News Archive / Archive 2008

Another reason to talk to Cognition : 03.12.08

As of 1st December 2008 HMRC will no longer accept new Landfill Tax exemption applications. This represents a significant increase in remediation costs if contaminated material must be removed from a site. Cognition’s track record of minimizing off site disposal is second to none. In instances where confined space or project timescales reduce the opportunity for on site treatment our soil hospital has proved an effective alternative.

Sophie Hosking – Champion of the Thames : 03.12.08

Cognition’s chemist, Sophie Hosking continues to prove her credentials in Great Britain’s rowing team. Sophie’s latest win in the Wingfield Sculls Women’s Race was further evidence of her drive and ability. Sophie blasted away from the start to take an early lead and was never headed throughout the race. This is an incredible endurance test where racers all start together regatta style, but have to maintain power and technique over the entire head race course from Putney to Mortlake. It is one of the most physical and mental challenges a sculler can face and only a select few compete each year. Sophie now holds the 2008 title for the amateur sculling Champion of the Thames and Great Britain. Sophie also made history on two counts. She is the first lightweight to take the title and the first daughter to follow her father into challenging for the Championship of the Thames. Olympian and World Champion Mahe Drysdale successfully defended his men’s title.

Client saving means new contract to Cognition : 27.11.08

As part of a redevelopment scheme to create a new large scale manufacturing plant south of Sheffield, Cognition have secured a contract for treatment of contaminated material in excess of 20,000m3. The proposed methods and strategy will allow all material to remain on site and result in a huge saving for the client on the disposal costs that had been originally envisaged.

Tim Male – Chemist, coach and competitor : 24.11.08

Tim may no longer be competing as part of team GB rowing but showed he has lost little of his fitness at the British Indoor Rowing Championships in Birmingham. Tim produced the fastest time by a lightweight (72kg) of 6 minutes 18.3 seconds. Since joining our site team it may not have been possible to train to the same level required for the Olympics in 2004 but his current schedule includes participation and a possible win in the Small Boats Head, coaching at a Surrey school and monitoring duties at a former gasworks in Croydon. Perhaps it's no wonder he's as fit as ever.

New Contract Award – Regenerating the Waterfront : 17.09.08

Cognition has been awarded the remediation contract as part of ambitious plans to regenerate the Nene Waterfront area of Wisbech. The project is enabled by £10 million of public funding from a unique partnership between several bodies: Fenland DC, East of England Development Agency, English Partnerships and European Regional Development Fund.

Business Development Director Richard Ashwell commented “We’re very proud to have been awarded the contract through a rigorous selection process and look forward to working with the project partners on such a significant and exciting project for the area”

Success at LBCC 08 : 16.09.08

The team achieved 2nd in class and 27th overall at The Little Britain Challenge Cup this year.

A convincing win by 3 minutes on the the first day gave hopes of repeating the 2007 result. In great sailing conditions with 20 mph winds and the perfect race start the first day could not have gone any better. Sadly the next two days offered insufficient breeze for our yacht and favoured smaller lighter boats. Nonetheless the event was enjoyed by all and gave plenty of opportunity to meet up with clients and industry colleagues.

 Cognition Project Manager, Charles Jarvis is training towards GB Rowing Trials : 28.08.08

Charlie is now training 3 hours each day, working full time and completing studies for his MA in planning and sustainability!

First trials and assessment takes place at the end of October

2008 Round Britain Offshore Powerboat Race : 14.07.08

For only the third time in 40 years, the Round Britain Offshore Powerboat Race is taking place, and one of the main contenders is a boat which took part in the inaugural race navigated by Cognition Director, Richard Hosking
First staged in 1969, then repeated in 1984, the latest version of the event is a 1,600-mile, eight-leg tour, starting in Portsmouth last Saturday and concluding on Monday.

The 2008 race, featuring more than 50 boats, has been fraught with difficulties. In the first leg alone, 10 boats failed to complete the test and one sank without trace. Then the leg from Plymouth to Milford Haven had to be abandoned due to nine-metre waves off the coast of Wales. This year, in a throwback to the past, the boat holding a two-hour lead in the intriguing historic category has as much history as the race itself.

To be eligible for historic racing, boats must be more than 20 years old and capable of only 50 knots. Gee, at 40 years old, is the most senior member of its class, and also has the unique distinction of having competed in the 1969 race.
The boat was originally commissioned by Edward Greenhall, a retired racing driver. Gee actually led that first Round Britain race, only to retire with fuel problems.
In 2001, Chris Clayton a long standing friend of Richard Hosking’s became the owner and custodian of the boat and he, along with brothers Mark and Paul, carried out an extensive refurbishment to get it race-ready - at a total cost of around £150,000.
At the start of this year's race, Gee was battling for supremacy with Blue Marlin before the German boat sank. Clayton, 47, from Surrey, said: "You had to feel for them, especially as the boat designer was on board when it went down.

"But we were really going for it. It was good fun to see the Union Jack up against the German flag, and then down goes the Bismarck!"
Gee's crew have also come to the rescue of one of their rivals. Before the Inverness to Edinburgh leg, they sacrificed a night's sleep to help the aeroplane pilots aboard 747 get their boat ready. The two boats were then enjoying a tussle when rope became entangled in 747's propellers and Gee's crew came to the rescue again, diving in to cut the rope free before towing the boat to safety.
Should Gee get past Edinburgh there will be another nod to the past, as Clayton explained: "Although Gee competed 40 years ago, it never got further than Dundee.
"There was a lighthouse that could not see any boats apart from ours, because it was out in front. As we go past that lighthouse, we're going to sound our foghorn. We're going to finish this time - and we're going to win."

Cognition Team Win Think 08 Regatta : 01.05.08

The Regatta took place as one of the events included in the sustainability conference Think 08.
The competition consisted of three races with the grand final pitting the heat winners against each other in a final showdown. Our team managed a complete clean sweep winning all their races in near perfect sailing conditions.

The team included experienced sailors and complete novices. First time sailor Rob Lewis, a member of the Technical Team said “Jason was right, you certainly don’t need exhaust emissions to get an adrenaline rush. Each race was exciting, particularly the race starts and mark roundings”

Cognition and Jason Leonard attendance at Think 08 – Sustainability in the built environment : 25.04.08

Former England Rugby prop Jason Leonard OBE will race against teams from QS Gardiner & Theobald and South Bank University in the Think Regatta charity boat race, one of the events taking place as part of sustainability conference Think 08.

The competition will consist of five races over two days with the grand final pitting the heat winners against each other in a final showdown.

Participants will set sail from the Royal Victoria Dock, adjacent to the conference centre ExCel, on 7 and 8 May.

All winners will receive a trophy and contribution to a charity of their choice, while the overall victor will take home the inaugural Regatta trophy and a significant donation to their chosen charity.

Leonard said: "The Think Regatta promotes a healthy, environmentally friendly pastime that shows you don't need exhaust emissions to get an adrenaline rush.

"It sends a clear message to professionals working in the built environment that sustainability is compatible with competitiveness. This is one of the key topics that will be examined at the Think conference and exhibition.

"It's a great idea to give conference scholarships for Think to students like those of London's South Bank University (sponsors of the regatta). Getting young people interested in sustainability in the built environment is important if we are going to fill the sustainability skills gap in the industry."

Entry costs £1,400, which includes all snacks and refreshments for the crew and a RIB for transfers and safety. Each Benetau Class 8 keelboat will be made up of five people plus an experienced skipper.

Patrick Gulley of Gardiner & Theobald added: "The Think Regatta is an ingenious way of highlighting the benefits of sustainable transport and renewable energy, while having an enormous amount of fun. The event really gets across the message of sustainability that underpins the entire conference. We hope that as many exhibitors as possible will enter – it should be nice and competitive, and raise funds for charity."