New Velindre Cancer Centre summer 2025 update
Jul
Welcome to the latest Acorn/Sacyr UK new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC) project news update.
Every quarter, we will tell you about project progress, what is going on within the community around the build, as well as initiatives that are taking place around the community connected with the project.
Culture
Diversity is in the DNA of the project team at the new Velindre Cancer Centre project, as it is bucking national trends across the board; 30% of its project management team are women, double the national average of other construction projects.
Five percent of the site team, those working on actually building the nVCC, are female too – while the national average for construction projects is 1%.
The Whitchurch site has a diverse workforce, with employees from four generations and 12 different nationalities working both on-site and in the offices.
These figures reflect only those employed directly by Sacyr UK, the main contractor building the Centre, and Acorn, the consortium financially backing the project. They do not include the hundreds of workers employed by the dozens of subcontractor companies.
Maria Ortega Carreras, Project Director for Sacyr said:
“We are feeling the benefits of having a diverse workforce every day and long may it continue.”
Staff from Sacyr UK, contractor for the new Velindre Cancer Centre, recently hosted Velindre University NHS Trust staff for a site tour, highlighting the project’s sustainability and community support.
Sacyr UK is also planning school visits to raise awareness. Carlos Acuna, Design Manager of the nVCC project, said:
“This has been a great opportunity to show people from the Trust around the site.”
Nurture
Sacyr UK, the contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), has donated twelve laptops, desks, and chairs to Channel View Leisure Centre in Grangetown.
The donation, arranged with governance board member Ali Abdi, Community Gateway Partnership Manager at Cardiff University, supports community initiatives beyond the project’s catchment area.
Following the launch of the nVCC online community platform, Mr Abdi asked Sacyr UK to donate the laptops used at the event to benefit local students, helping them complete assignments, access the internet, and use the platform’s resources, which include job opportunities and STEM tutorials.
Ali Abdi said:
“I was so grateful that Sacyr UK gave so willingly when I suggested the idea. It really will help many people in the Grangetown community.”
Since its launch in February by local Senedd Member Julie Morgan MS, the platform has supported over 61 hours of e-learning and connects businesses with local groups to encourage volunteering and charitable activities. It also offers online forums, CV building tools, and a job board. It has already helped 18-year-old Ben Shears secure an apprenticeship with WysePower Ltd after creating his CV and applying through the platform.
Access the Acorn community platform at: https://acorn-sacyr.dreams-lms.org/rcd/login.php
Future
The past few months have been a busy time for the project, in that time Acorn, the consortium behind the new Velindre Cancer Centre, has:
• Visited schools throughout Cardiff and Newport to deliver career guidance, support and workshops to high school children from Fitzalan High, Cardiff and Vale College, Cantonian High School, and Newport Youth Academy.
• Project team staff supported a Lego League competition held at Ysgol Groswen in St Fagans, where year 6 pupils took part in Lego-based STEM tasks.
• Sacyr UK team members introduced its new Community Platform to more than 50 teachers and staff from the Y Deryn family of schools, which is based in Leckwith, Mynachdy and University Hospital of Wales, Heath that caters for students of all ages from Reception to Year 12. Staff were shown a presentation at Nyth Y Deryn, Mynachdy on March 6th, showcasing Sacyr UK’s commitment to community engagement, education, and collaboration.
The next resident drop-in is scheduled for Wednesday 30th July, at the Noddfa building at 19 Park Road by the Velindre Cancer Centre rear car park, from 6pm to 7pm.
These take place on the last Wednesday of the month for the duration of the construction programme.
For more information about the project, visit the website at: https://newvelindre.info
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