Local schoolchildren have created wildlife-inspired features that now have pride of place on a popular wildlife trail around one of Yorkshire’s leading business parks.
Pupils from All Saints CE Junior Academy in Hessle, East Yorkshire, visited Bridgehead business park close to the school to see how the art installations they created in a project funded and delivered by Wykeland Group, owner and developer of the site, have become a landmark on the picturesque woodland walk.
Working with local artist Louis Dorton, Year 4 pupils used pliable willow shoots to create a variety of sculptures depicting animals commonly found locally, such as foxes, deer, owls and rabbits.
The delightful sculptures add to a growing collection of innovative artworks on the nature trail which circles the 50-acre Bridgehead development.
More than 1,000 people are employed at Bridgehead, close to the Humber Bridge and A63/M62 corridor, which is home to a host of regional, national and global brands, from Beal Homes and the John Good Group to Centrica Storage and Porsche.
All Saints Headteacher Laura Jackson accompanied three children to see their handiwork in place on the woodland trail at Bridgehead and said: “We’ve been working on arts projects for the Bridgehead trail for seven years now.
“The whole class were involved in the project this year and the children loved making the willow sculptures. They developed skills which linked in closely with lots of the learning they’ve been doing.
“We’re very grateful to Wykeland Group for this project. The children really looked forward to working on it each week.”
Wykeland Asset Manager John Gouldthorp said: “The woodland trail is very popular and these new wildlife sculptures are a wonderful addition, creating even more interest along the nature trail.
“It’s great that this project has inspired creativity and developed new skills, while also producing attractive works of art to be enjoyed and admired by so many workers at Bridgehead and visitors to the site.”
The 1km Bridgehead woodland trail was planned and delivered by Hull-based Wykeland, working with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which manages the woodland pathway and natural habitat on behalf of Wykeland to encourage further wildlife and maintain flora and fauna.
