Cementing the future

Sarah Crammond is the only woman out of around 120 workers on the St. Stephen's construction site. But she's settled in well - especially because her dad also works on site as a crane driver.

Her job as a materials technician involves taking samples of the concrete to make sure it's strong enough. And that means pushing wheelbarrows around all day - but she says she gets her energy from eating a big breakfast every morning.

"I feel like one of the blokes now," says Sarah (26), of Kingswood. "Everyone gets along with each other and we have a good crack! "Working with my dad is great. He knows a lot of people, and because it's a big job and it's local, it's brought him back together with people who he hasn't worked with for years."

Sarah, a former factory worker, has never worked in construction before - and says she's looking forward to working more overtime and weekends, now the nights are getting lighter and the weather is getting warmer. "The job certainly gets you fit - there's no need to go to the gym - but it can be a bit hard going when it's raining.

"Fingers crossed, it's not happened yet - but if any tests show that the concrete isn't strong enough, it will have to be dug out." While at work, Sarah says she is forever noticing people trying to find out what's going on by peeping through holes in the fence around the construction site.

"It's all starting to take shape now. You can see where all the walls are going to be and the elevator shafts are now being put in. "It's nice to know I'm playing my part in improving the city. Hull's had a lot of bad reports lately, but St Stephen's will make the city a lot more appealing, especially from a shopping point of view.

"I won't be going to Leeds to do my shopping any more, that's for sure."