ASH Drywall

We are incredibly proud to recognise Veniamin Sirbu for his outstanding commitment to site safety this month!

Veniamin was presented with a premium Hilti toolbox by our Director, Scott McLeary, in recognition of proactively logging the most safety observations across live projects. This award isn't just about a metric; it’s about a mindset that prioritises the well-being of every colleague on site.

Breaking the cycle of underreporting:

At ASH Drywall, we believe a genuine safety culture is built on transparency, not silence. We recognise the industry-wide trap of incentivising low accident statistics, which can inadvertently encourage safety concerns to be underreported (to maintain artificially low or suppressed accident figures).

We want to be clear: Low accident figures do not always equate to high safety standards. In our experience, they in fact (frequently) tend to indicate the opposite - that genuine concerns (and even incidents) are being ignored or "dealt with quietly" to maintain artificially low "accident statistics”, at the expense of actual improvement and the nurturing of best practice, to mitigate future risks.

At ASH Drywall, we believe it’s time the industry adopted a more nuanced, realistic and mature approach on this issue - it’s time to hit the cultural “reset button” for the better.

Our Approach:

• Valuing Observations: We don't want "quiet" sites; we want engaged sites. Every observation logged is a potential accident prevented and future working improvement secured.
  
  
• Collaboration for Compliance: We encourage genuine collaboration between everyone on site to improve working conditions.
  
  
• Voice & Value: We ensure that every voice is heard and valued, rather than relying on sanitised statistics.

Congratulations to Veniamin for leading by example and thank you to Scott for reinforcing that, at ASH Drywall, an inclusive “safety first” culture comes from being vocal, proactive, and supportive of those willing to speak up.

As many of you are aware, we recently said goodbye to one of our long-standing Directors and friends, Alex Wallace. 

Following his funeral on Friday 19 December 2025, we wanted to share a few words with the whole team to celebrate Alex’s life and the incredible impact he had on all of us at ASH Drywall.

A Pillar of the Business 
Alex was part of the very fabric of this company. He joined us as a Quantity Surveyor in the early 90’s, right at the time of our incorporation in 1993. Having been recruited by Dean Ash in those early days, he quickly became a key figure in our growth. By 2006, he was formally appointed as a Director, and alongside Dean, Collette, Steve Jones, and Paul Sumpter, he worked tirelessly to build the company into the regional success it is today.

A Mentor and Friend 
Beyond his professional competence and conscientiousness, Alex was someone who genuinely cared about the people he worked with. He was known throughout the organisation for his incredible patience and kindness. No matter the deadline or the pressure, Alex always made sure he had time for anyone who needed help. He wasn’t just a Director; he was a mentor and friend to so many of us. His absence leaves a gap that won't easily be filled, but he leaves behind a legacy of hard work, dedication and kindness that we will continue to emulate.

We are all incredibly grateful to have worked alongside Alex. He will be deeply missed by the entire team, and our thoughts are especially with his family (in particular his son and our colleague, Joe), during these most difficult of times.

Please note that Alex’s tribute page is now open for donations: https://ian-alexander-wallace.muchloved.com/.

For those of you who want to make a donation (however large or small), I’m sure this would be greatly appreciated by Alex’s family.

If making a donation, we’ve been requested to ask people to please state that “the donation is for Pevensey Ward only”.

Warm regards,

The Board of Directors 

DM & C Ash Limited (trading as “ASH Drywall”)

We are pleased to announce that ASH Drywall has proudly renewed its sponsorship of the Falcons Inline Hockey Club for the coming year. The video here gives a taste of the excitement.

The Falcons, based out of 'My Skate World' in Eastbourne, are a diverse and growing club - a home for everyone from eager 8-year-old beginners to veterans with years of rink experience.

• Commitment to Potential: Regardless of background or ability, the club is dedicated to supporting every Falcon in reaching their full potential.
• Expert Guidance: Players are guided by a team of dedicated coaches who bring both expertise and an infectious passion for the game.
• Dedicated Training: The teams train hard on Mondays and Wednesdays, preparing for exciting home and away matches.

This renewed support from ASH Drywall makes a real difference to the team, helping ensure the Falcons can continue to provide essential facilities and equipment, keeping the kids geared up and flying high throughout the season!

We look forward to another fantastic year supporting the Falcons community.