National Damage Prevention Day 2025: A Landmark Event for Safe Digging
On Thursday 19th June 2025, LSBUD proudly hosted its most successful National Damage Prevention Day to date. Held at the prestigious St George’s Park, the event welcomed over 200 delegates and featured a record-breaking 20 exhibitors, filling the venue’s corridors and halls with innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to safe digging practices.
A Strong Start with Industry Insights
The day began with a keynote address from Victoria Grayson, Support Services Director at Network Plus. Her presentation focused on the Wellbeing Innovation Project, which applies sports science to understand the psychological and behavioural factors influencing health, safety environment, and quality (HSEQ) performance in the field.
Knowledge Exchange and Collaboration
The Return of the Round Table session brought together professionals from across the utility and infrastructure sectors to exchange best practices in damage prevention. A key theme was the importance of addressing indirect causes of utility strikes, such as stress, fatigue, and low morale, which can significantly impact decision-making and performance on-site.
An Afternoon of High Performance
Dr. Steve Bull delivered an inspiring keynote session, drawing on his 40 years of experience as a high-performance psychologist for Olympic athletes and elite teams. With powerful insights into leadership, resilience, and mindset, Dr. Bull captivated the audience, encouraging industry professionals to adopt a corporate athlete/ performance-driven approach to safety and collaboration at work. His session was a standout moment of the day, leaving attendees motivated to lead with purpose and build stronger, safer teams.
Celebrating Excellence in Safe Digging
One of the highlights of the day was the National Safe Digging Awards, otherwise known as “The Larries”. Presented by Dr. Bull, the awards recognised individuals and organisations that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to safe digging and asset protection. Click here to see all 2025 Winners.
A Memorable Atmosphere
The event was complemented by excellent weather, which added to the vibrant and positive atmosphere. Delegates enjoyed an extended lunch and networking session, with outdoor activities including a penalty shootout. For every goal scored, LSBUD donated £10 to the Breast Cancer awareness charity ‘Coppafeel!’, combining fun with a meaningful cause. Overall, £455 was raised for the charity.
Looking Ahead
LSBUD extends its sincere thanks to all attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and supporters who made the day such a success. Your contributions are vital to advancing the mission of Safe Digging for All. We look forward to sharing event highlights and video content soon via our website and social media channels
Let’s continue working together to protect lives, infrastructure, and the future of our industry.
