A YOUNG civil engineer based in Altrincham has scooped two civil engineering awards.

Will Smith, who works at Altrincham-based management, engineering and development consultancy Mott MacDonald, was named the Institution of Civil Engineers’ North West Volunteer of the Year for his contribution to voluntary work during the last year.

The announcement, at an Oscars-style dinner on February 6 at Manchester’s Mercure Hotel, cited Will’s 'unfaltering enthusiasm' in 'working as a role model' and 'making a difference'.

Will’s second award of the evening was as part of the Grain for Gain project team, which achieved a Special Commendation in the Community Project category.

Will led a team of 30 young volunteers from Engineers for Overseas Development (EFOD) North West which designed a community food store for the Mam Riang Women’s Cooperative in Eastern Uganda and travelled to Uganda to help turn the project into action – having also raised the £25,000 necessary for the project.

A spokesperson for EFOD North West explained: “The Mam Riang Women’s Cooperative is a group of 54 women who survive by subsistence agriculture. Without adequate storage facilities they are forced to sell their produce to traders at harvest time when market prices are low, only to buy back produce later in the year when prices are inflated.

“The aim of Grain for Gain is to provide the women with a safe and secure facility where their produce can be stored, ensuring a secure supply of food for their families and improved financial returns when excess grain is sold.”

Alan Butler, north west regional director of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said: “In earning his Volunteer of the Year award Will has demonstrated a high degree of leadership, dedication and organisation skills, as well as hard work on top of his day job. He’s a credit to the civil engineering profession, and the Institution of Civil Engineers is proud of him."