In the summer WCoBM and its members contributed generously and supported a significant project organised by Build Up – a charitable organisation that runs practical construction projects for young people aged 6-20 to design and build structures in some of London’s most deprived communities.
Set up in 2014, Build Up is giving young people the opportunity to run and manage construction sites, learn new skills, gain practical experience and see the real-life impact they can have.
One of the projects this summer was at Aldriche Way Housing Estate in Waltham Forest, North London, where over 50 young residents aged 11-23 got involved in a project to construct a new public space. Designed by them, the new community space is somewhere where local residents can now meet, relax and play and where people of all ages on the estate can spend time together. The team, who all live locally, built a pergola and garden, with seating and table tennis on an area of tarmac that hasbeen empty since the estate was built.
A key part of this initiative is to encourage young local residents to get involved and have a say over the future of their estate. The design was developed after a series of workshops with architects, photographers and visual artists, exploring young people’s perceptions of the estate. The success of this project led to coverage on local BBC News in September, which can be watched at https://bbc.in/2A2B2Ic.
As with most charitable organisations, Build Up is dependent on donations to help achieve their objectives. Our Almoner John Poore proposed it to WCoBM’s Charity Committee and there was no hesitation. With our ‘Build A Career Campaign’ to support young people in training and education, and the fact that our members are in the business of supplying building materials for construction projects, it seemed logical and appropriate to support this fantastic initiative.
In total our members between them supplied over £20,000 worth of materials and tools, which included a contribution from WCoBM of £2,000.
Our sincere thanks go to:
- Lawsons for supplying a wide selection of materials including 170+ railway sleepers, 80+ lengths of softwood, 70+ decking boards, screws, fixings, soil and paint.
- Lords Builders Merchants for supplying 120+ lengths of timber.
- Makita for the power tools, including drills, angle grinders, jigsaw and saws.
- Toolbank for hand tools and fixings.
- NMBS for the high-vis jackets printed with the WCoBM logo.
The Almoner John Poore comments:
“I’m really proud of our Livery and the extent of support for this project. Build Up is equipping young people with the skills to become the change-makers of tomorrow so it’s a privilege to be involved in this initiative. Working with the Programme Leader, and the Director & Founder of the charity, Huan Rimington, it has been extremely rewarding and fun to see a dormant space transformed into an outstanding community area.”
The Master Brian Blanchard adds:
“This project demonstrates what can be achieved by a truly philanthropic Livery Company. Build Up encourages young people to achieve and not feel limited by where they’ve grown up. It promotes physical and mental health and improves motivation to engage with future opportunities. By learning construction, teamwork and leadership skills, young people will improve their employment and educational prospects, build confidence in their abilities and better their chances in life. We hope to support similar projects across the UK in the future.”
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