Balfour Beatty is funding an on-going sustainability project at St Ambrose and Buchanan High Schools in Coatbridge as part of a lasting legacy for the new £44 million schools’ campus, which it constructed.
The project includes the acquisition of two bee hives which were delivered to the schools shortly before the end of the spring term.
Balfour Beatty will fund the management of the hives by specialist company, Plan Bee, who will also teach the basics of bee-keeping and the importance of bees to the environment to pupils at the schools.
Elizabeth Denton, Deputy Head of St Ambrose High School, said: “The idea came after a sustainability day we held at the school a few years ago. Saint Ambrose, our patron saint, has a strong association with bees. Our school badge features bees on it. So naturally we were keen to have bees on our lovely new campus.”
Buchanan High School was also enthusiastic to become involved as environmental projects play a large part in the school’s curriculum.
Margaret Fannon, Head Teacher of Buchanan High School, said: “We are all excited at the prospect of working with Plan Bee and St Ambrose High School to learn bee keeping skills. This will allow us to build on our work in relation to Eco Schools and sustainability.”
Hector MacAulay, Balfour Beatty Delivery Unit Managing Director, said: “Balfour Beatty is committed to engaging with the communities in which it works. It was important to us to work in partnership with Buchanan High School, St Ambrose High School and North Lanarkshire Council to ensure we left a meaningful legacy once construction of the new schools was complete.
“Sponsoring two beehives for five years, with bee-keeping lessons and equipment, fits the bill nicely. The initiative ties in with many elements of the curriculum and will give pupils the opportunity to learn about biodiversity and understand the importance of the bees in a practical way.”
St Ambrose and Buchanan High Schools were officially opened in March 2013 and were the 28th school that Balfour Beatty had delivered for North Lanarkshire Council over a period of six years. The building was designed with sustainability in mind with the construction process seeing 92% of being recycled.