What do six university students studying topics as diverse as History, Economics and Electrical Engineering at various northern universities have in common? They became involved in a biodiversity project at stations along the Bentham Line whilst spending a year-in-industry with Northern, the local train operator.
Left to right, students Daniel Wing, Tom Starks, Tamara Baxter-Allen, Jason Osaka, Mia Hillsden and CRO Brian Haworth on the end. (Gerald Townson)
This is the sixth year that year-in-industry students with Northern have successfully undertaken community projects with the Bentham Line.
Working with Brian Howarth, an Officer from the Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership (CRP), and local schools, they looked to establishing insect habitats and pollinator patches to enhance wild-life provision at three primary schools and stations.
Earlier in the year, the students spent an enjoyable day at Bentham, with the volunteers from the Friends of Bentham Station, creating the frameworks for insect habitats by recycling the wood from pallets donated by Angus Fire, and sharing ideas about suitable materials that pupils could collect or make for their habitats.
Sarvan Kahlon, Year in Industry student, working with children creating insect hotel. (Brian Haworth)
As part of the project, they also developed lesson plans for pupils in Years One and Two, which were adaptable for pupils in other years, to help educate the young people about insects, biodiversity and how they can begin to care for the environment in the local community. The children also designed their own ‘mini-beasts’ to help create a display panel for their school and local station.
The students recently visited Gargrave CE Primary School where they spent a morning with the pupils from Class on both their indoor and outdoor activities, presenting the children with one of the two habitats they created before installing the second at Gargrave station.
Brian Haworth commented; “It was good to see the students interact with the children who demonstrated how much they care about their local environment through the project.”
Gerald Townson, Chairman of the CRP said; “as well as looking at ecological and educational issues, the project has helped the students understand how Community Rail integrates with the local communities that the Bentham Line serves.”
The students have worked in placements across a wide range of management areas in Northern including stakeholder engagement, innovation, finance, operations, revenue management, energy and environment and infrastructure change, at various locations. However, they were able to come together for a special project in conjunction with the CRP.
Their thoughts on their year with Northern, the CRP’s work and their project were presented to their line managers and other senior Northern managers on Monday 8th July at a gathering at The Met in Leeds. Chris Leggett, the Learning and Development Manager for Northern, who had oversight of the year in industry students, referred to their personal development and growth in their managerial skills throughout, as well as acknowledging the positive contribution played by the CRP which allowed the students to spend time together on an enrichment activity away from their office-based activities.
The students will return to Leeds, Manchester, York, Sheffield and Huddersfield universities in September to finish their degree courses in history, economics, business management, geography and electrical engineering.