Velindre Cancer Centre Update: Autumn 2025
Sep
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
Eighteen-year-old Megan Morgan is possibly one of the youngest female crane slingers and crane operation apprentices in the UK. She’s helping to build the new Velindre Cancer Centre – while also pushing gender boundaries in the construction industry.
Megan is a crane operator apprentice for sub-contractor MPS Crane Operators. She is working on the state-of-the-art new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC) and is loving every minute of it.
Megan, who lives in Cardiff, said:
“I did a multi skills course, along with carpentry, at college and then I said to my dad, who also works in construction, that I needed a change and didn’t know what to do. He said, ‘Well, why don’t you be a slinger?’ and I thought “Oh, well I might as well give it a go” and here I am!”
Her dad’s suggestion was a good one because Megan is thriving. As a slinger, she safely attaches loads to cranes and directs lifting operations using hand or radio signals, thus playing a key role in ensuring safety on the site.
She explained:
“I’m really enjoying working in the construction industry. It’s good experience, looks good on your qualifications and there’s always plenty of work.”
Whilst the nVCC project currently boasts one of the highest female ratios in UK construction, still being a minority on site hasn’t fazed her, especially with her dad around.
“Because my dad works here and they respect him I don’t really get many comments. It can be intimidating, but you’ve got to just let it go if someone says something negative, give it back.
“There are challenges obviously. Basically, because I’m a girl I feel I have to do more to prove I can do it. But my advice would be, if you’re a young girl and you want to do it, then just do the best you can do. Some of the girls are better than the men,” Megan added.
“If you have an idea or dream, just go for it, the world is your oyster. If you feel pressure, ignore it, if you have a dream or if you want to be a slinger, just go for it, it’s going to be hard, but you keep going and suddenly it gets easier – and just think of the money you can earn.”
Megan and MPS will be on site for the duration of the nVCC project until the crane works are finished. Sacyr UK wish her and the MPS team all the best with their next project and hope to see more of Megan as she continues her journey in construction.
As part of its commitment to community engagement, Sacyr UK recently hosted the Cardiff Bay Rotary to the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC) project site recently.
The visit brought together members of Sacyr UK’s Design, Health and Safety, Construction, and Community Benefits teams, along with its Project Director and Construction Director. Together, they presented the latest developments and innovation taking place on site.
The tour was a chance to show how far the project has come, including some groundbreaking innovations. The Sacyr UK team received positive feedback from Rotary members, who came from architecture, nursing, and engineering backgrounds. Many commented on how things have changed over time and praised the project’s unique design.
President of Cardiff Bay Rotary Angela Gorman shared her appreciation:
“This was a truly inspiring visit. It was great to see how much progress is being made with the construction of this fantastic new facility. We are very grateful to Katie and her colleagues for arranging this for us. We look forward to coming again as further stages in this development are reached.”
Keith Moger, a former NHS professional, added:
“Having worked in the NHS, I’ve been on many hospital building sites, but I’ve never seen arrangements like those Sacyr UK has made to bring the public ‘up close and personal’ with the project. As someone who’s very grateful for the work of Velindre Hospital, it’s very good to know that they will soon have a hugely improved facility.”
Nurture
Sacyr UK has welcomed four new apprentices to its back-office team. Sam Rees has joined as a community benefits apprentice, while Faith Evans has joined as a finance apprentice.
Oliver Jenkins (mechanical & electrical apprentice) and Lucy Calafato (technical support apprentice) have also recently joined the team. They will all play an integral part in the project, attending Cardiff and Vale College while also working on site.
Twenty-one-year-old law graduate Faith said: “Joining the finance team at Sacyr has been a really great experience so far. Everyone has been really welcoming, and I have already learned a lot in a short time.
“I chose Sacyr because of its strong global presence and forward-thinking approach – it is the ideal place to grow professionally while contributing to impactful, sustainable projects, that really make a difference.”
Sam, who is 27 and a film graduate, said: “I have felt genuinely welcomed into a team of highly skilled professionals. Each day presents new challenges and opportunities for growth as no two days are the same and it’s been really good fun.
“I’m really enjoying working with the community around the project site and I’m looking forward to really making a difference to the local area and working with the team to leave a lasting legacy from the project.”
Joanne O’Keefe, Community Benefits Coordinator, who is leading on the apprenticeship delivery at Sacyr UK, said that Sam and Faith have already made a big impact since joining the team at nVCC: “It’s so good to have Sam and Faith on board. They have made a big impact and I know are going to be key team players in the work we do here over the next few years.
“Their enthusiasm and different ways of looking at the challenges we face has been really inspiring and I can’t wait to see how they progress in the coming months on the project.”
Sacyr UK’s technical assistant Chantelle Lennard joined Joanne O’Keefe, Community Benefits Co-ordinator at Bridgend College STEAM Academy to host an inspiring Women in Construction event. Organised by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the event welcomed 65 Year 9 female students, aged 14 to 15 from four local schools.
The aim of the event was to inspire the next generation of women in construction with the range of careers available within the industry. The day kicked off with Sacyr UK’s powerful Women in Construction video, featuring contributions from women working on the new Velindre Cancer Centre project (nVCC). The video highlighted the growing representation of women on site and the diverse range of roles they occupy, demonstrating the impact women make in shaping this landmark healthcare facility.
The students took part in a series of interactive, STEAM-based activities designed to build confidence, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Activities included building foam brick towers, assembling giant tetrahedrons with rods and elastic bands and tackling the marshmallow tower challenge. Each activity mirrored real-world construction and engineering scenarios.
The most memorable experience was the virtual reality (VR) headset activity, which allowed students to virtually step onto construction sites giving them a realistic and immersive perspective of the daily operations, sparking curiosity and excitement.
The event wrapped up with a roundtable discussion, where students had the chance to ask questions and connect directly with professionals.
Future
The summer months have been a busy time for the project, in that time Acorn, the consortium behind the new Velindre Cancer Centre, has:
• Hosted a visit from Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles. The Cabinet Secretary met with leaders from Velindre University NHS Trust, NHS staff, and partners from the Acorn Consortium and Sacyr UK, who are building the nVCC. He toured the site to look at how the project is progressing.
• Sacyr UK team members worked with eight local schools and colleges to tell over 756 pupils and 11 young people (NEET status) about the career opportunities within the construction industry and the progress on the nVCC project.
• Launched a suicide awareness campaign with the Construction Industry Training Board. The campaign aims to highlight and tackle the concerning suicide statistics in the construction industry. Cardiff North MS Julie Morgan also attended the launch and praised the initiative.
The next resident drop-in is scheduled for Wednesday 29th October, at the Noddfa building at 19 Park Road by the Velindre Cancer Centre rear car park, from 6pm to 7pm where members of the Acorn, Sacyr and Velindre team will be on hand to discuss progress on our works and answer any questions. These take place on the last Wednesday of the month for the duration of the construction.
For more information about the project, visit the website at: newvelindre.info
