Tag Archive for: children

Christmas joy for children

Christmas joy for children: Staffordshire Olympians Adam Burgess and Ben Williams played Santa to local children by delivering gifts donated to the JCB Christmas Toy Appeal.

The employee appeal got under way in November with the installation of 14 collection points at JCB plants in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Wrexham – and a record 1,242 gifts were donated. Now the toys have been handed over to the Stoke-on-Trent Hubb Foundation, the NSPCC and Wrexham’s Yellow and Bue Charity for distribution to deserving children.

Christmas joy for children

Christmas joy for children

Slalom canoeist Adam Burgess and triple jumper Ben Williams – who are both sponsored by JCB – helped wrap the gifts donated to the Burslem-based Hubb Foundation and delighted children at nearby Mill Hill Primary Academy in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent when they delivered the first of the presents to them.

Tana Owen, The Hubb Foundation’s School Relationship Manager, said: “The donation of toys to the children means the absolute world to them and it’s all thanks to the JCB Christmas Toy Appeal. I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who donated a gift.”

Ben Williams, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “These appeals are so, so important as not everybody is as fortunate as others. Having grown up in the exact area where this school is, I know the gifts donated to the JCB Christmas toy Appeal will be hugely appreciated.”

Adam Burgess, of Stone, said: “I remember being a kid at Christmas, we always had presents. It was always really exciting. I know that some kids aren’t so lucky. We’re in an area that is a bit disadvantaged and I’m really proud to be part of something like this in my local area which is supporting children at this time of year.”

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Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn

Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn: Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn (YFD) is a primary school in Llandudno, Wales that is working hard to offer its young pupils a green space in which to play and learn.

In partnership with Conwy Borough County Council and Wild Elements, a not-for-profit social enterprise, the school wanted to create green spaces for the children of YFD to immerse themselves in natural materials and greenery. The site was selected due to its severely grey infrastructure and lack of green space.

Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn

Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn

Wild Elements is dedicated to getting people in North Wales outdoors and connecting them to nature, improving their lives, opportunities, and aspirations.

The school received a recommendation from another Local Nature Partnership Coordinator in Cardiff and after seeing the successes of their project they felt it was the best way forward to source the green infrastructure for the school site. Gareth Lloyd – head teacher of YFD comments “we felt the products offered by Green-tech were one of the few that we were satisfied to have green infrastructure installed on a Centre Based Child Care education estate.”

Green-tech supplied everything but the trees for this project which included 45 Hedera Helix Woerner Living Ivy Green Screens and 45 bespoke Planters in 3 different colours.

The living Green Screens provide instant and effective screening and are perfect for projects where an instant privacy green fence is required. They provide rigid, secure, and evergreen barriers which are low maintenance and easy to install. As well as being much more attractive than traditional fencing, they are an environmentally conscious choice that support an array of wildlife and help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to provide cleaner air.

To ensure the green screens stay hydrated a Mona irrigation watering system was supplied for each screen. The Mona System is a 100% water efficient, subterranean plant irrigation system and provides cost effective tree and planter irrigation.  The system acts as a reservoir to hold water and distribute to the plant’s roots as and when required to ensure they remain healthy and grow.

Gareth continues, “Following the success of the Cardiff project under the same Welsh Government grant, we hoped to replicate the work as it was a big hit with the Cardiff primary school children. One of the main concerns raised in the project’s infancy was the lack of shade in the school. During the warmer months, it can become overwhelmingly hot for the children. We intended for the Ivy Screens to provide an adequate source of natural material shading for the children. We also wanted the Ivy Screens to be a space for the children to play, hide and immerse themselves in their games. It has made a huge impact to the children’s well-being and is greatly appreciated.”

Green-tech supplied 12 bespoke planters for trees in 3 different colours and 12 containerised anchor systems to secure each tree discreetly without impacting on the overall design. In addition, 16 bulk bags of Green-tree topsoil which is manufactured using organic compost and overburdened sand from quarries and perfect for projects focused on environmental sustainability and green credentials, was supplied.

There was a lot of products to be delivered and it was important that the delivery schedule met the needs of the school, without interrupting them, as well as Wild Elements installation plan. “It was logistically impressive!” comments head teacher Gareth Lloyd.” “Thanks for sorting the delivery to run so smoothly, one wagon in, the next one to follow”, Tom from Wild Elements adds.

Julieanne Quinlan, Local Nature Partnership Coordinator for Conwy adds, “the experience with Green-tech has been a wonderful one. James, their Sales Advisor, has been incredibly helpful and patient throughout the entirety of the project. We cannot thank Green-tech enough for making this project come to fruition. It has been a big hit with the school and the children, and we have great hopes for the future pupils of Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn. Diolch yn fawr (thank you very much).

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