Neighbouring Project
Wakefield Court
Task
Community Support
Background
While building 16 new homes at Wakefield Court, we wanted our time in Leftwich to benefit the wider community too. That meant getting involved with local schools and community groups, creating opportunities for young people to experience construction first-hand and helping out where we could.
Our relationship with the local primary school gave us a couple of opportunities to get involved. We provided a new cycle store, giving pupils somewhere safe and secure to leave their bikes during the school day.
We also supported the school’s annual Bonfire Party, donating provisions for the event including food, refreshments and sweets. The event raised £700, which went towards new play equipment for the children.
Introducing young people to the different careers available in our industry was a big part of our work in Leftwich. Our team attended a careers event at a local secondary school, chatting to pupils about construction and the range of jobs involved in bringing a development like Wakefield Court to life. We also worked with Procure Plus to provide placements for young people who had left school, giving them practical experience on a live construction site and a chance to see what working in the industry is really like.
We opened the gates at Wakefield Court to Level 1 and Level 2 electrical students from Warrington & Vale College. The visit gave students a chance to step onto a live site, see electrical installations in practice and get a better understanding of how their chosen trade fits into the wider construction process. There’s only so much you can learn in a classroom, so it was great to give them a closer look at the job in action!
Our Site Manager Derrick also recruited a slightly younger team for one very important job… The Litter Police! Working with local young people, we headed out into the community for a litter pick, helping tidy up the area surrounding our development.
We also supported the local Men in Sheds group with skip donations, helping them clear unwanted materials and continue the work they do within the community.
By the time our work at Wakefield Court came to an end, our involvement in Leftwich had gone well beyond the development itself!
