Latest news with #PalaceofWestminster
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wates wins $148.9m Victoria Tower refurbishment contract in UK
Wates, a UK-based building and property maintenance company, has secured a £110.6m ($148.9m) contract for the refurbishment of the historic Victoria Tower in London. The company, selected after a competitive tender process, will undertake work to preserve the tower for future generations. The Victoria Tower, a part of the Palace of Westminster, was completed in 1860 and stands at the south-west corner of the complex. It is significantly larger than the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, and is seen as a key part of parliamentary events, such as the State Opening of Parliament. Scheduled to begin in mid-September, the restoration of the Grade 1-listed tower is expected to continue until 2031. The project will encompass a range of essential safety measures alongside key restoration and conservation efforts. Over the next six years, Wates, in collaboration with specialist companies and craftspeople from across the UK, will employ a blend of traditional skills and innovative methods. The scope of work includes repairing and securing the site's stonemasonry, restoring window glazing, replacing the roof, and refurbishing the 22.3m flagpole that distinguishes the tower's height over the Elizabeth Tower. The last significant works on the Victoria Tower were carried out in the early 1990s to protect the parliamentary records archive stored within from pollution damage. Wates Construction London managing director Steve Holbrook said: 'This project is a significant step forward for us in the public sector and heritage space, reflecting the outstanding work of both our preconstruction and delivery teams.' In April this year, the UK's Government Property Agency named Wates as the contractor for the Category B fit-out of the new government office at Manchester's First Street, following the completion of the Category A fit-out and the start of the lease. "Wates wins $148.9m Victoria Tower refurbishment contract in UK" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Herald Scotland
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Timothy Spall to open VE Day 80 celebrations with Churchill speech
'It's a victory of the great British nation as a whole.' His speech precedes a military procession and flypast over the capital. Sir Keir Starmer said VE Day 80 is 'a time to celebrate that hard won peace, honour the memory of those who lost their lives, and remember the sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom' (Henry Nicholls/PA) Normandy veteran Alan Kennett, 100, will formally start the procession after being handed the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace by air cadet Warrant Officer Emmy Jones. The events on bank holiday Monday mark the beginning of four days of celebration across the nation up until Thursday May 8, exactly 80 years since Victory in Europe was declared. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 'This 80th anniversary is a moment of national unity. 'A time to celebrate that hard won peace, honour the memory of those who lost their lives, and remember the sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom. 'Their legacy lives on today in how we stand together in defence of the values they fought for and which bind us together as a nation. 'This week, we come together to salute their service.' The procession will see more than 1,300 members of the Armed Forces and youth groups march down Whitehall, through Admiralty Arch and up The Mall towards Buckingham Palace. Representatives of the Ukrainian military, selected from the UK armed forces' training programme for Ukrainian recruits Operation Interflex, will also take part. The King, the Queen, the Prime Minister and Second World War veterans will be on a platform on the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. Later, members of the Royal Family will watch the fly past from the balcony at Buckingham Palace. From 9pm on Tuesday, hundreds of buildings across the country will be lit up to mark the big day, including the Palace of Westminster, the Shard, Lowther Castle in Penrith, Manchester Printworks, Cardiff Castle and Belfast City Hall. Alan Kennett (right) will formally begin the procession on Monday (Gareth Fuller/PA) On Thursday, a service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Eighty years ago millions of people celebrated the end of the Second World War in Europe. 'This week, we will recreate this moment across towns and cities, in our homes, in pubs and on our streets. 'We must do all we can to ensure that the stories and memories of this period in our history are not forgotten. 'We must not forget the hardships, the heroics and the millions who lost their lives. 'We are here because of the sacrifices they made and the horrors they endured. 'This week, I urge the nation to come together and send a powerful message: we will remember them.'
ITV News
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Harry Potter actor Timothy Spall to open VE Day 80 celebrations with Churchill speech
Actor Timothy Spall will open VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations in London on Monday when he recites some of Winston Churchill's victory speech from 1945. The 68-year-old, whose roles include playing Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter film series, will read extracts from the speech in which Churchill told Britons 'This is not victory of a party or of any class. 'It's a victory of the great British nation as a whole.' His speech precedes a military procession and flypast over the capital. Normandy veteran Alan Kennett, 100, will formally start the procession after being handed the Commonwealth War Graves' Torch For Peace by air cadet Warrant Officer Emmy Jones. The events on bank holiday Monday mark the beginning of four days of celebration across the nation up until Thursday May 8, exactly 80 years since Victory in Europe was declared. 'A time to celebrate that hard won peace, honour the memory of those who lost their lives, and remember the sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom. 'Their legacy lives on today in how we stand together in defence of the values they fought for and which bind us together as a nation. 'This week, we come together to salute their service." The procession will see more than 1,300 members of the Armed Forces and youth groups march down Whitehall, through Admiralty Arch and up The Mall towards Buckingham Palace. Representatives of the Ukrainian military, selected from the UK armed forces' training programme for Ukrainian recruits Operation Interflex, will also take part. The King, the Queen, the Prime Minister and Second World War veterans will be on a platform on the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. Later, members of the Royal Family will watch the fly past from the balcony at Buckingham Palace. From 9pm on Tuesday, hundreds of buildings across the country will be lit up to mark the big day, including the Palace of Westminster, the Shard, Lowther Castle in Penrith, Manchester Printworks, Cardiff Castle and Belfast City Hall. On Thursday, a service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trans rights protest in Parliament Square, London this Saturday: Get the details here
A protest in support of trans rights is to take place in London's Parliament Square at 1pm tomorrow (19 April 2025). The protest follows this week's news of that the term 'woman' in UK law refers only to 'biological women'. The meeting point for the protest is the Boadicea and Her Daughters Statue: a sculpture of the historical figure and two horses. It is located to the north side of the western end of Westminster Bridge, near Portcullis House and Westminster Pier, facing Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster across the road. In a statement organisers of the protest said (as per ): 'Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Non-binary people exist and deserve rights too. 'UNISON [British trade union] branches are supporting this protest, and we are calling on every member, friend, and ally to join us in solidarity. We need a huge turnout to show that we will not stand by while rights are taken from our family. 'Please reach out to everyone you know – colleagues, friends, family, union members – and ask them to come along. Bring signs, bring energy, and most importantly, bring your voice. 'This is very last minute, so we need everyone to shout about this protest as loudly and widely as possible. Share it with your networks, post it online, tell your friends. Let's make sure no one misses it! 'Let's show up and show out for trans lives. See you in Parliament Square this Saturday.' The post Trans rights protest in Parliament Square, London this Saturday: Get the details here appeared first on Attitude.
BBC News
14-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Earth Hour 2025: What's it all about?
Earth Hour is happening at 8.30pm on Saturday 22 March global event takes place every year to encourage people to turn off their lights for 60 minutes to raise awareness about big issues affecting the environment. The night will also see some of the world's most famous buildings plunged into darkness for one hour. This year lots of big landmarks in the UK will be switching off their lights to mark the event including The London Eye, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster in London, the Liver Building in Liverpool and Stirling Castle in Stirling. Why is Earth Hour important? Earth Hour was started by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) back in 2007. The charity wanted to highlight the importance of tackling climate change and protecting nature, issues which many people all around the world care strongly about. On 31 March 2007, more than 2.2 million people and 2,000 businesses in Sydney, Australia switched off their lights for one hour, which marked the beginning of the more than 190 countries take part in switch-off events and activities to show their support for the natural world around them. How are people taking part? You can get involved with Earth Hour by switching off the lights in your home for one hour on the day. There are also other ways to get involved either at home or your local community. Why not spend some time outside enjoying the incredible sights and sounds of nature, switch off your devices like phones and gaming consoles for an hour, or spend some time hanging out with friends and family.
