‘Ant and Dec’ of construction awards vows to quadruple mentors for women

When Manchester-based Gallaway Construction’s chief executive Renee Preston was named the ‘Winner of Winners’ for inspiring women at the start of the year she had never won an award before.

But since that win at the Inspirational Businesswomen in Stem & Construction Awards, her success has snowballed. Throughout 2025 she has been awarded more than 15 industry accolades – five in just one night at Construction News’  Inspiring Women in Construction & Engineering Awards.

Her achievements have been recognition in part for her work in encouraging females into the sector through Construction For Women (CFW), which she founded two years ago.

“People have joked that I’m the Ant and Dec of construction awards,” she laughed.

“I’ve never really won an award before – I turn up and I don’t usually win. To win all these this year has been incredibly humbling, I’m still in shock. But nothing can compare to winning five in one evening. That was just the most overwhelming evening of my life.”

Described by one person as “the most decorated” woman in construction, Preston is not one to rest on her laurels and is already planning a bumper calendar of events in 2026 to build on her success.

More mentors

This year saw her bring 150 young women to UKREiiF, promising to match them all with mentors – she ended up helping 186.

Now, Preston has ambitious plans to get 1,000 women teamed up with mentors by the end of 2026.

“I want to scale it up next year to a 1,000 and change the face of construction by having women feel supported,” she said.

“Research shows if you have a mentor you are five times more likely to stay in a role than if you don’t.

“The awards have given me the confidence and voice to say I will do this.”

In addition, she is launching six Next Generation Conferences over 2026 for women in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, London and Glasgow.

“The aim is to have around 150 women at each one and we will give sessions on how to build their network, deal with imposter syndrome and sessions on why social impact is instrumental to their careers,” she said.

“Tenders have 20 per cent requirement for females and on site there are only around 1 per cent. I want to show young women there is a future for them. I’m going to be really bold and say that anyone who comes, hopefully 900 women across 2026, they will all get a mentor and I will have 1,000 mentors by the end of 2026.”

Preston and Galloway have been recognised for the success of their Early Talent Programme working with youngsters and their Prison Leavers programme, which sees inmates trained and given jobs on their release.

“You can be a main contractor but also have a social responsibility by building a workforce for the future,” she said.

“It is all embedded in everything I do for Galloway – it’s second nature to us now.”

Originally from a marketing background, when Preston entered the world of construction nine years ago she was able to view it with a fresh pair of eyes.

“As an outsider coming in it was easier for me because I could see what was wrong and what needed fixing,” she said.

“It was a dinosaur of an industry and I didn’t want to be known for running a construction firm where the only social value to it was sponsoring children’s football teams. That’s not what I am about.

“It gave me a blank canvas to look at who we were and what we could achieve together, but for me it’s also about building the people up around you. That is what gives me a sense of pride.”

‘Change is possible’

Reflecting on 2025, Preston said her take-out from this year is to “believe that change is possible”.

“I don’t want to walk on a construction site in five years’ time and find there is just me on it. I want to change that landscape,” she added.

“No door is closed – anyone who wants to be in construction can be and will be supported.

“The construction industry is ready for a culture change and I think the recognition I have had this year has given me the springboard to deliver even more impact next year.”