CEDA-UK announces two winners for the Outstanding Contribution Award 2024
The two winners of this year’s CEDA-UK 2024 award for outstanding contribution to the UK's dredging industry are…. Nick Bray and Matthew Hellyer!
Nick Bray
Nick was an owner and Director of Dredging Research Ltd., which was subsequently bought by HR Wallingford where Nick then worked for 10 years as a Consultant.
Nick led the writing of the seminal dredging text book Dredging: a Handbook for Engineers working with his co-authors Anthony Bates and John Land. The first edition was published in 1979 and the Second Edition in 1997. The text was the international “go-to” reference book on the topic for over 25 years and is still in use today 45 years on! Nick also was Editor of the text book Environmental Aspects of Dredging (2008) and author of the 2009 CIRIA Dredging Cost Standards.
Nick was an incredibly active member of CEDA during his time in the industry, taking part in numerous commissions and working groups and forging friendships throughout the industry internationally.
Matthew Hellyer
Matthew started his career with Van Oord in 1985, having previously spent three years in the Merchant Navy.
The first twenty years were spent mainly working on a variety of vessels including Water Injection Dredgers, Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers, Grab Dredgers, Split Hopper Barges and Backhoe Dredgers, where his career progressed from Deck Hand through to Captain on The Baldur and The Odin, two of Van Oord’s Water Injection Dredgers. Matthew furthered his career as a land-based Supervisor and later a Works Manager delivering a variety of predominantly maintenance dredging and coastal management projects throughout the UK and Ireland.
In later years, Matthew focused on project related quality, health, safety and environmental management, supporting project teams to ensure compliance and the achievement of best practice. He promoted the practical implementation of QHSE requirements and was a member of Van Oord’s Health and Safety Consultative Committee. Matthew was also a leader in promoting the mental well-being of site staff, becoming Van Oord’s first fully trained site based Mental Health First Aider.
During his career spanning almost 40 years in the marine construction and dredging sector, Matthew demonstrated an exemplar commitment to the maintenance and development of safe working environment. Alongside his technical and operational experience, Matthew developed excellent relationships with clients, stakeholders and project teams. He is well thought of by all as a trusted pair of hands and someone you can always go to for information, advice and a general sounding board.
We would like to congratulate both Nick and Matthew on receiving this prestigious award and thank them for their dedication and hard work throughout their careers. They have genuinely made an outstanding contribution to the UK's dredging industry.