The IHEEM Wales Gala Dinner 2025 took place after the opening day of the IHEEM Wales Regional Conference and Exhibition, which was held again this year — following last year’s success — at the ICC Wales, just a stone’s throw away. Themed ‘Pioneering Estates for Tomorrow’, the two-day conference covered high-profile issues including the challenges for the healthcare engineering and estate management sector in reaching Net Zero, the importance of involving both Estates and clinical personnel in the design of healthcare buildings, alternative fuel and energy sources — with a particular focus on hydrogen fuel technology, sustainability and the future of NHS estates, and the opportunities to ‘transition’ to an all-electric vehicle fleet.
Among speakers at the conference — which was complemented by an exhibition featuring 20 companies offering everything from steam systems to AI-based software, were Judith Paget, Director-General for Health and Social Services and CEO at NHS Wales; Stuart Douglas, Director, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership — Specialist Estates Services; Des Keighan, Assistant Director of Commercial and Contract Management at Swansea Bay University Health Board; Clive Nattrass, Programme Manager at NHP Power; IHEEM’s President-Elect, Simon Adamson; Tracey Gauci, Consultant Practitioner, Infection Prevention, at Hywel Dda UHB; Caroline Finlay, COO of MTS Health, and Carl-Magnus von Behr, co-founder and CEO at innex.ai.
A chance to relax and network
After a busy first day at the conference and exhibition, delegates were looking forward to the Gala Dinner and the chance to mix with colleagues, see colleagues’ achievements being recognised at the Awards, and hear from Welsh rugby legend, Sir Gareth Edwards. Following pre-dinner drinks, guests took their place for a three-course dinner in the Augusta Suite at the Celtic Manor Golf Club, where they were greeted warmly by the evening’s host, former international squash player, Adrian ‘The Wizard’ Davies. Before dinner, the host announced that the evening’s chosen charity was Sparkle, a Welsh charity founded in 2001 which supports hundreds of Gwent children and young people with complex needs, and their families. Dinner guests were able to donate to the charity via QR codes at their table or by inserting cash into a series of ‘golden envelopes’.
Sparkle says of its work: “The number of local children and young people with complex needs, and their families, that need our help rises every year, with demand for our services increasing even faster. Our aim is to help as many children as we can, so that they are fully supported, and able to participate in the same valuable childhood experiences, activities, and leisure services, as any other child and their family.”
Sparkle says it needs over £750,000 every year to fund its ‘vital services’, and is entirely dependent on donations and individual grants for this money. Its head of Operations, Rebecca Tyrrell, gave a short presentation, describing some of Sparkle’s work, accompanied by a video.
After dinner, and before the awards, Adrian Davies ‘interviewed’ Sir Gareth Edwards, who will be 78 in July, and who in a Rugby World magazine poll was declared ‘the greatest rugby player of all time’. Born a miner’s son in Gwaun-cae-Gurwen in Glamorgan, he attended Pontardawe Technical School for Boys, where he was ‘taken under the wing’ of sports teacher, Bill Samuels. Samuels quickly recognised his skill and talent for both football and rugby, with his rugby ability winning the young Gareth Edwards a scholarship to Millfield School in Somerset. At around this time he was also courted by Swansea Town FC, the forerunner to Swansea City FC, for whom he almost signed. In fact, the story goes, a letter from the football club offering him a contract sat hidden and unopened on the mantelpiece of his parents’ home for some time — the result being that he put rugby first and, as they say… ‘the rest is history’.
First international cap at 19
Winning his first international cap for his country on 1 April 1967 aged 19 against France, Gareth Edwards went on to win 53 caps for Wales — including 13 as captain — between 1967 and 1978. Remarkably, all were won in succession; he never suffered a dip in form or injury that would allow anyone to take his place as a ‘natural’ number 9. He was also, aged 20, Wales’s youngest ever captain, and had the distinction of playing alongside two of the game’s best outside halves, Barry John and Phil Bennett. During this playing era, Wales dominated the Five Nations, winning the title seven times, including three Grand Slams.
Sir Gareth also played 10 times for the British and Irish Lions, including for the 1971 Lions team that won a series in New Zealand, and for the unbeaten 1974 side in South Africa. His 12 seasons for Cardiff saw him score 69 tries in 195 games.
A remarkable player and athlete, and one of Wales’s greatest ever sportsmen, his most famous, of many memorable moments on the rugby field, came playing for the Barbarians against the All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park on 27 January 1973. During the match he scored what has been dubbed ‘the greatest try ever’, with the help of team-mates Phil Bennett, JPR Williams, John Dawes, Derek Quinnell, Tommy David, and John Pullin. Slipping between two team-mates, and seemingly intercepting the last pass, he finished the move with a diving try in the left-hand corner, in a match that the Barbarians won 23-11. Also a keen angler, he married local girl, Maureen, from the same village, in 1972, and in 2019 the pair appeared in the BBC series, Gareth Edwards’ Great Welsh Adventure, which returned for a second series in 2021.
Ironically — returning to his most famous try, such was the speed at which the ball was passed from one end of the field to the other that no still photographs of it were taken. During a 45-minute chat with Adrian Davies at the Gala Dinner, Sir Gareth explained that at the time sports photographers would run the length of the touchline with their cameras to capture the key moments. On this occasion, none could keep up with the rampaging Welsh team, meaning only television video footage of the spectacular try survived.
The ‘rugby picture of the century’ — that never was
“Had the game been played at the modern-day Principality Stadium, it would have been captured by at least 10 photographers behind the dead-ball line in that part of the ground,” said Gareth’s friend, Scott Salter. He continued: “It would have been the rugby picture of the century! But we checked with agencies, picture libraries, and noted photographers of the era, and those in more recent times. There is simply nothing, and Gareth couldn’t recall ever signing a photo or seeing a painting of his try.”
Keen that such a sporting milestone should be preserved in perpetuity, financial services professional, Scott Salter, and Adrian Davies — both close mates of Sir Gareth, suggested to him in the run-up to a celebratory lunch in 2024 to mark his 75th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the try, that he commission a painting, by Welsh artist, Elin Siân Blake, of the moment the try was scored. Created with significant input from the try-scorer himself, the painting took her over a year to complete.
Early influences acknowledged
In an entertaining and whimsical conversation with Adrian Davies at the dinner about his memorable career, Sir Gareth paid tribute to his early influences, and particularly his PE and sports master, Bill Samuels. He said one of the key things rugby had taught him was that success in life — in sport or elsewhere — is never achieved without hard work. His conversation with ‘The Wizard’ was infused with humour — for instance he recalled throwing himself across the bed in the living room at Elin Siân Blake’s home — she was recovering from knee surgery at the time — to give as authentic as possible an impression of the try to help her capture the moment.
A charity auction at the Dinner, in aid of Sparkle, saw one of a run of the limited edition prints created of the try — featuring an original hand-written signature from both Sir Gareth and the artist, won by Kim Shelley, Operations director at Eta Projects, who bid £5000 for it, and was photographed collecting the painting from the rugby legend himself. Sir Gareth then remained at the podium to assist with the presentation of the evening’s seven awards. IHEEM also donated £1000 to the night’s chosen charity.
Apprentice of the Year Award
The first of the 2025 Wales Gala Dinner Awards, sponsored by Tilbury Douglas, to be presented, was the Apprentice of the Year Award, which went to Samuel Burnett, a Trainee Estates Officer at Morriston Hospital Estates Department, part of Swansea Bay University Health Board. The citation said he had demonstrated ‘a remarkable enthusiasm for healthcare engineering’, showing ‘commendable commitment’ to his professional growth. It added: “His eagerness to learn and strong work ethic quickly became evident, and he showcased exceptional knowledge in critical areas such as steam and ventilation, decontamination, and medical gas pipeline systems. His dedication, knowledge, and proactive approach, make him a shining example of how talent can be nurtured and developed within the NHS.” He received his award from Sir Gareth and Tilbury Douglas Regional Director for South Wales, Chris Edmonds.
Estates Champion of Champions
The evening’s second award, for Estates Champion of Champions, was sponsored by Eastwood Park, whose General Manager, Lyndsay Corbett, performed the presentation. This category saw a Highly Commended go to Ashley Wood, a Senior Estates Advisor at NHS Wales SSP Specialist Estates Services.
The winner, Jason Williams — Assistant Head of Operational Estates at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, began his NHS career in 2003 as an apprentice electrician, and has since progressed through various roles to his current position. The citation said: “He has shown strong loyalty to the organisation, commitment to population health, and dedication to his personal and professional growth. His hard work and leadership have positively shaped the department’s culture, setting an example that benefits our patients.”
The Exhibitor Stand Award
The Exhibitor Stand Award, sponsored by IHEEM and NWSSP SES, and presented to the exhibitor whose stand was felt to best reflect the conference theme, went to Air Sentry, and was received by the company’s MD, Andrew Carnegie.
The Estates and Facilities Team of the Year Award
The Estates and Facilities Team of the Year Award, sponsored by Approved Air, was won by the Engineering Team at NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership. The citation noted that the winning team ‘offers expert advice and support to the Welsh Government and NHS Wales across a broad range of engineering disciplines and specialist healthcare systems’. It said: “Highly customer-focused, they work closely with partners to ensure operations align with best practice and Welsh Health Technical Memorandum (WHTM) guidance. The team plays a key role in scrutinising technical designs and witnessing new installations to safeguard Health Board investments and, ultimately, patient safety.” Several representatives from the winning team received their award from Sir Gareth and sponsor representatives, Approved Air MD, David Downing, and Operations director, Peter Garrett.
Sustainability Achievement Award
Presenting the Sustainability Achievement Award for 2025 and a Highly Commended in this category, on behalf of category sponsor, Tarkett, was Shaz Hawkins, Head of Commercial Marketing UK&IE at Tarkett. The Highly Commended went to the ‘Lady Turnitdown Energy’ initiative at Swansea Bay UHB / Swansea University. In the energy-saving and carbon reduction scheme, the Health Board partnered with Swansea University and Vital Energi, which has helped deliver decarbonisation projects — including the construction of the solar farm near Morriston Hospital for the Board — to roll out an energy awareness campaign ‘with an interesting theme’.
The Health Board explained: “We partnered with Swansea University and Vital Energi to make sustainability more appealing, with the campaign — covering Morriston, Singleton, and Neath Port Talbot Hospitals — given a Bridgerton-themed twist. Staff participated in an interactive survey on energy and sustainability issues, with Vital Energi sponsoring four £100 vouchers, one to be won each week, along with a digital ‘bingo card’, which encouraged staff to complete energy-saving actions throughout the campaign. The event launch also featured an interactive cut-out photo booth, allowing attendees to immerse themselves in the world of Lady Turnitdown — a character loosely based on the hit television series’ Lady Whistledown — while pledging their commitment to sustainability.”
The Sustainability Award for 2025 went to Joanne Sewell — Assistant Diagnostic Imaging Advisor for NHS Wales SSP SES, for ‘Operational life-extending imaging upgrades and the beneficial effects on sustainability’. The citation said: “At a time of growing environmental responsibility, this project shows how healthcare can cut its carbon footprint without sacrificing quality or care. By upgrading rather than replacing imaging equipment, this project reduced waste, saved resources, and improved performance and cost-efficiency.”
Capital Project of the Year Award
Sponsored by Mott MacDonald, the Capital Project of the Year Award also featured both a winner and a Highly Commended, with the latter going to The Bevan Health and Wellbeing Centre in Tredegar, built on the former site of the Tredegar General Hospital, in the hometown of the NHS’s founder, Aneurin Bevan. A team from the Aneurin Bevan Health Board accepted the Highly Commended from Hannah Lewis-Jones, Business Development, Healthcare, at Mott MacDonald, and her colleague, Regional Health Sector Lead for Wales, Midlands, and West of England, Georgina Berry.
The winner in this category was what the judges described as ‘an inspiring healthcare development that brings together innovation, and genuine community involvement, and sets a new standard for patient-focused design’ — the Unified Breast Unit Project at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Caerphilly. The citation said: “Shaped by feedback from service-users, driven by environmental responsibility, and supported by over £260,000 in community fundraising, it reflects a deep commitment to wellbeing and design excellence. This project is transforming the way breast care is delivered, bringing together diagnostics, treatment, and support. in one thoughtfully designed space, with patients truly at its heart.”
The Graham Stanton Award
The evening’s final award, the Graham Stanton Award, is named in memory of Graham Stanton IEng, FIHEEM, AE(D), an IHEEM stalwart, senior Decontamination Engineer at NHS Wales, and wholehearted supporter of the Institute and its Wales Branch for many years, who died in 2024. Given by IHEEM and NWSSP-SES, and sponsored by the IHEEM Wales Branch, the award was presented by Graham’s daughter, Nicola Jones, and son, David Stanton, to Jason Rual, Operational Estates Manager, Royal Glamorgan Hospital, a colleague of the winner, Andrew Hartson, a Mechanical Craftsperson in the Estates Department at the hospital, who couldn’t attend.
A special award to a dedicated professional
The citation said: “The winner of this special award is someone who has dedicated over 38 years to on-call duties, consistently responding to the emergency situations that come with hospital estates maintenance. With an unwavering focus on patient safety, he ensured urgent repairs were carried out promptly and effectively, never compromising care. Throughout his 43 years of service, he went above and beyond his official role, earning the respect not only of his peers, but also of senior hospital management across the Health Board. His exceptional work ethic, dedication, and competence, stand as a true testament to his character and professionalism.”
Following the awards presentation, Adrian Davies thanked all the evening’s awards sponsors, drinks reception sponsor, SDS, Rebecca Tyrrell from Sparkle, and the evening’s guest speaker, Sir Gareth Edwards, for their participation in making the evening a highly memorable one. Guests were then free to continue chatting and enjoying drinks at the bar as the gala dinner drew to a close.