Eddie & Ellie: The Journey Towards Creative Learning

By Sarah Crush, Social Value Manager at Thakeham

As the school bells signal the return of students to their classrooms, we at Thakeham are also gearing up for another term of exploration, learning and fun through our Eddie & Ellie program.??

Brought to life from the pages of Thakeham’s very own children's book ‘Eddie & Ellie’s Wild Adventures’, a cross-curriculum educational programme for lower KS2 pupils that is built around a children’s book. These two adventurers captured the hearts and minds of students across the UK and soon became a fundamental part of Thakeham’s Social Value approach, driving one of our four key Social Value goals – Building Future Generations.?

We knew we had to take a step further to channel the children's excitement and nurture the next generation's understanding of the construction industry. To fulfil our promise, we initiated a school program focusing on environmental activities which resonated with both students and teachers.??

Carefully created in consultation with educational specialists, Wildlife Trusts, parents and their children, Eddie and Ellie is curated to leave a lasting impact long after the Thakeham development has been completed.?

The programme includes a series of in school workshops, site visits, and a school trip to a Wildlife Trust facility, that follow a development’s journey from planning to site completion.?

Our array of activities - ranging from group reading sessions to hands-on water cycle workshops, offers an interactive approach to learning about nature and ecology. Keeping community engagement as a focal point, we incorporate site visits for schools near our development, inspiring pupils to start a career in construction.??

Throughout this journey, the success of Eddie & Ellie has not gone unnoticed. With over 400 pupils joining the program since its launch.??

Thanks to the program, CIRIA awarded us ‘The Best Community Engagement Project’, as part of the ‘Big Biodiversity Challenge Awards.’? Seeing our work toward social value being recognised on a wider scale is essential when creating amazing places to live giving back to the community and empowering the future generation of leaders.

As we start another year of school visits and workshops, we’re looking forward to refining and expanding the Eddie & Ellie program to those who wish to help students get excited to learn in a creative and impactful way.??

Find out more at: https://thakeham.com/eddie-and-ellie/??

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