Francesca Hill - Malawi Challenge
Francesca Hill, A 15-year old school girl from Torquay Girls Grammar School, joined with 9 other pupils from the boys and the girls school, are travelling to Malawi in July for a month with World Challenge Organisation.
While they are away the team are going to spend a week improving 2-classroom blocks at Kauonga School located within the area of the Forest Reserve. Francesca’s team’s remit is to undertake the plastering and cementing works to help this neglected school improve its learning environment.
Francesca approached the Rok Torquay Office to ask for their help because she knew of their reputation for helping the local community, and said she thought Rok would be the kind of company “to support teenagers of Torbay Schools going to do good in the world”.
These passionate, enterprising youngsters organised a practical plastering training day so that at least they would not be total novices when they arrived at Kauonga.
Rok team members caught up with the group at their training day in Torquay to give advice and encouragement for the group’s endeavours.
Photo from left to right: Alex Foster, Dave Benson, Callum Blackler, Tash Nicholls, Charlii Baker, Kezia Barclay, Amelia Skerritt, Jethro Cooke, Frankie Hill
"Builders Come off The Bench to Help Elderly"
A Building company has donated three benches to a nursing home after completing work there.
Dartford's branch of Rok decided to donate the benches to the Priory Mews Nursing Home, Watling Street, Dartford, after finishing 29 en-suite bedrooms there.
It took 10 months to complete work at the Bupa care home for 150 elderly people, during which the builders became friends with the residents.
Rok site manager Ross Botley said: "The residents continued to live in the home while we carried out the work and we got to know them while we were involved in the project.
"We thought it would be nice to give something back to the home which could be enjoyed by the people who live there."
The benches were presented last Wednesday and are situated in the home's communal gardens.
(Tuesday 24th June 2008 - Online Edition Newsshopper)
Considering the Future
Rok Edinburgh's Falkirk team are leading the way when it comes to being a good neighbour. The project team signed up to the Considerate Constructors Scheme which is a national initiative set up by the Construction Industry to improve its image and in doing so, the project team have been awarded with an impressive 33.5 out of 40 for its first annual audit.
Edinburgh Area Leader, Andy Mallice said: "The project team at Falkirk have demonstrated that we can work harder to improve best practice on our sites beyond statutory requirements and going forward, we are encouraging all our sites to participate in the Scheme. Well done to the team for achieving an excellent score and keep up the good work".
Outdoor play area transfomed
The Chester office has completed its first Rok Community Challenge, transforming an overgrown area of land on the Capenhurst Grange school site and creating an outdoor relax and play areas for young pupils.
Rok had invited organisations to submit suggestions for projects that could be completed using volunteers from the company and the community. Winners, Capenhurst Grange Special School, impressed judges with their idea which focused on clearing debris and undergrowth followed by development of land, refurbishment of the activity centre and the provision of new decking, ultimately providing an outdoor area that would attract wildlife and offer a place that pupils could use for recreation.
The heavy manual handling aspect of the work was carried out during the week in the run up to the challenge. Later pupils joined staff from the school and the Rok team to apply the finishing touches and plant more than 200 new saplings.
The school, which has 60 pupils from all over the region, received £10,000 worth of expert building on the project. Capenhurst Grange is a residential school for children with severe behavioral and emotional difficulties and bursar June Sedgwick applied for the much needed funding to develop the area.
Rok’s Steve Ellery said: “The day was a huge success and the outdoor area has now been completely transformed. Everyone got stuck in on the final day of the challenge and it was great to see Rok team members and children and staff from the school put the final touches to the project.”
Fun and Madness at It's A Knockout event
Twenty seven teams consisting of ten people each descended on Blundell Park to take part in It's A Knockout.
The event was organised by the Humberston Lions with all the money raised being shared out to local charities including St Andrew's Hospice. Currently the Lions are waiting for all the sponsorship monies to come in before a total can be announced but last year's event raised £37,000.
After eight wacky challenges involving giants and budgies, Rok came in joint 4th place.
Rok managed to raise a fantastic £600 and was pleased to be a part of the event, we will definitely be putting a team in again next year with the aim of coming first.