Getting to know you: Stuart Cheesman, SWH's Civils' Agent

SWH employee Stuart Cheesman has been with the company for almost a year now, working as a Civils' Agent on high profile cases such as the Derriford Hospital Helipad installation and the development of the new Crediton Link Road.

An average day for Stuart will always include an early start, followed by a busy day of arranging plant, sub-contractors, labour and materials as well as liaising with clients and designers. To say the least Stuart’s average day tends to be varied and consistently challenging, but what challenges him outside of his career at SWH?

Having two young children, Stuart admits that most of his time is spent with his family. Having moved to Devon with his wife Ruth to pursue an outdoors lifestyle, Stuart spends a lot of what spare time he has on local beaches and most recently learning how to kayak. He also has an allotment and enjoys getting involved with events that benefit the local community, something that seems to be a common theme throughout Stuart’s life...

Stuart grew up on a farm in Essex and from an early age learnt how to 'build things'. He became a Sea Scout and learnt to sail when he was in Primary School. After studying for a degree at Plymouth University, he decided to spend some time travelling the world and did just that for the six years that followed. During this time he visited Asia, Africa and Australia and spent some time working as a Diving and Sailing Instructor. Having had this fantastic experience, he was fortunate enough to land a job in Madagascar for a year working as a Dive Instructor for an environmental charity and saw first-hand how fresh water and access to sanitation can improve people’s lives. From here, Stuart briefly went to Tanzania to work for the same charity and this is where he met his partner, Ruth.

Directly from Tanzania Stuart came back to Plymouth and studied for a Masters’ degree in Community Water and Sanitation. After achieving this further qualification, Stuart and his wife Ruth took the opportunity to travel and work in the Philippines and Indonesia; working for Oxfam as one of their Civil Engineers, helping communities rebuild their lives after the Boxing Day tsunami, building water systems, houses, bridges, drainage systems and wells.

Stuart has led a very interesting life, often spent helping others and making a difference to communities who desperately need relief. His career at SWH looks promising and also involves making a difference. As previously mentioned Stuart is leading on a project at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth which will see the installation of a new helicopter landing facility enabling a wider range of aircraft to land at Derriford Hospital Emergency Unit.

The works will enable the hospital trust to deliver an improved helicopter landing facility, benefiting Devon & Cornwall Air Ambulances it will enable them to land at night, helping the Hospital Trust continue to improve their services to the community.

Stuart and his family have aspirations of one day building their own house in Devon, something that after seeing what he has already managed to achieve, seems very attainable indeed!