A HUDDERSFIELD woman has spearheaded the revival of a professional body in Yorkshire.

Alison France, managing director of Grange Moor-based Sanderson Associates, has led efforts to revive the Yorkshire branch of the Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers.

Sanderson Associates, one of the UK’s leading independent consulting engineers, has provided key committee members for the IHIE and created a new programme of events for 2009.

Alison said: “The IHIE is a very important professional organisation, which helps all of its members improve their qualifications and reach their full potential. Recently, it had been suffering in Yorkshire with branch meetings ceasing.

“So Sanderson Associates have provided the IHIE with two joint secretaries, Karen Smith and Louise Milner, who have already taken up their posts. They have formulated an interesting programme of events for all of the 235 IHIE members in Yorkshire.”

Events, which will take place at Sanderson Associates’ headquarters, including talks on the Trinity Walk development in Wakefield by Peter Maurice of Sanderson Associates, together with lectures on highway legislation and ground stabilisation.

The aim of the IHIE is to help members deliver safe, sustainable transport systems. It provides professional leadership by developing and sharing knowledge and standards. IHIE branches cover the UK and run site visits, seminars, technical meetings and presentations and social events.

Said Alison: “These meetings and seminars are so worthwhile. You can keep up to date, widen your professional contacts and meet many of your professional development needs at branch meetings.”