Since being able to walk and talk, Kian Hale has been fascinated by construction and particularly roadworks.
So, when a team arrived to replace old iron water pipes beneath the streets in his village, the ten-year-old was desperate to find out more.
Every morning and evening, on his way to and from the Cleves Cross Primary School in Ferryhill, County Durham – and even at weekends – Kian would be there, quizzing the Fastflow operatives about what they were doing and why.
He became such a regular during the year long replacement works that he was presented with his own hard hat and construction related Lego set by the team. He produced countless drawings of the project and even a model of Fastflow Pipeline Services (FPS) at work, which won him third place in the school’s Easter Egg competition.
It features a hi-ab vehicle hoisting a pipe into place, with egg driver and operative, kitted out in Fastflow branded personal protective equipment.
“The last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about in the morning is diggers and pipes,” says Kian, of Raby Road: “This is what I want to do when I grow up; I’d love to work for Fastflow. The lads have all been great, telling me what they have been doing and why.”
Dad, Steven, added: “It’s fair to say he’s obsessed with diggers. We’ve been to Diggerland a few times and he has countless construction related toys. So, when Fastflow turned up – initially outside his Nana’s house – that was it. We couldn’t keep him away.”
Mark Flanagan, Site Manager with Washington based FPS, said: “We have loved having Kian come by to keep an eye on things. He’s a really bright lad with a very inquisitive mind and it’s been a pleasure to let him see the work we are doing and explain what it will provide for the village.”
Working on behalf of Northumbrian Water, FPS replaced 10.5 km of water main in the £1.5 million project.
