Bricklayer from Tillicoultry is crowned the best in the UK! Richie Maxwell is Screwfix’s Britain’s Top Tradesperson 2016

A bricklayer from Tillicoultry has been selected as Britain’s Top Tradesperson 2016.

Richie Maxwell (aged 30) beat thousands of entries in the competition, organised by multi-channel retailer Screwfix, to walk away with the most coveted title in the trade – plus the keys to a new Toyota vehicle worth £32,000 (OTR).

Richie, who trades under the name RDM Elite Builders Ltd, comes from a family of brickies. During a hotly contested national final at Wembley Stadium in July, it was his enthusiasm, skills and willingness to go the extra mile for customers that impressed a panel of judges made up of industry experts.

Richie comments: “I was so shocked when I received the phone call to tell me that I had won. When I got in front of the judges, I told them all about my work, my qualifications and my passion for the trade. I even spoke about the time I was working at a local school and the teacher asked me to discuss life as a tradesman with the pupils! I can’t wait to collect my new Toyota vehicle; it’s going to make me stand out from the crowd when I arrive at a job!”

Britain’s Top Tradesperson is a comprehensive search by Screwfix to find and recognise the best in the trade, from bricklayers to carpenters, handymen, electricians and plumbers that keep the UK’s homes and businesses in top condition.

During the final, judges look for the tradesperson who impresses them most with criteria such as devotion to their work, going above and beyond for customers, and outstanding skills.

Screwfix Marketing Director, John Mewett, comments: “This is the sixth year that we have run this competition, and every year we are overwhelmed by the high standard of work completed by the nation’s tradespeople.

“More than six thousand tradespeople entered from across the UK and Northern Ireland. Richie showed us that bricklaying is in his blood, and really impressed us with his honesty, integrity and the way in which he runs his business. We have a hugely deserving winner in Richie who represents all that is great about the UK’s tradespeople. We look forward to hearing about his future successes.”

James Martin, an electrician from Northern Ireland, and Westley Duggan, a plumber from the South East, were also presented with a highly commended award.

Britain’s Top Tradesperson will be back in 2017. For more information visit www.screwfix.com