Watch last month's construction progress!

Sacyr UK, the main contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), has won New Employer Partner of the Year at ACT Trainings annual awards. Sacyr UK was crowned the winner of the New Employer Partner of the Year award for its work on the Whitchurch site. Members of the Sacyr UK Community Benefits team attended the event to collect the award. The award recognises employers who have gone above and beyond to invest in their staff, through upskilling and training effort.

ACT Training is one of the UK’s leading training providers and every year holds its annual awards to celebrate outstanding learners and the employers that support them. Held at Cardiff and Vale College’s Dumballs Road Campus, the nominees gathered to celebrate and were treated to a slap-up meal and live band. With categories ranging from Apprentice of the Year to Best New Business, young entrepreneurs from across the UK were recognised for their achievements and hard work. Sacyr UK has also been shortlisted for the MIPIM’s Best New Development award for its work on the new Velindre Cancer Centre. MIPIM is the world’s leading property and real estate festival and is held in Cannes every year.

New Velindre Cancer Centre - Summary Monitoring Report - February 2026

An innovative collaboration between new Velindre Cancer Centre developer Sacyr UK, Cadarn Housing, Invisible Walls CIC, Cardiff Council’s Onsite Construction Academy, and SGM Waste Management, is aiming to offer ex-offenders the opportunity to start a career in construction.

The Ex Offender Employment Initiative, a pioneering industry program, will offer six ex-offenders with accommodation, mentorship, and employment opportunities on-site at nVCC.

This brand-new programme gives vital opportunities to those seeking a better life upon release from prison, giving them the tools they need to build a new life during what can be an incredibly turbulent time.

This initiative adopts a collaborative, evidence-based approach to reducing reoffending through sustainable employment, trauma-informed mentoring focused on family support, and secure housing solutions.

Katie Hathaway, Stakeholder Engagement and Community Benefits Manager at Sacyr UK, said: “We are very proud to be collaborating with so many forward-thinking organisations to be to create opportunities like these for members of society who are struggling the most.”

“I would like to thank our partners for their effort and dedication to change, and we look forward to developing this initiative further and welcoming participants on site soon”.

Sacyr UK, the contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre has announced the launch of the UK's first Construction Disability Inclusion Academy. 

The initiative, based at the nVCC construction site, by Sacyr UK is designed to support individuals who have been out of work due to a disability by providing a clear entry point into the construction industry.

The academy is a collaborative effort between Sacyr UK and the National Diversity Employment and Advisory Service (NDEAS). The initial two-week programme will introduce up to twelve participants to the fundamentals of the sector. At completion, at least one trainee is guaranteed a position with Sacyr UK on the nVCC project.

The nVCC is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Wales and is scheduled to open in spring 2027. To ensure the site is inclusive for all staff, Sacyr UK has invested in an accessible lift system that provides access to all levels of the build, making it a fully accessible construction environment.

Katie Hathaway, Sacyr UK Stakeholder Engagement and Community Benefits Manager said: "With the support of Velindre University NHS Trust and Welsh Government, this collaboration has enabled us to develop programmes that create meaningful and sustainable employment pathways for people with disabilities. We are extremely proud to be leading this important initiative".

You can find out more and apply here 
 

Members of Cardiff Council’s planning committee braved the January weather to see for themselves the great progress that has been made at the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC) project. 

Fifteen members of Cardiff Council’s Planning department and committee arrived at the on-site office of Sacyr UK, the main contractor building the nVCC, to be greeted by the project’s Technical Lead Vincenzo Nigro, and Stakeholder Engagement and Community Benefits Team Manager, Katie Hathaway, for a personal tour of the site.       

The group was joined by Mark Farrar, Director at The Urbanists, the planning consultancy which managed the outline planning application process for the project, including the environmental impact assessments.    

     
Sacyr UK’s Project Director on nVCC Elena Castro Blanco gave a presentation to the visitors about the progress of the project, as well as the sustainable practices and initiatives it has introduced on the build. These initiatives include soil preservation techniques, and use of carbon absorbing Nelco bricks and of course, the recently installed timber frame and exterior panels. 

The committee members and planning department staff were also invited on site, where they were given a guided tour of the construction itself by Technical Lead Vincenzo. He answered the visitors questions, offered insight into the processes used to get to this stage of the build, and explained the next stages of the construction.

          
Community Benefits manager Katie Hathaway said this:

“Its fantastic to be able to bring in Cardiff’s Planning Committee and give them a vision of the pieces all coming into place. We couldn’t be prouder of what we have to show them here.”

Sacyr would like to thank the Cardiff Council Planning Committee for their visit to the nVCC site, and look forward to giving an update visit soon.

Sacyr UK, the main contractor behind the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), has partnered with local charity Ray of Light, a Cardiff based charity supporting people with cancer, to raise as much needed funds by supporting the sale of its 2026 calendar.

Ray of Light produce photo calendars every Christmas, featuring stunning photographs of nature taken by its members and clients. The Sacyr UK Community benefits team were impressed by the artistry and care put into the project by staff members and patients alike that they vowed to help as much as they can and took as many calendars back to the nVCC site as they could carry. The target was to sell every single one before the Christmas site shutdown.

Luckily, not much effort was needed as the calendars were snapped up in a matter of days by generous workers across the site, raising more than £100 for the local charity.

Sacyr UK will continue to support local causes like Ray of Light, who work tirelessly to help people experiencing some of the most difficult times in their life.

It's National Apprenticeship Week, a week-long celebration by the UK Government that brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. 

In recognition, we checked in with our apprentices based at the Velindre Project in Cardiff.  It’s hard to believe it’s already been 6 months since Sacyr UK & Ireland brought onboard four new apprentices at the Velindre project… Many colleagues now feel the new additions are now part of the furniture, they have embedded into the team that well!

 
As apprentices, Sam (Community Benefits Team apprentice), Lucy (Technical Design Team apprentice), Ollie (Mechanical and Engineering apprentice) and Faith (Financial apprentice) are now reaching the end of their probation period, and we checked in with them to see how they’d been getting along in honour of National Apprenticeship Week.

When asked about his time on the Mechanical & Engineering team, Ollie had this to say: “I’m mostly proud of how much I’ve changed since the first month I’ve been here, which is expected. Recently I’ve had the opportunity to do more important and independent work which I would never been able to do when I first started.”

In the months since they began their adventure with Sacyr, the apprentices have moved up the ranks of responsibility, from shadowing at first, growing to more independent self-maintained pieces of work.

“This is my first time working on a real project so I'm grateful that this apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to be involved in something so meaningful.” Said Technical Design Apprentice Lucy “I'm part of an amazing team that have been really supportive and I'm learning a great deal from them.”

“Every day’s a new challenge, but always in interesting and illuminating ways.” Said Community Benefits Apprentice Sam when asked what they felt about their experience, “It’s nice to be part of building something good”.

We were unable to conduct an in-person interview with Faith as at the end of last year, she was blessed with a healthy baby girl, and as such will be on maternity leave for the coming future. We did however check in with Faith via message, who says she and the baby are well.

Sacyr is proud to see how well its young apprentices are getting on, and looks forward to further developments from our apprentices.

New Velindre Cancer Centre - Summary Monitoring Report - January 2026

In celebration of World Cancer Day, Velindre Cancer Centre is hosting a Crafternoon open to all members of the public, and Sacyr UK, the contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre, will be there to lend a helping hand. 

A crafting workshop will be held at the centre, focused on creating World Cancer Day ribbon badges to raise funds for Velindre Cancer Service, supporting its efforts to combat cancer in Wales.

Join us on the afternoon of Monday the 2^nd of February 2026, between 2pm and 4pm at the Velindre Cancer Centre for a fun session for a good cause. 

Help knit, sew, craft and create some beautiful items together and lend a hand to creating something truly special, while also raising funds. 

Velindre Cancer Centre will be providing tea, coffee, cupcakes and great company. Come down and get stuck in for an afternoon of good chats and great crafting.

Spread the word – we can’t wait to see you there!

Sacyr UK, the contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre (NVCC) spent time volunteering at a Caerphilly charity in December as part of its pledge to support local charities over the Christmas period.  

The ToyBox Project, based in Caerphilly, is one of the charities supported by Sacyr UK, and it provides new and used toys free of charge to children from families experiencing financial hardship.

Members of Sacyr UK’s Community Benefits Team Jo O’keefe, Hannah Jenkins, Sam Rees, and Katie Hathaway, were joined by other Sacyr UK NVCC colleagues, including Logistics Coordinator Damian Talis, Commercial Manager Anthony Robson, Architect and On-Site Technical Officer Adriana Lizeth Ramírez Hernández, Project Controls specialist Andrea Toledo, and Head of Procurement Javier Jorba Coloma, met with ToyBox Project Manager Donna Pearce O’Halloran, who welcomed the team and the opportunity to of having the volunteers to help with the increased activity during the festive season.
The Sacyr UK team focused on sorting and organising donated toys onto shelves to prepare for distribution to families in need – they also carried out toy testing to identify any faulty batteries and ensure they were safe.

Throughout the day donations continued to pour in and the team managed the high volume of toys coming through the door. The team sorted over three bins of toys and restocked the shop floor to create space for new donations. Additionally, Sacyr subcontractor SGM Waste Management arranged for a refuse collection vehicle to remove broken or unusable toys that could not be collected. 

Following the success of the day, CBT Workforce Development Coordinator Hannah Jenkins was inspired to volunteer independently to further help the ToyBox Project with its fulfilment efforts.

Sacyr UK & Ireland colleagues Jo O’keefe, Hannah Jenkins, Sam Rees, Katie Hathaway, Damian Talis, Anthony Robson, Adriana Lizeth Ramírez Hernández, Andrea Toledo, and Javier Jorba Coloma, alongside Donna Pearce O’Halloran from ToyBox Project.

Watch last month's construction progress!

The new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC) has welcomed four new members to its Acorn Ambassadors board.

The Acorn Ambassador scheme has been in place since the project broke ground and supports and advises on the project’s prospective and ongoing community benefit scheme. It communicates news to local residents and attends community events to raise awareness of the project’s social values. Its members also advocate for the project to the local community.  

Four new board members have now been recruited to the scheme, further strengthening the connections between the nVCC project and communities and charities across Cardiff and the local region. 

Charity fundraiser and local businessman Lindsay Doyle has been recruited to the board. He brings extensive experience in the financial sector as well as in fundraising, and is a well-known character in the Cardiff business world. 

Local musician, student and technical engineer at Diff Radio, Meg Uppington has also been appointed to the board. She offers valuable knowledge of the local youth culture and emerging trends. 

Fellow Diff Radio team member Matt Cutrupi has also been appointed. Matt is the manager of Diff Radio, as well as running his own businesses he has extensive knowledge of social media engagement, youth relations, and cultural trends, making him a welcome addition to the board.

Velindre fundraiser and Director of Edie & Ludlow Marketing Agency, Alexandra Otley has also joined the board. Alex’s strong track record of fundraising, particularly for the current cancer centre, made Alex an obvious candidate, as well as her skills in global marketing and digital strategy.

The Acorn Ambassadors board is chaired by Sacyr UK’s Community Benefits Manager Katie Hathaway, and is supported by members of the nVCC Community Benefits Team. 

Applications for new board members remain open, and interested parties should apply through the following Microsoft forms Link: 
Acorn Ambassador Application Form – Fill in form
 

Watch last month's construction progress!

Velindre University NHS Trust was pleased to welcome the Chief Medical Officer for Wales for a visit that provided a comprehensive look at the broad work across the Trust and the progress being made on the new Velindre Cancer Centre. 

Professor Isabel Oliver was appointed the Chief Medical Officer for Wales in April 2025 and in her role provides clinical leadership and independent professional advice to the Welsh Government about health and public health matters. 

Prof Oliver’s visit was also an opportunity to showcase the scale of the new Velindre Cancer Centre site, the clinical ambition behind the project and the benefits the new centre will bring for patients, families and staff. 

During the visit, Prof Oliver heard from a number of colleagues across the Trust highlighting our organisational priorities, the background to the development of the new Velindre Cancer Centre, the role and impact of the Welsh Blood Service, our approach to medical leadership and the growing strengths of our research and development portfolio.  

Velindre University NHS Trust Interim Chief Executive Carl James said: “It was a privilege to welcome the Chief Medical Officer and to provide a full picture of the Trust’s work - from the essential national role of the Welsh Blood Service to the transformative plans for our world-class new Velindre Cancer Centre. The visit highlighted the passion, expertise and determination found across our teams, and the shared commitment across NHS Wales to deliver the highest quality of care and best outcomes for our patients and donors.”

The Chief Medical Officer was given a tour of the new Velindre Cancer Centre site, where she was able to see first-hand the progress being made and meet members of the project team leading its development. 

Chief Medical Officer for Wales Professor Isabel Oliver: “I was delighted to visit the new Cancer Centre site and see the progress being made. I was impressed by the ambition of the team to improve health outcomes for the people of Wales and to make Wales a world leader in the field of cancer treatment and I look forward to working with them to make this a reality.”

The visit showcased the scale of the build, the clinical vision shaping the future of cancer care to deliver improved care to patients and the sustainable features designed with patients and staff at its core.

Velindre University NHS Trust Executive Medical Director Jacinta Abraham said: “The visit was an important moment to demonstrate the clinical ambition that underpins everything we do right across the Trust. From research and innovation to medical leadership and the design of our new Velindre Cancer Centre, our focus is on improving outcomes and creating the highest-quality care for people across Wales. We were delighted to share that vision with the Chief Medical Officer.” 

The visit underlined Velindre's continued drive to deliver world-class services for the people of Wales and our progress towards opening the new Velindre Cancer Centre in Spring 2027. 

New Velindre Cancer Centre - Newsletter 7

New Velindre Cancer Centre - Summary Monitoring Report - December 2025

Sacyr UK, the main contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), held a coffee morning between its community benefit team and the subcontractors helping to build the centre. During the coffee morning, they discussed Sacyr’s commitment to social value and the positive impact the project will have on the community.

The coffee morning was attended by representatives from six subcontractors working on the project, including Nelco Radiation Shielding, Mac Scaffolding, Pacegrade, Falcon 3, and ventilation experts, Zitron. 

Leading the discussions was Sacyr UK’s Stakeholder Engagement and Community Benefits Manager, Katie Hathaway, Community Benefits Coordinator, Jo O’Keefe, and Workforce Development Coordinator, Hannah Jenkins.

As part of the morning, Sacyr UK and its subcontractors discussed how they can support the project’s social value objectives more effectively and generated new ideas to help and engage with the local community.

Workforce Development Coordinator for Sacyr UK, Hannah Jenkins, said: “We understand the importance of social value and want to make a meaningful difference beyond the work we deliver.

“Here at Sacyr UK, we are committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen the local community, by creating opportunities to ensure the positive impact of our project. We would like to thank the subcontractors who attended the coffee morning and contributed positively to in the discussion on how we can better serve the local community.” 

Members of Sacyr UK’s Community and Workplace Development team were at the Purple Tuesday’s job fair at St David’s Centre in Cardiff city centre recently, encouraging and supporting those with disabilities get back into work.

Sacyr UK’s Hannah Jenkins Katie Hathaway were joined by Dan Biddle, Chief Executive of the National Diversity Employment And Advisory Service, at the fair where they spent the afternoon engaging with shoppers, introducing them to the career opportunities available in construction and helping people who are struggling to find work.

Dan Biddle began his career as a construction manager before he was seriously injured in the 2005 London terrorist attacks. He spent a year in hospital before he was able to rebuild his life and retrained as access consultant and gained his National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) status in 2007. He now works tirelessly to ensure access to career opportunities for people with disabilities through his company, Nationwide Access Consultants.

Sacyr UK, the contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), is looking to launch an initiative through its Disability Access Employment Academy, in partnership with National Diversity Employment And Advisory Service to help and support disabled people into meaningful employment, as well as providing an inclusive environment.

Katie Hathaway, Stakeholder Engagement and Community Benefits Manager at Sacyr UK, said: “It’s important to help those people with disabilities and create a pathway back into work for them to restore their confidence and ensure that their opportunities aren’t limited by circumstances.

“Attending the Purple Tuesday job fair gave us a deeper understanding of how we can help disabled people into work, helping to provide financial stability for them. We are looking forward to partnering with Nationwide Access Consultants to engage with those in the community and to create opportunities for them.”