Children from the Woodentots Nursery at HMS Collingwood learned all about building when workmen invited them onto site recently.
The children have watched from indoors as old buildings at the Nursery were demolished and the ground cleared prior to new building work, until finally they were allowed on site to satisfy their curiosity.
The budding “Bob the Builders” donned tiny hi-vis jackets and hard hats before Site Manager John Cleary from Building IS guided them around the site explaining how the diggers, dumper trucks and rollers worked to create the cleared and flattened area where new buildings will be constructed.
Afterwards the excited children took it in turns to sit in the huge vehicles and get the feel of what it would be like to be a builder.
John Cleary explained the purpose of the visit. “It’s great to get the kids involved like this because then they start to understand, in a fun way, the dangers involved in building sites.
“It’s also nice for them to see how their new buildings will take shape!”
Nursery Director Lucy Price said, “The children had an amazing experience in the building site, which provided them with lots of new information about the job role of a builder and how their new building is going to be built.”
Woodentots Nursery, based at HMS Collingwood, offers childcare from the age of 3 months to 4 years specifically for Service personnel.
This new building work was partly funded by a LIBOR Fund award and has already enabled the Nursery to refurbish two buildings and demolish two others prior to building brand new replacement facilities.
Weather permitting, building work should all be completed by March 2018 and John has promised to host the children on another visit so they can keep an eye on the builders’ progress!
