Schoolchildren from the Teesside area have been putting their arts and crafts skills to good use as they help to mark the 30th anniversary of Teesside Park.
To celebrate the shopping centre’s milestone anniversary, Year 6 pupils from Harewood Primary School in Thornaby and Year 4 students at Whinstone Primary School in Ingleby Barwick were tasked with creating their own drawings and designs of their favourite places in and around Teesside Park.
Using a range of art supplies donated to the schools by Teesside Park’s Hobbycraft store, the students created more than 100 drawings which were recently unveiled on hoardings at the centre. The drawings feature students’ favourite landmarks and recreational spaces, such as local parks and football stadiums, as well as eateries and stores at the centre.
Caroline Heywood, headteacher at Harewood Primary School, said: “Our Year 6 children have thoroughly enjoyed getting creative with their drawings and being involved in Teesside Park’s birthday celebrations. I’m sure shoppers will agree when they see the drawings that we have some very talented artists in the making!”
Karen Goldsmith, teacher at Whinstone Primary School, said: “Both staff and children have really enjoyed being involved in this project as it has given us all the opportunity to reflect on how great our local area truly is. We’ve particularly loved hearing the personal stories of children and their families about just how special some of these places are.”
The milestone birthday isn’t the only thing that Teesside Park has been celebrating this month. The shopping park also recently picked up a coveted British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) National Landscape Award for excellence in soft construction and the design of its green spaces.
Catherine Furlong, centre director at Teesside Park, said: “We love playing a big part in the local community here at Teesside Park and working with some of its youngest members is the best and most rewarding way to celebrate our 30th year.
“A big thank you to all the schoolchildren involved, it’s great to see which local sights have captured their imagination and we’re sure our shoppers will enjoy them when they visit.
“We have had so much to celebrate recently and winning the BALI National Landscaping Award really has been the icing on top of the cake.”