Children at University of Staffordshire’s Woodlands Day Nursery have enjoyed a hands-on introduction to the world of construction, thanks to Willmott Dixon’s partnership with the nursery.
In the classroom, the ‘children’s construction site’ includes donated an array of construction-themed toys and books for young learners aimed at sparking early interest in STEM and construction careers. Outside, the children have had the chance to dress in hi-vis gear and mini hard hats, kindly donated by the project’s groundwork contractor McDermotts, and even sit in an excavator cab while learning about the machinery.
Following the event, Jess Greig, Information Controller at Wilmott Dixon, joined the children to read one of their new favourite construction books ‘Big Yellow Digger’.
Jess said: “We aim to cultivate a lasting interest in construction and the possibilities it might hold for their future, and promote sustainable practices from an early age, while having a lot of fun along the way.”
This initiative, created in collaboration with nursery staff, is part of Willmott Dixon’s commitment to support communities around the new Student Village development at Staffordshire University’s Stoke-on-Trent campus. Over the next two years, while constructing the £100m project, we plan to host a range of activities designed to make a positive difference for local communities.
Amanda Sherratt, Head of Childcare & Family Services at University of Staffordshire, said: “A partnership like this brings incredible value to our children and the wider community. By engaging young minds with the ongoing construction project, we're not only sparking early interest in careers like construction and engineering but also creating fun, hands-on experiences that enhance learning.
“The children have loved exploring the construction-themed activities and seeing real machinery in action. It’s heartwarming to see how the Student Village project is being brought to life for our little ones, and we’re grateful for Willmott Dixon’s commitment to making a lasting impact in such meaningful ways.”
We will continue to support Woodlands Day Nursery throughout the Student Village project. In alignment with our Now or Never sustainability strategy, the nursery partnership is one part of our larger sustainability ambitions. For example, working with our supply chain we are creating a fruit orchard and allotment on nursery grounds, demonstrating sustainable practices to young learners. These green spaces align with our plan to deliver a biodiversity net gain of 12% on the project.
