12-05-2025
Hamilton pupils learn about dangers of building sites
Woodhead Primary youngsters had an interactive lesson all about housebuilding with staff from construction firm Cala
Pupils at a Hamilton school found at all about the construction industry from a housebuilder developing a nearby site – including the vital lesson of staying safe by staying away from construction sites.
Woodhead Primary welcomed Jordan Hughes and Nicki Elliot of Cala Homes, who are building 26 new properties at Cornhill Village off Strathaven Road, which forms part of the wider Hamilton community growth area.
Site manager Jordan told youngsters in the Primary Four and Five classes how staff work to keep the site safe including giving pupils the chance to try on protective equipment including hard hats and hi-vis vests, while they also learned about career opportunities in the construction sector.
The Cala staff's visit formed part of the construction firm's Stay Safe, Stay Away programme educating youngsters about the dangers of playing at construction sites and which gives a 'stark warning about the dangers of going into construction areas unsupervised'.
Jordan highlighted some of the hidden dangers on building sites and said: 'The Stay Safe, Stay Away programme is designed to spread the message to children that construction sites are not somewhere to play around – as responsible homebuilders we have created a programme that lets children and young people know that the message is serious but is presented in a way that's easy for them to digest.'
The interactive session – part of Cala's community pledge to invest in areas where the company is building – also covered the history of constructing homes as well as the variety of career opportunities within the industry.
Marketing co-ordinator Nicki added: 'Another aim of this initiative is to bring to life how new homes are developed and the important role that housebuilders play in creating sustainable new communities; it was great to see the children engaged with the presentation, and they especially enjoyed trying on different types of PPE which we use on site.'
The Cornhill Village development of four- and five-bedroomed detached homes will incorporate biodiversity features and sustainable technology including solar panels, while a showhome has been kitted out with items supplied by Hamilton businesses as part of an initiative to showcase nearby brands and amenities to potential future residents.
It is Cala's first development in Hamilton since constructing nearby Wellshaw Grove more than a decade ago, with the first residents of Cornhill Village set to move in this summer.
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