Pave Aways has lost a true character in our team following the death of our quantity surveyor and contracts manager, Dave Garratt.
Dave, 62, joined Pave Aways in 1998, working from our then Wem office and would have celebrated his 25th anniversary with Pave Aways this December. A carpenter by trade, he played an important role as a QS and contracts manager, often managing entire projects, particularly school schemes, on his own.
Notable schemes he worked on included new housing in Baschurch, extensions at Long Mountain and Market Drayton Junior Schools, the new gatehouse for Thomas Telford School and the renovation and extension of The Anstice in Madeley, Telford.
It was testament to Dave’s popularity with co-workers that he was voted Colleague of the Year by them in 2018. Our company buyer Rob Keyland and office manager/health and wellbeing officer Sabrina Davies have paid tribute to him on behalf of Pave Aways.
“Dave was well loved by clients and will definitely leave a hole in the Pave Aways team – he was a character we won’t be able to replace,” said Sabrina. “He had such an irreverent sense of humour and was always the life and soul of the party but he was a proper family man too.”
A keen golfer, Dave would always be involved in any Pave Aways’ team at charity golf days, helping to raise thousands of pounds for charities, added Sabrina.
Rob said: “Dave was best mate to everyone and could make everyone’s day – he had a one liner for everything! He was part of the fabric of Pave Aways and we will all miss him.”
Dave and his wife Diana had two sons, Kieran and Ben, and three grandchildren, of whom he was immensely proud.
Rob added: “He loved his football and as his son Ben is a professional goalkeeper, Dave would follow him around the country to watch him play, whether home or away. Monday morning was always a dissection of that weekend’s football scores, especially the performance of Ben’s team.”
Our office will be closed on the morning of Wednesday March 22nd to allow colleagues to pay their respects at his funeral at Telford Crematorium at 10.30am. It will be followed by a wake at Market Drayton Golf Club, where Dave was a member.
Donations in his memory will be divided between the University Hospitals North Midlands’ Critical Care Unit and West Midlands Ambulance Service.