GEDA and Long Tower present their artwork
GEDA and Long Tower present their artwork.
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NewsTranscript
00:00It's nice and bright when you're walking past the Dozen, and it's nice and bright to see all the pictures.
00:18Hi, my name's Aisling, I am a CSR coordinator for Gaita Construction,
00:23and I'm working on this project here, delivering social value in the community,
00:29because social value is so important to Gaita Construction, it's part of our ethos that we like to deliver to the community,
00:37because really important for us is to improve the education and community health and well-being of the communities we work in.
00:45And this particular project, there's so many opportunities, as well as working with the school, Long Tower Primary School,
00:52we have donated art materials to the Galshaw Community Centre, we have donated sports equipment to the Long Tower Youth Club,
01:00just across the road, and with Long Tower Primary School, we delivered health and safety presentations,
01:08and we did a wee poster competition, and delivered some medals for the kids,
01:12and then with the hoarding project, we did some artwork, I got the kids to design some posters,
01:19which I took, and then drew out the artwork, and the kids all painted them,
01:23and they're really fabulous drawings and paintwork, and it's just something for the community to really enjoy,
01:29and one of the themes was environment, and how we can protect the environment,
01:34and what we love about the city, and nature, and it's all there in the artwork, and I think it's beautiful,
01:40so I think we did a great job, and it really helps the social value of the area, so, yes, it's great!
01:47It's really great to see Gator Construction take their social responsibility seriously,
01:52and I'm particularly impressed with the way they engage young people,
01:56not just about the environment and construction, but how they love their city,
02:01some of the images really project our city and district in a very positive way,
02:06and I am delighted to see that they are bringing that back to young people in primary,
02:10so kudos to you guys for the great job you are doing.
02:18Hello, my name is Joy Sloat, Principal of Long Tower Primary School in Bishop Street.
02:24And can you tell me what we're doing here today?
02:26Well, for about six months now, the children of the school have been working with Gator Construction
02:33on a project about their environment and health and safety.
02:38It's been a joint project, and it was an excellent project,
02:44and it allowed the children to see what was around them.
02:48One of the remits of the project was to look at their environment in more detail.
02:54You know, we pass buildings and bridges and the river every day,
02:59and sometimes we're in such a hurry we don't stop and take a look,
03:02and this project brought the surroundings into reality for a lot of our children.
03:07And then, of course, working with Gator, Gator came up to the school,
03:10And then, of course, working with Gator, Gator came up to the school
03:13and did a presentation for the children.
03:15They brought their Gator Bear.
03:17And they talked to the children about health and safety,
03:20because, as you know, children are off on holidays now,
03:23and they're always looking for adventures,
03:25and sometimes those adventures can be in the wrong place.
03:28And so Gator were very good in talking to the children about health and safety around a building site.
03:35Not going near scaffolds, not going into sites that are closed down,
03:40not trying to find ways in.
03:42And, you know, the children were very aware of this and spoke about this
03:46and talked to the teachers about how it made them realise
03:51that they were risking their own lives by doing things like that,
03:54that there were other adventures to be had rather than finding them in a building site.
03:58They also talked to the children about sustainability,
04:00and we talked about, like, when I was young,
04:02there was no heat in the house, you had a super chair that was moved round every room.
04:06Whereas these houses now, they're built to provide the best of heating,
04:11the windows are the best, a lot of them built of timber,
04:15which, of course, is renewable, trees can be grown again.
04:18Talked to the children just about wastage,
04:21not wasting stuff, using what's in the local environment.
04:25So it has been an excellent project.
04:27And, of course, the children got to do a lot of art,
04:29and what child does not like art?
04:31So they got to draw a lot of pictures,
04:33to do a lot of talking about health and safety,
04:36and about the local environment.
04:38So it was a win-win all around for our children and for Gaeta.
04:42And lastly, how proud are you of the drawing today?
04:45Oh, I am so proud.
04:47I mean, just driving past, I mean, it just lifts the area.
04:51The children worked so hard on them,
04:53and it just brings a bit of vibrancy and a bit of colour to the local area.
04:57And it gives children ownership and a pride
05:00in their local town and their local area.