The Official Opening of the Noel Duffy Pedestrian Crossing
We are delighted to be officially opening our brand new pedestrian crossing, made possible thanks to the generosity of a number of organisations and partners. Having a fully functional pedestrian crossing on the NCW campus will mean that students who are blind or vision impaired can easily and safely practise their road crossing orientation.
Please join us on Friday 24 April for the grand opening of the Noel Duffy Pedestrian Crossing.
The day will begin at 10:00am with refreshments in our Learning Resource Centre, followed by official welcomes at 10:30am.
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The crossing will then be officially opened by Darren Harris, a former NCW student and dual Paralympian in football and judo.
Paralympian turned psychologist, Darren is and multi-award-winning speaker with 23 years’ experience performing without limits. His achievements include:Â
- England’s most capped and most decorated blind footballer
- M.Sc. Health Psychology, Aston Univ.
- Former senior analyst programmer for a major industrial manufacturer.
- Co-author: Transforming Your Life (Amazon, 2019)
- Clients: Allianz, BAE Systems, HSBC, MOD, NHS
In Memory of Noel Duffy
Noel Duffy served as Governor from early 2020 to September 2023 and will be remembered for his passion for accessibility for people with a vision impairment as well as his energy and commitment towards his role here as Governor. Noel enjoyed a long career history with our technology partner Dolphin Computer Access, starting with them in 1993 and retiring from the CEO role just last year. In 2022 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the RNIB for his long-standing contribution to improving the lives of people who are blind or vision impaired.Â
Our Partners
It is thanks to the incredible generosity of amazing companies and individuals that the crossing has been created.Â
Worcestershire County Council Traffic Signal Department designs and controls all Traffic Signal and Pedestrian crossing sites throughout the entire County of Worcestershire. The Local Authority kindly designed the Noel Duffy Pedestrian crossing and provided the Control Cabinet which operates the pedestrian crossing. Gavin Loach, Head of Traffic Signal Controls, provided advice and assistance throughout the entire project.
Ringway delivers highway and fleet services across Worcestershire and are a trusted partner to Worcestershire County Council. This organisation provides specialist Highway services to Local Authorities throughout the UK and Europe. This organisation kindly provided the entire Civils installation works which included all the Labour and materials required for the Noel Duffy Pedestrian crossing.
Telent Technology Services designs, installs and maintains Traffic Signal Sites for local authorities and Tier 1 Contractors, throughout the UK and Ireland.  This company kindly provided the essential Traffic Signal equipment for the site and also the specialist labour which installed and commissioned all the Traffic signal equipment required for the operation of the Noel Duffy Pedestrian crossing.Â
Duffy Pedestrian crossing.
NAL Ltd revolutionises infrastructure from the ground up. From innovative retention sockets to low-maintenance foundations and passively safe bollards, NAL is helping infrastructure go greener, faster, and smarter. There solutions are trusted by local authorities nationwide to deliver futureproof performance, with minimal disruption. NAL kindly provided all the specialist underground infrastructure products which was required to install the Noel Duffy Pedestrian crossing.
AGD Systems offers precision detection through its advanced radar and optical above ground detectors, delivering real-time data to ensure optimal traffic flow and enhanced pedestrian safety. Their cutting-edge technologies are designed to provide accurate and immediate information, enabling cities to better manage their traffic systems and improve overall road safety. AGD provided their latest Puffin signal push button units, and On Crossing and Kerbside Pedestrian Detectors for the Noel Duffy Pedestrian crossing.
ATP are a leading UK manufacturer and supplier of Traffic Signal and Sign posts together with all the latest Signage accessories required to installed roadside signage. They also specialise in the supply of Passively safe roadside equipment making the UK Roads a safer environment. ATP kindly supplied the Traffic Signal posts for the Noel Duffy Pedestrian crossing.
Universal Display Ltd est 1998 is One of the premier banner, sign, graphic and event solution providers and installers in the Worcester and Worcestershire area, serving clients locally, regionally and nationally – from start-up enterprises to blue-chip multinationals. Universal Displays kindly supplied all the signage required for the installation of the Noel Duffy Pedestrian crossing.
Nifty Communications is a Worcester-based PR and marketing agency specialising in scaling D2C, B2B, and sports-related brands through tailored strategies, social media, SEO and paid advertising. Nifty kindly assisted us with our promotion requirements for the Noel Duffy Pedestrian Crossing.
