ENGINEERING apprentices have unveiled a unique memorial gate in memory of a former student who died in a car accident.
Darlington College apprentice Mason Pearson died in 2018 and metal gates have been erected at one of the entrances to the town’s Woodburn Gardens development featuring a memorial plaque and intricate design created by students as part of a year-long project with Homes by Esh.
Staff and students at the college decided the final design of the gate should feature a special memorial to Mason, who was part-way through completing his engineering apprenticeship when the accident happened.
Mason’s parents, Angela and Stephen Pearson, were present at the unveiling along with the apprentices who created the final design for the gates.
Mr Pearson said: “We are immensely proud to see Mason remembered by his fellow students and teachers in this way. He was delighted to be working with Allerton Steel during his apprenticeship training and always had the long-term goal of working in the industry to be able to travel and work around the globe.
“To have such a permanent memorial to Mason and his life gives us such a feeling of warmth and I’d like to thank the lads at the college for including Mason in this project.”
The group of apprentices who designed the gate were studying at the college as part of the advanced engineering apprenticeship programme at Darlington College. They were tasked with designing the two decorative metal gates to provide access from Woodburn Gardens into the West Cemetery via the traditional brick wall which encircles the development perimeter.
The brief to design the gates was given to apprentice students as a way to incorporate the history and heritage of the local area in the design. The final gate design was manufactured offsite before being installed along with the decorative plaque in February 2020.
The development, located on the site of the former Woodburn Nursery near Coniscliffe Road in Darlington, is home to 25 properties and the new gate represents one of the final additions to completion.
Colin Willetts, deputy managing director of Homes by Esh, said: “We were honoured to have both Stephen and Angela and the group of apprentices visit Woodburn Gardens to see the memorial plaque at the gates in memory of their friend.
“We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the students on their hard work and commitment to the project and thank them for this permanent tribute to Mason here at Woodburn Gardens.”