The Great Yorkshire Build

GMI Press Release 13/06/2023

GMI unites supply chain to deliver £200,000 Rebound Therapy Centre

A much-needed therapy centre for children with special educational needs has been formally handed over after companies from GMI Construction Group’s supply chain teamed up to donate £200,000 worth of their time, skill, equipment and cost of building materials.

The Rebound Therapy Building at Brooklands School in Skipton features a trampoline that will provide its more than 80 pupils with valuable therapeutic exercise promoting strength and co-ordination as well as developing communication skills and alleviating anxiety.

GMI Construction Group, together with McLaren Developments, all provided their services free of charge as part of Yorkshire Children’s Charity’s Great Yorkshire Build initiative.

An existing garage had to be demolished by GMI and its supply chain partners and the foundations laid before work was completed on the building’s envelope, roof and internal fit out, including a trampoline and pit. Finishing touches to the exterior were applied and the car park reinstated,

All this was made possible by the dedication and skills of sub-contractors Hookstone, Stephensons, Cara Brickwork, Cog Scaffolding, EDSL Joinery, FCB Roofing, Gallant M&E, FAA Installations, ES Décor, Ascot Doors, Elite Aluminium, Active Flooring, and OGL.

GMI was the first construction company to volunteer for the charity’s Great Yorkshire Build, which is designed to improve outdated, insufficient and inadequate facilities at many of the region’s Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres (SILC) and SEND schools.

Brooklands School provides a creative, personalised and high quality education to 82 pupils, aged four to 19, who have a range of complex needs.

Fran Cracknell, Headteacher at Brooklands School, said: “I’ve wanted to have a facility that would allow us to offer rebound therapy to our pupils for many years, but it was never achievable, until now.

“In particular I’d like to say a huge thank you to GMI, as they were the first onboard this fantastic initiative by Yorkshire Children’s Charity. There are not enough words to thank them for making a massive difference to some incredibly special pupils, their parents and our staff.

“GMI, along with their sub-contractors, have become part of the family and the wider Brooklands community during the work and this wonderful centre simply wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t stepped up.”

Lee Powell, CEO of Leeds-based GMI Construction Group, Yorkshire, added: “The importance of this project was quickly apparent on my very first visit to Brooklands, speaking to the Head and meeting some of the pupils.

“All those involved in this collaboration between GMI, and its supply chain partners have developed a special affinity with the school, and we are all extremely proud to hand the building over. This is a project that will make a difference to so many lives in the coming years and something that has been a privilege to work on.”

Charlotte Farrington, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Children’s Charity, said: “Brooklands School is the first project to be achieved by our Great Yorkshire Build initiative and the results are amazing. It now means Brooklands can provide the therapeutic and recreational exercise their children desperately need, and which will improve their lives immeasurable. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all those who made this possible.”

It's finished

We moved in to the classrooms  after Easter and are enjoying the new space so much. the sensory room is just fabulous and enjoyed by all.  

Have a look at us enjoying our new facilities!

 

Week 23

The Bounce room has now had the padding installed and looks a bobby dazzler! We cant wait to get training and put this to use. 

Meanwhile, we are having the decals for both classrooms installed today as well as the new furniture and old toys being unpacked and installed ready for the classes to move in very soon!

The sensory room has had a test run this week with the charity filming and it made lots of eyes water! 

 

Week 23

 

Week 22

Its all getting very exciting. There has been a hive of activity this week with filming and snagging......

Watch this space for an office move in date.... furniture and flatpack furniture building is pending!

Week 22

 

Week 21

I couldn't resist a sneaky peak last week (5-3-23) as a little bird told me that the site office had disappeared! 

So.... it was very exciting to see that the bottom entrance is no longer behind metal screens. The wooden make shift corridor has gone and it looks so light and airy in school. 

Carpets are down, lights are in, toilets plumbed (not without a cheeky leak which kept the team on their toes!) paint is on the walls and operation tidy up in underway both inside and outside ready for the furniture!

The Bounce room is just awaiting the trampoline to be fitted as that was delivered last week. 

It really looks amazing and we cant wait to get the stamp of approval and move in ... just look at the difference!

 

Week 20

As we break up for Easter we are hopeful that the build will be complete  and  almost ready for us to move in the first couple of weeks back.  We will need the site  to be officially signed off and handed over before we can move in. There is still lots to do inside the main building and the bounce room looks still a way off completion. We do have every confidence in the team and look forward to seeing the changes after Easter.

 

 

 

Week 19

Outside the scaffolding around the bounce room has been removed and its nearly fully clad. We are looking forward to seeing what is happening inside once we get the windows in. 

Inside the main building, wall heaters have been installed. We are waiting for a wall to dry out in the sensory room before any more work happens in here such as painting. 

Cherry is looking impressive as the last of the lights are installed. Blossom has had a push on the toilet cubicles this week which have now been installed. 

 

 

Week 18

The bounce room is being clad! Siberian Larch non the less! I'm told this will age like fine wine. The inside has had a lick of paint and the scaffolding will be taken down this week allowing for the windows and doors to be fitted. 

Inside the main building, light fixtures are going in, fixed furniture is being installed and its all looking pretty snazzy! Toilets don't yet flush but it wont be long!

Week 18

 

 

Week 16/17

 

Week 17 

This week we saw the internal wall of the bounce room plaster boarded ready for the next stage. Outside of the bounce room the walls have been prepared for the cladding to be added.

Inside, toilets are being fitted to the classroom and fitted and fixed furniture is being installed in classrooms. There is lots more going on which the trained eye will be able to see such as 2nd fixes of electrics - Ill find out more and update next week. 

We are aiming to have the classrooms up and running after the Easter break.

 

Week 16

It really has been a hive activity again this week, we have had lots of trades people in and around this week. 

Inside the bounce room they are building a platform for  a scaffolding tower, this will allow the electricians/plumbers and decorators to all do their bits as its very high! Sam also tells me that the cladding for the outside has arrived. 

Inside the main building the bifold doors in Cherry has been fitted and the 1st coat of paint is going on.  :-) 

  

Week 13/14/15

Well what a busy few weeks on site before and after half term. The plastering has continued, Bifold doors have been fitted to Blossom class and w/c 27/2 they will be back to fit Cherry's bifold doors. The internal doors have had a lick of paint - can you guess the themes for each room from the blue doors (Cherry) and green doors (Blossom)?   As I type this I can hear scaffolding clinking outside and lots of sawing and banging going on behind the doors in the corridor and I can spy a painter and decorators van in the car park. The activity on site overall  is much busier and we are seeing lots more tradesmen. 

Outside, the roof has been started on the bounce room. Hopefully we can start to see this watertight in the next week or so. 

We are ALL getting very exited as the whole build is moving at a much faster pace now and are hopeful to have it all completed by Easter ready to move on to the outside areas!

 

Week 12

The build continues to move in the right direction, steals arrived for the bifold doors and plastering of the walls inside the main building started.  Flooring has started to be laid in the bathrooms and this week electricians are back in. 

The rebound room is at roof level and we are waiting for the roof to be fitted.

 

Week 11

Last week and this week continue to see lots of activity.

Inside, the 1st electric fix is well underway. The new doors have been delivered and we are hoping that next week the joiners can start the casing work for these. We are also very hopeful that the plastering will commence.

Outside the brick work on the rebound room is full steam ahead. Weather permitting, the walls will have reached the windows head height.  The scaffolders should be back on Wednesday to increase the height for the last push to get it to roof height!

Week 11 - 2023

 

Week 10

This week was the 1st full week back for the building team after Christmas. Paul was back fully charged and ready to get cracking the previous week but due to weather again it was delayed start. 

Wow !! They have been really busy.  Inside has seen some significant changes:

The sensory room feels huge, and has had a brand new heating exchange system  installed. 

In the toilets, new FR (fire retardant) wall insulation/cladding has been added.

The scaffolding on the rebound room is slowly growing in height and we hope than in the next couple of weeks the walls will catch up and a roof will go on. 

 

Week 9

The team have braved another week on site but due to low temperatures and delays in cement deliveries a decision was made by all involved to close the site on Wednesday 14th December.   Work will recommence on the 3rd January 23.

We would like to wish all the people involved in our Big Build a great big thank you and a Very Merry Christmas. 

Thank you for all that you are doing to make the amazing changes to our school. We are so very grateful.

• GMI
• RPP
• Bowman Riley
• Re-Form Landscape Architecture
• Hydrock
• BWB Consulting
• Robertsons
• McLaren Group
• Stainforth Construction
• Gallant
• Ivegate
• Pitts Wilson
• Hookstone Group
• Stephenson Group
• Peak PM
• Moda
• DS. Emotion

And finally......

Our heartfelt thanks to The Yorkshire Children's Charity who have gone over and above with their generosity again in making Christmas at Brooklands magical. 

 

 

Week 8

Much better weather this week (well it was less wet), a little on the cold side but that said,  work continued.

The building team led by Chief Elf Paul have spruced up their fencing with a little more festive cheer.  The walls on the sensory room continue to grow and we have gained a metal post, and look forward to seeing how this is incorporated in to the build. 

Inside work is slow but changes are  happening, walls are starting to be boarded and rooms are taking shape.  

 

 

 

Week 7

Hopefully the electricians are on site this week so the main building work can move forward. The rebound room walls are getting taller each day. 

The builders are also getting us in to the Christmas spirit and decorated their cabins with twinkly lights and sprucing up the barriers with the children's festive artwork!

 

 

Week 6

Whilst we have had some rain this week, the team have been able to make some headway. The walls are starting to take shape outside on the rebound room.

 

Inside steels have been installed (pictures to follow)

Week 5

It rained!

Whilst it was great weather for ducks sadly the workmen outside were not as keen. As I write this I can hear machinery whirring so hopefully, we can provide you with a more meaningful update next week. 

Week 4

This week the footings for the Rebound room are complete and we said goodbye to the digger on site. 

The renovation inside school is slowly moving forward and taking shape, more walls have been knocked down and the new sensory room is taking shape!

 

 

 

Week 3

Whilst the outside work was quiet inside, Fran and Darran thought the walls were going to come through in their temporary office, looking at the images below we can see why. All the rooms have been stripped back and walls knocked down where required. 

Lastly, the base for the rebound room was finally laid. A big thanks to Scott and the team from Robertson for making this happen. 

 

 

 

Week 2

Things were a lot quieter after half term outside in the carpark, that's not to say work wasn't being done, lots of things were happening inside, behind closed doors (see week 3 for progress!)

Here are a couple of videos of the garage demolition from week 1 taken by Dan in Birch class

/i/video/IMG_2998.mov

 

/i/video/IMG_2999.mov

 

 Week 1

We are go and very excited!

Yorkshire Children’s Charity - The Great Yorkshire Build!

The building work in school began on Friday 21st October 22.

Initially the work will include:-

• Refurbishment of Cherry and Blossom Classes

• Demolishing the garage and building a Rebound Centre

• Building a brand new, state of the art multi-sensory room

• Reconfiguration of the meeting room space

We are so grateful to be the recipients of the Great Yorkshire Build and I know you will join with me in thanking the Charity, and everyone else involved in this initiative for everything they are doing to improve our learning environment and improve the opportunities and outcomes for our children and young people.

We will endeavour to keep you updated with the progress every week here. We will post regular updates on our Facebook (Brooklands School Skipton) and our twitter page @BrooklandsCSS.