we provide. The principles that underpin our approach – supporting the communities we work in and minimising our impact on the environment – are also driving change across the industry.
Through our Constructionline accreditation we have obtained our Social Value Certificate of Completion.
Foodbank 2024
In November, we organised a foodbank collection to support families in need during the festive season. Employees donated essential items like canned food, pasta, and hygiene products, with a collection point set up for convenience.
The response was overwhelming, with all donations delivered in time for the Christmas holidays.
Additionally, our company is committed to making monetary donations to foodbanks local to our live projects, further extending our support to the communities in which we operate.
We extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed, and look forward to supporting similar causes in the future.
Movember Tombola
Our staff participated in a Movember Tombola, and with their generosity we raised £250 for Tyneside Mind! The company has kindly doubled the funds, raising the total to £500.
Tyneside Mind is a mental health charity dedicated to supporting individuals in the Tyneside area who are experiencing mental health challenges. They provide a range of services, including counselling, peer support, advocacy, and educational workshops, aiming to promote mental well-being and resilience. Tyneside Mind also works to reduce stigma around mental health through community initiatives and campaigns, ensuring people of all ages can access the help they need in a compassionate and understanding environment.
We hope our contribution can make a difference.
Benfield School Girls In STEM Morning
On Friday 18th October, we had the privilege of speaking with an enthusiastic group of Year 8 and 9 girls from Benfield School about the dynamic world of civil engineering. This was an incredible opportunity to showcase what we do at Southbay and introduce the girls to the exciting possibilities within the industry. We encouraged the girls to consider civil engineering as a career option, reminding them that diversity in the industry brings new perspectives and creativity. There was a great amount of enthusiasm from the girls and we’re hopeful that we’ve planted some seeds for the next generation of female leaders in civil engineering.
Southbay Sponsors Killingworth U9 Football Team
We are delighted to announce that Southbay has become the proud sponsor of the Killingworth Under-9’s football team. Our sponsorship has provided the team with new football strips. We look forward to cheering on the team throughout the season and watching them develop their skills on the pitch.
The Big Dippa Race Sponsorship
On Saturday 24th August 2024, Southbay sponsored the women’s paddle boarding race at The Big Dippa in Whitley Bay. This year’s race saw an incredible turnout of passionate paddlers from across the region. Supporting the Big Dippa Women Paddle Board Race shows our dedication to encouraging active lifestyles and promoting environmental responsibility. We extend our congratulations to all the participants, especially the winners, Annabel Page and Emily Evans, who braved the elements and came out on top.
Durham County Show Sponsorship
Southbay took part in the Durham County Show as proud sponsors. This event was a wonderful opportunity for us to show our dedication to the local community and to honour talents within the region. Our participation in the show reflects our commitment to supporting the community.
AJX Academy Sponsored Jackets
Southbay have sponsored the AJX Academy under 8s football team by providing training jackets for the players. AJX Academy play in the Russell Foster Youth League Division 3, which includes teams throughout Tyne and Wear. We are delighted to support these young athletes and hope the new kit will help to instil a sense of pride in representing their team.
Newcastle to Gateshead Marathon
On Sunday 5th May 2024 Southbay Civil Engineering Ltd sponsored the Runthrough Newcastle to Gateshead Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k and Junior’s event. The route followed the Gateshead and Newcastle quayside, which included crossing the iconic Swing Bridge, finishing at the Gateshead International Stadium. As part of our commitment to improving staff wellbeing, all of our staff were encouraged to take part in the event. Thanks to all who visited us at our stand within the event village.
Southbay have been working in partnership with Tyne Coast College to educate students as to the opportunities offered by the industry in terms of future employment. As part of this, we have also offered a position of employment to an existing student who joined the company in an apprentice capacity, attending 1 day a week at college to study towards a Level 2 in Carpentry and Joinery, whilst gaining invaluable experience working across our live projects. In addition to delivering a presentation to the students outlining the role of joinery in civil engineering, we provided a site visit to one of our live construction sites where the students were provided with the opportunity to meet with our General Foreman David Hunter, and Operations Manager Graham Taylor. We look forward to developing our relationship with the college and offering further opportunities to students in the future. Outside of this, we have recently employed an apprentice Site Engineer in Daniel Collins, and Trainee Quantity Surveyor Luca Turnbull.
Tyne Coast College - Apprenticeship Opportunities
Work Placement
Lighthouse Club
We are proud to announce that we are continuing our position as an official company supporter to the Lighthouse Club charity. The Lighthouse Club is the only charity that provides mental, physical and financial wellbeing support to the construction industry and their families. We look forward to promoting the initiatives of the charity throughout 2022.
Herring Girl
Southbay are proud to support the North Shields Fisherman’s Heritage Project, who are currently in the process of raising funds to construct a life size statuette of a Herring Girl. The statuette will recognise the role of women in the fishing industry, where many worked tirelessly to process the thousands of tons of Herring Fish that were once landed on North Shields Fish Quay. For those wishing to donate to this regionally significant project, please visit
Christmas Foodbank
We would like to thank all of our staff and clients who contributed to our Christmas Foodbank Appeal. A total of £362 was raised in support of the Newcastle West End Foodbank in addition to a number of food parcels.
Newcastle West End Foodbank | Helping Local People in Crisis
Student Site Visit
Emphasising our commitment to the engineers of tomorrow, Southbay hosted civil engineering students from Northumbria University at our Tyne Dock Enterprise Park Quay Wall project within the Port of Tyne. The day consisted of a series of presentations to detail the project, followed by a site visit. We look forward to continuing this relationship with the university in order to promote the industry and the many exciting career opportunities that exist.
Great North Bike Ride 2021
Following the efforts of our Technical Manager Adrian Haggart and Site Foreman Steve Hancock, we are pleased to announce that over £1000 in sponsorship has been raised as a result of the Great North Bike Ride. The route covers a distance of 60 miles from Seahouses to Tynemouth, with all proceeds going to the Chris Lucas Trust, a charity which funds cancer research into Rhabdomyosarcoma.
Great North Bike Ride – 60 mile sportive in Northumberland
Childhood and Young Adults Cancer Research | The Chris Lucas Trust | England
Lighthouse Club
Southbay were pleased to offer student Daniel Collins the opportunity to join the company for 1 week of work experience. Daniel was invited to spend time on a number of our live sites, where he was provided with the opportunity to undertake a series of project related tasks. To give Daniel an understanding of the various roles available within the industry, he also spent time with our Health and Safety Advisor.
‘I really enjoyed my work experience and found being on a construction site really interesting. It was great to learn about how things are built and the different role everyone has.’