This year’s Healthcare Estates IHEEM Awards, presented at a ‘sellout’ gala dinner on 8 October at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, saw 650 guests witness the presentation of 13 awards, including one celebrating Lifetime Achievement. After a three-course dinner, footballing legend, Kevin Keegan, entertained guests with some amusing and interesting recollections from an incredible career. The genial former striker also chatted to attendees – many of whom remembered seeing him play – throughout an enjoyable and lively evening celebrating achievement, innovation, and commitment. HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, reports.
Always a great opportunity to catch up with news, industry developments, and friends from across the sector, the 2024 Healthcare Estates IHEEM Awards dinner began with pre-dinner drinks in the Whitworth Room at Manchester's distinctive and stylish Kimpton Clocktower Hotel. While there, guests had the opportunity to meet and reminisce with Kevin Keegan OBE, one of the most recognisable faces in British football. His illustrious playing career included spells at Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton, and Newcastle, and he captained England for six years until his international retirement after the 1982 World Cup.
Following the drinks reception, the evening's host, Andy Powell, called guests to take their seats for the dinner. IHEEM's new President, Nigel Keery (see also pages 24-28) — who had officially taken over the role from Alison Ryan at the IHEEM 2024 AGM earlier in the day, gave a short welcome address. He told those assembled that alongside being 'a wonderful opportunity to catch up with familiar faces and make some new connections', the evening was 'about celebrating the amazing talent and innovation we have within the healthcare engineering and estates management sector'. He explained: "The 13 categories we will present Awards in this evening reflect the breadth and depth of this talent, reminding us — if a reminder was needed — of the significance and value of the work we all undertake daily." He went on to thank all the event, award category, and VIP table sponsors, and expressed a 'special thank you' to the awards judging panel — all members of the IHEEM Conference & Exhibition Committee — who he said had 'diligently reviewed and assessed a huge record number of entries' this year. Addressing all, he added: "A warm thank you for your continued support of Healthcare Estates, and of the Institute. I wish everyone in attendance a wonderful evening."
In his brief speech, Nigel Keery also highlighted the work of this year's IHEEM Awards Dinner supporting charity, Prostate Cancer UK, selected by Immediate-Past President, Alison Ryan, encouraged guests to donate to it either by scanning a QR code on their table, or by inserting money into collection envelopes on their table.
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