Let There Be Light!

By Sarah Brocklehurst

Let there be light! The new lights are switched on.

Steve Robards

Mr Collins & students at the Colas Rowfant HQ

Students helping to erect lighting columns

At lighting distributor Marwood Ltd

At lighting manfuacturer Urbis Ltd

In scenes reminiscent of Regent Street at Christmas, Steve Johnson, Head Teacher of Warden Park School, and Peter Hines, a Director of Colas Limited, switched on the lights outside Warden Park recently.  The new lighting scheme represented the culmination of an exciting two year project between Colas Limited and Warden Park.

In June 2007 fourteen Year 10 students who had expressed an interest in careers in the construction industry attended Colas for a week and, under the supervision of Electrical Contracts Manager Mr Ron Collins, helped to design a new lighting scheme for the school drive.  In order that the students could see the process of designing a lighting scheme from start to finish Mr Collins arranged for them to visit both a lighting design company and a lighting manufacturer.  The students were amazed at the huge variety of lighting columns and lamps available and were fascinated to discover just how many issues need to be taken into consideration when planning a new lighting scheme.  Finally the students were taken out with Colas crews to watch lighting columns being erected; some of the students were able to help dig holes for the columns!

Colas Street Lighting Division installed the new lighting during August this year, with the columns being kindly donated by supply chain partner, CU Phosco Lighting, and the cost of installation financed by Colas.

Warden Park School and Colas Limited entered into partnership in 2006 and since then have undertaken several successful joint activities including sponsorship of events, work experience placements, careers evenings and promotional initiatives.  Both parties have found the partnership to be very beneficial.