The Hamlet hosted Dartford at Champion Hill on Saturday, August 9, 2025, and earned a fantastic result to get the new campaign off to a flying start.
After a summer of hard work and preparation, including new management of both teams, with Mark Dacey taking charge of the men’s team and Maria Tavares at the helm of the women’s team. Both having promising pre-season performances.

The opening-day triumph for the men’s team signals a strong tone for the season ahead. It’s the perfect reward for the players, staff, and loyal fans, and a game that sets the bar for what’s to come. With the women’s season due to kick off on Sunday the 17th August against Luton Town.

A Stylish Look for the New Season

Dulwich Hamlet have unveiled their 2025-26 kits, with the home kit drawing inspiration from the club’s rich history.

The design revives the earliest known pink-and-blue halved kit from the 1900/01 season – part of a deliberate move to “reclaim pink” and reconnect with deep-rooted heritage.

In a major boost for local youth development, the club has reinstated an Under-18 men’s team in time for the 2025–26 season, following more than a year of effort spearheaded by Liam Hickey. The return of FA Youth Cup competition promises exciting opportunities for up-and-coming talent within Dulwich Hamlet’s ranks.

On the infrastructure front, Dulwich Hamlet’s long-term dream of a new stadium moves closer to reality. Southwark Council has agreed to lease part of the Greendale site, marking a significant milestone in the club’s pursuit of a modern, purpose-built home.

At Virtus, we’re honoured to extend our multi-season onboarding as the official training-kit and management-kit sponsor for both the men’s and women’s teams. Our branding is prominently placed on the banners behind the Greendale End at Champion Hill – a partnership built on shared values of community, excellence, and resilience.

We also recently completed a refurbishment project making up a new hospitality and fan area at the club – revitalising the function room, boardroom hospitality suite, and stairwell to create modern, welcoming spaces for players and fans alike.

This area is now open on matchdays giving the faithful a more contemporary space to enjoy pre and post-match refreshments!

This space is also home to Hamlet Comedy, held on the first Thursday of each month with some very famous faces often performing.

The origins of International Co-working Day trace back to 2005, when software engineer Brad Neuberg coined the term “co-working” to describe a new way of working – not just shared desks, but a shared purpose. He launched the first official co-working space in San Francisco, and the idea quickly took root around the world. What began as a grassroots movement has grown into a global ecosystem supporting innovation, flexibility, and human connection.

In today’s work culture, co-working is more than just a trend – it’s a strategic shift. These environments foster:

• Flexibility: Spaces that adapt to hybrid schedules and shifting team dynamics.
• Creativity and Collaboration: Chance encounters and open layouts spark fresh ideas.
• Community: Freelancers, startups, and corporates alike benefit from being part of something bigger.

Co-working spaces empower individuals to work independently but not in isolation – fuelling productivity while reducing the sense of workplace loneliness.

The COVID-19 pandemic redefined our relationship with the workplace. Remote working proved effective, but it also highlighted the drawbacks of disconnected teams and digital fatigue.

Now, businesses are seeking environments that strike a balance: supporting hybrid models while ensuring opportunities for in-person connection. Co-working spaces – whether formal hubs or flexible collaboration zones within offices – offer the best of both worlds.

At Virtus, we’ve seen a growing demand for fit-outs that reflect this new reality. The focus is no longer just about desk capacity – it’s about crafting environments that encourage impromptu conversations, teamwork, and idea-sharing.

Co-working doesn’t only refer to physical spaces. It’s also about how colleagues interact—how they share, problem-solve, and innovate together. Thoughtful design plays a key role in enabling these dynamics. Acoustic comfort, natural light, biophilic elements, and well-zoned spaces can make all the difference in encouraging teamwork.

At Virtus, we’ve had the privilege of delivering dynamic workspaces that foster collaboration on every level. Here are just a few standout examples:

• Windmill Street
• Cheapside
• Britannia Street
• BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
• Dare Digital

These projects exemplify how thoughtful design enhances more than just function – it elevates culture.

ESG stands for ‘Environmental, Social & Governance’, it really represents the 3 pillars of sustainable development, which aim to ensure that what we do today does not have adverse impacts on our natural environment, our people, and our economic stability in the future. Most people will be aware of the climate crisis we have on our hands due to the intense release of greenhouse gas emissions and degradation to our ecosystems, which our industry has a large part to play in. Decades of extracting materials and carbon-intensive manufacturing processes have put our planet at risk of irreversible damage. When people think about sustainability and ESG, often the ‘E’ gets most focus, but improving our industry’s practices to be more sustainable will mean that people and communities’ benefit across the world, as well as economic stability.

Similar to all previous roles I have had in sustainability and ESG, my day-to-day can be massively varied, as I try to get involved in every corner of the business. I spend lots of time engaging with site teams, working to come up with sustainable solutions on site, and also helping them to collect important data for our carbon report. I spend a lot of time articulating our successes so that we can evidence these in tenders and work-winning pieces. I also spend time reviewing, developing and writing policies to ensure we are running a fair, safe, and inclusive business. I spend a lot of time understanding Virtus’s processes, and after almost 1 year in the role, I hope to make meaningful changes to ensure we are developing sustainably all around.

Taking on a completely new role for the business meant that I was not only learning what this looked like, but also making sure everyone else understood why I was here and what I wanted to achieve. Everyone has been so welcoming, and I like to make sure I visit all of our site teams as regularly as possible, to avoid getting stuck behind a screen. I think understanding what inspires different people is important when implementing any sort of change, so that everyone is brought along on the journey, and that we can enjoy it along the way!

I think I have been most proud of implementing our Circular Economy policy on site and getting some real success stories when it comes to re-use. I have felt a real sense of the site team’s interest and willingness when it comes to identifying items for re-use prior to strip out, which is neither something they had been asked to do before, nor anything we are yet to get a monetary benefit for, everyone just understands the bigger picture goal. I can’t wait to get some proper case studies written up to share with our stakeholders.

Our ESG strategy has 5 main focus points: Environmental Management, Carbon Reduction, Circular Economy, Social Value, and Employee Empowerment. As part of our Social Value focus, we have the following targets for 2025:

• Fundraise a minimum of £2500 per year for charitable donations
• Complete one company volunteering day per year
• Complete one educational or workforce upskilling engagement activity per year
In the year 2024, we raised £15,627 for charities including Mental Health UK, spent 783 hours volunteering and fundraising.

Some of our most recent community engagement initiatives include:

South Norwood Community Kitchen –volunteered hours of consultancy and labour to help create a community wellbeing garden to improve high levels of mental ill-health in the community. This garden is also helping to provide food for the community kitchen.
East Brighton Food Co-op – We are collecting food bank donations and volunteering to deliver hot meals to vulnerable members of the community.
UCL Knowledge Exchange Programme – Providing industry expertise to develop a model for retrofitting biodiverse green roofs around London.

Usually, sustainable choices can actually save money in the long run, however, it is sometimes hard to evidence that, and budgets always come first. I find that making sure you are aligning with the client’s own ESG agenda is important to allow for collaboration so that both parties are invested.

We carry out subcontractor PQQs to understand our supply chain and its commitments to ESG. However, I believe that the most impactful thing we can do is help subcontractors along their journey in sustainability, by providing time and support to make any changes, especially if they are a little bit behind the ‘curve’

As head of ESG, my only expertise is in this. I really rely on working with everyone at Virtus as the real construction and commercial experts to understand first how our practices work, to then be able to consider any changes we make. Regular catch-ups to ensure all parties are aware of any changes are essential, because I need honest feedback and insight into what will and won’t work on the ground. There is no point in implementing the most ‘sustainable’ choices if it means that what we do on site is compromised. This goes against the very essence of ‘sustainability.’

We need to start thinking about waste as ‘excess material’, and we need to consider this at the very earliest stages of every project. Architects, clients, and contractors need to collaborate to first design out waste as a priority, and to consider what resources are available already, especially in the fit-out industry, where often good material gets thrown in the bin for reasons other than ‘impressing the client with something new and shiny’. 91% of all carbon emissions from fit out projects come from the disposal and processing of material. If we can push circularity and re-use good materials where possible, this can be tackled.

At Virtus we carry out pre-refurbishment audits prior to any strip-out works. We then work with partners such as Material Index to find new homes for valuable materials. This can include selling, donating, or simply retaining elsewhere across our projects.

I think people are starting to realise that everyone’s role needs to become more sustainability focused. We need to move away from having 1 (or a few) stationarity champions who are trying to do everything, to models where everyone is aware of their part to play, as experts in each field.
At Virtus we are halfway through our 12-month ESG upskilling programme, where we are delivering monthly CPD sessions and toolbox talks to all employees. This is with the aim of addressing the green skills gap in the industry, and to hopefully inspire and inform everyone to make more sustainable choices and business decisions.

I sometimes find it hard to believe it can be possible, thinking there is such a long way to go, but I do have hope for upcoming technologies such as those in carbon removal and materials. Science has a massive part to play, but I think the most important factor is human collaboration and shared goals around the world, which can be a little bit harder to predict. We must stay positive and keep taking all the little steps, and eventually, I do think we will get there.

Meat-free weekdays, cycle everywhere possible & try to only buy second-hand clothes.

Net zero should always be the goal, as this is more measurable and focuses on making actual reductions by changing the way we do things, before considering any offsets.

I’d love to work in conservation or ecology where I could be outside all day.

Can I have 2 things – 1. That it’s not just about the environmental part. 2. We have to look at the bigger picture, making changes won’t always save money initially, but the benefits for the industry in the long term are the real goal!

As our conversation with Poppy reveals, ESG at Virtus isn’t about ticking boxes – it’s about transformation. Whether it’s launching our circular economy policy on site, collaborating with communities, or educating every employee through our upskilling programme, her work is creating tangible, lasting change. The future of construction will require resilience, innovation, and shared accountability – and with leaders like Poppy at the helm, we’re confident Virtus will remain ahead of the curve. Because building better doesn’t just mean smarter – it means more responsible, more inclusive, and more sustainable.

Every project starts with a clear understanding of the client’s needs and expectations. We begin by conducting a thorough client meeting and understanding their brief and defining the scope, followed by detailed planning, scheduling, and procurement.
Communication is key throughout. On-site, we ensure quality control, safety, and timely delivery, while being prepared to adapt quickly if issues arise. Finally, we close out the project with a full handover, including documentation, client feedback, and a review of lessons learned to continually improve our process.

What sets Virtus Small Works apart is our consistent commitment to quality, regardless of scale. As a main contractor with decades of experience, we apply the same meticulous approach to Small Works that we do on flagship fit outs – ensuring every project is delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest standard.

Our department is supported by the full Virtus ecosystem – including our A1 D&B rating, ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditations, robust insurance cover, and market-leading health and safety practices. This means clients can enjoy the flexibility and speed of a dedicated Small Works team, without compromising on process, compliance or finish.

Our Small Works Team has successfully delivered a wide variety of impactful projects, including:

Our vision is to become the go-to team for agile, high-quality project delivery within Virtus and across the industry. We aim to continue growing our capabilities, investing in our people, and refining our processes so that we can take on more complex and diverse projects. We see the Small Works department not just as a support arm but as a strategic partner for clients looking for fast, efficient, and expertly managed solutions. Ultimately, we want to set the standard for distinction in small works delivery.

At Virtus, we believe that every project deserves exceptional care. Our Small Works Team combines technical excellence with a flexible, collaborative approach, making it the ideal partner for businesses looking to refresh, reconfigure, or upgrade their space without the scale of a major fit out. If you’re considering a project under £200K, get in touch with us – and discover how small works can deliver big results.

My family’s background is in haulage, demolition, and waste management, so since I was 5-6, I have been in my dad’s lorry and on construction sites. I love the people there and the diverse characters that you get. At the end of school, I had multiple career choices, including risk management and insurance broking. In the end, I chose health and safety. I liked that I had to win over people who didn’t want me there.

So, through Havio, I had the highest qualification you could have in the industry by the time I was 20. Then, three years later, I had the opportunity to buy 50% of the company. That was 2009, just after the financial crisis, so it was a tough time – construction was on its knees, but we got through it. From 2012, we caught the crest of a wave. There wasn’t any great strategy behind it, it was just that the market was increasing, and we really got back into construction. That’s what I always knew and loved.

I’ve always been very mindful that health and safety is not sexy and it hasn’t got a very good reputation. People don’t like you because of your job, and I didn’t like that. I then made it my mission to solve the question: how do we eradicate this wall? How do we let people interact with us and come away from it going: you know what, I didn’t expect that of that safety company or that health and safety person?

There’s a whole ecosystem around it. It’s about how you treat people, how you deliver stuff, how you empathise, and how you understand the challenges that they’re facing on a day-to-day basis. For health and safety to work, you need to take people on the journey with you. That’s always been the approach. We don’t police: we guide, we coach, we mentor.

Health and safety is never a company’s top priority, in my opinion. People fall into the trap of not thinking commercially, but if you aren’t a profitable, sustainable business, you’re not going to have to worry about keeping people safe. I think when you say those words to directors of businesses, they go, ‘Oh, someone who finally gets it.’ It doesn’t mean I don’t care for the people that are at the workface, but I believe that if I deal with it in this way, it’ll improve. You have to start at the leadership level, you have to speak their language.

Health and safety should also just be something that runs across as a value of the organisation. As a health and safety professional, you need to be able to wear many different hats, and you need to be able to talk to people at different levels. I’m not saying I get it right all the time, it’s taken 20 years to get to that level. The challenge for me is to be able to get my team to be able to shortcut my process and be able to have those conversations. Ultimately, it’s all about communication.

People are never the problem. In safety, you have two different kinds of approaches. Safety one is where you create a management system and discipline people according to it, disempowering them. I don’t believe that works. Then you have the other approach, which is what ours is based on, which is to empower people. You still have rules, but you engage with people instead. You say to them, ‘Look, health and safety
hasn’t been done for us. It’s been done for you so that you can go home safely to your wife, children, husband, etc.’

A lot of health and safety professionals either haven’t been taught the right way or they’ve got ingrained beliefs that that’s the way to do it. But I won’t allow that approach within this business. I can tolerate a lot of stuff, but if I see someone delivering health and safety in that way, that’s a big no.

Firstly, we are not an environmental consultancy. Not saying that we couldn’t do it, it’s just not our area of focus. But we are a B Corp company, so people, planet, and profit are all important to us. So, when Poppy came to us to highlight that our current inspection doesn’t quite cover what she needs, we had a conversation about what she requires. Then we came up with a solution and added it to our Altitude app. Now, every time we go to projects, 6/7 questions get asked that we review, instead of Poppy having to go on site all the time. It’s been successful.

In construction, sustainability is a bit of a buzzword. Some clients take more of an active interest, like Virtus, but a lot of contractors do it just because they have to. Interestingly, the demolition and waste industries have been clued in for a long time. If they can save and reuse materials, they earn money from it. It is this mindset that we need contractors to get behind with. Rather than forcing it upon them, they need to understand that it does have benefits, particularly monetary benefits.

You need to be careful with it. Essentially, you could have health and safety professionals who could tackle it, but they can’t be specialists at everything. They would have to look at excavations, scaffolding, fire safety, and then suddenly switch to mental health, which is very different. You can’t possibly do it all.

The world we’re living in is very tumultuous, and there are lots of shifts happening, so mental health awareness is great, but there’s a fine balance with it. Someone needs to nail why there are four times more people taking their lives in construction than in any other industry. It is all so complex. Coming back to the question, I would be very cautious about including it. We can talk about whether there are mental health initiatives or if processes are being followed, but it is tricky when you go into the specifics of individual people.

We used to complete our reports using pen and paper. No one could read my writing, so 15 years ago I decided to invest in a platform, Altitude, which at the time was relatively revolutionary and has since evolved, as the company has grown.

Instead of walking around with their head in a pad the whole time, I wanted our health and safety professionals to create something that allows them to engage, not to form fill. Alongside this, in the background, we have an algorithm that allows us to look at hotspots and trends, which we can then tailor to our clients. Now we’re looking at how we can put AI into that. I’ve got so many ideas, but I haven’t got deep enough pockets to put them into action.

The biggest shift is the Building Safety Act, which we have purposefully kept out of. You’ve got people vying for positions in the market, saying they’re experts when they’re not – everyone’s still trying to find their way. They’re looking at competency, skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours, which is what has let the industry down, i.e. the Grenfell fire disaster.

Another shift in the whole construction ecosystem is the skills shortage and the fact that the industry is terribly marketed. You can earn good money in construction, and you can get there in 5/6 years, but the industry doesn’t publicise that enough. Let’s be honest, construction is not going to stop any time soon, but it’s going to be an interesting time moving forward. I think there are big opportunities for companies that can set themselves apart.

Simplify. We’ve recently completed a full strategic review of the business. It’s very clear that we’ve built a business with too many clients, where many weren’t aligned with us, either financially or culturally. We have a way of working; they just want to tick the box.
So, we had 400 clients and now we have 220. We’re trying to collate a smaller pool of clients, but the right ones.

In health and safety, life is about doing a better job for your clients. We will keep innovating to provide as best level of service we can to our clients, with things like Altitude, and hopefully, contractors will think of us high up the list when considering health and safety consultants.

It should be a given that people go to work and not be adversely affected, but there is a lot of work to do. Even though we have got the numbers right down in terms of deaths on site, there are still too many.

I aim to try to keep things simple for people and want to work with as many as I can on the senior level, so it gets filtered down to where it will make a real impact. We need to try and speak commercially to clients. I want them to be able to manage their business and earn the money they need, but at the same time not have to adversely their workforce. If your people are happier, they are more productive and then you earn more money off the bottom line.

How Does Matterport Work?

First, a Matterport camera is used to capture a series of 360-degree images throughout a space. Here at Virtus we use the Pro2! These images are automatically stitched together to create an interactive 3D model.

The model generated isn’t just a static image or a video; it’s an interactive, immersive experience where users can navigate the space simply by clicking or tapping their screen. This allows them to look up, down, and side to side, just as they would in real life. Additionally, the experience can be visualised using a VR headset, providing an even more immersive way to explore. This can be remotely accessed, shared, and explored from anywhere in the world on any device, 24/7.

How Virtus Has Utilised Matterport: Case Study Examples

These benefits made it an obvious choice for us to integrate Matterport into our workflow, particularly as we can add the scans into Procore – the construction industry’s most widely used management software. As a result, the entire team can collaborate on the project and share access to documents, planning systems and data in a single, centralised location.

The following case studies showcase the versatility and value of Matterport’s technology and how it has benefited our team and clients.

Databricks

In 2024, we completed an office fitout for Databricks, a global leader in data, analytics, and artificial intelligence, headquartered in San Francisco with offices around the world. In addition to delivering Matterport scans for their London office, we also successfully carried out scans for their Paris and Amsterdam locations.

Both buildings were occupied during the scanning, requiring careful coordination to minimise disruption while capturing the necessary data. The postproduction stage was crucial to meet the client’s privacy needs, involving the manual blurring of sensitive information such as screens and monitors. These immersive 3D walkthroughs have now been integrated into the Databricks site, allowing visitors and new employees to explore and familiarise themselves with the spaces remotely.

24 Britannia Street

Following two decades at their Holborn headquarters, Thames & Hudson embarked on an ambitious relocation, selecting a 16,000 sq. ft. space in the former Gagosian Gallery at Kings Cross. We were tasked with transforming the space into a CAT A office renovation with polished concrete floors, timber-lined mezzanines, and exposed services. It being a big, open space, we thought that it was the perfect opportunity to test out our Matterport scanning for the first time. The Virtus design team were then approached to design a CAT B proposal, and upon completion, we conducted another scan.

Capturing both scans after the CAT A and B refurbishments provided us with a range of benefits beyond just trialling the technology. The before-and-after models serve as a valuable visual record of the transformation, allowing us to showcase the quality of our work to future clients and use the content for marketing and case studies. Internally, the scans offer opportunities for training, process review, and knowledge sharing, helping to refine our workflows for future projects. They also provide clear documentation for accountability, support future maintenance or office fitout renovations, and enhance transparency should clients request a detailed project overview.

Britannia Street CAT A Scan

Britannia Street CAT B Scan

The Future of Matterport

The future of Matterport is already looking promising. In the Fall 2024 Release, Matterport unveiled AI-powered tools like the “Defurnish” feature, which allows users to virtually remove furniture and clutter from digital twins as well as the “Merge” tool, which enables the seamless combination of multiple digital twins. Over the next decade, it is clear that Matterport will continue to evolve with the growing demands of the construction, real estate, and design industries and is expected to focus on several key areas and technologies that will further enhance its capabilities and usability:

1. Integration with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

As the immersive experience becomes increasingly important, Matterport will continue to evolve its integration with AR and VR. This will allow users to explore spaces virtually in real-time, offering even more detailed and interactive walkthroughs without physical visits.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

Matterport will likely expand its use of AI and machine learning to automate tasks, so much so that AI-powered personal assistants in virtual tours could guide users, answering questions and providing tailored recommendations. Additionally, AI-driven insights can offer predictive analytics, such as detecting potential design flaws, predicting maintenance needs, or optimising space usage.

3. Autonomous Capture with Robotics & Drones

Drones and autonomous robots could be integrated to scan large commercial properties, construction sites, and industrial facilities faster and more accurately. Real-time progress tracking for construction projects using digital twins could become standard.

4. BIM Integration

As Building Information Modelling (BIM) becomes more widely adopted in construction and design projects, Matterport’s ability to integrate with BIM will continue to be a major focus. This integration will help architects, engineers, and construction professionals use Matterport’s digital twins alongside other BIM software, providing a seamless connection between the physical world and the digital model.

5. Higher-Resolution Scanning and Enhanced Detail

As scanning technology continues to improve, Matterport will likely focus on providing higher-resolution and more detailed scans. This will allow for more accurate and detailed digital twins, which can be especially beneficial in industries like architecture and construction, where precision is critical. The ability to capture fine details in textures, materials, and spatial relationships will improve the quality of the models, making them more useful for a wider range of applications.

6. 5G & Cloud-Based Solutions

With the rise of 5G and edge computing, Matterport is expected to evolve its cloud-based capabilities. For businesses, the ability to upload, access, and share 3D scans securely and instantly from anywhere in the world will be a significant advantage, making real-time collaboration and inspections smoother.

7. Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Given the growing focus on sustainability, Matterport could play a key role in helping organisations achieve their ESG goals and help create more sustainable workspace design solutions. By providing accurate as-built models, Matterport scans can lead to better energy modelling, help reduce waste, optimise material usage, and improve overall project efficiency. Furthermore, by significantly reducing the need for frequent site visits, companies can cut down on travel-related emissions and lower their overall carbon footprint.

The future of Matterport looks incredibly bright in construction and also wider industries, such as real estate, retail, tourism and manufacturing. As technology continues to advance, it will become a key tool in transforming how projects are designed, managed, and maintained. From improving efficiency and collaboration to enhancing precision and reducing waste, Matterport’s 3D scanning technology is setting the stage for a more streamlined, data-driven, and sustainable construction future.

Why Choose Virtus for Your Office Fitouts?

At Virtus, we believe that every office fit-out project deserves the highest level of precision and innovation. That’s why we offer Matterport scanning services exclusively to clients who choose us as their office remodelling contractors and similar projects. By integrating this cutting-edge technology into our services, we provide you with an advanced, reliable solution to enhance your project’s workflow and outcome.
Here’s why selecting Virtus for your office fit-out ensures you’ll benefit from the best in Matterport scanning:

• Expertise: Our team is highly skilled in utilising Matterport technology to capture your space with exceptional detail and accuracy, ensuring the perfect digital representation of your workspace design.

• Custom Solutions: Every project is unique, so we offer tailored Matterport scanning solutions designed to meet your specific needs—whether you’re an office manager, landlord, architect, or contractor.

• Seamless Integration: As part of your office fitout, we make it effortless to incorporate Matterport scans into your project at every stage, from initial design to post-construction.

• Remote Accessibility: No matter where you or your stakeholders are located, our Matterport scans provide easy access to a 3D model, making collaboration and decision-making more streamlined than ever.

Choose Virtus for your next office fitout and experience the precision and convenience of Matterport scanning as an integrated part of your project.

Have any questions? Contact us on the below