SCHOOLCHILDREN in Balsall Common have been given a new space to play, thanks to a HS2 contractor.
A team of 16 volunteers from Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), their supply chain and HS2 Ltd renovated a disbanded area at Balsall Common Primary School into a play area complete with sensory garden for the pupils ready for the start of term.
The Balfour Beatty VINCI team worked for two weeks to clear the existing unsafe play areas, including removing old play equipment and rotten railway sleepers, cutting back overgrown trees and hedge rows before bringing in a vegetable patch, chill out area and a stone footpath.
Redditch-based specialist environment company Acorn trimmed the trees and bushes in the adventure play area and donated the specialist Play Area Bark, and Flannery Plant Hire, a company based in Sutton Coldfield, provided a grab lorry to carry out the works.
Birgitta Varga, support funding and publicity from Balsall Common Primary School, said: “The adventure playground and veggie garden had fallen into disrepair in recent years and was closed off with no access to our pupils for a very long time.
“Thanks to Balfour Beatty VINCI and HS2 we have now been able to welcome our pupils to a new accessible open space that they are already enjoying in their autumn school term.”
Nick Cuming, community engagement manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: We were delighted to provide pupils at Balsall Common Primary School with a new adventure play area.
“It was fantastic to see the unwavering support from our valued supply chain partners, as we were joined by two Midlands-based businesses, who are also providing many local job opportunities through our work to deliver HS2.”
