Good news stories
Envision Mentoring Programme finals
From February to June 2025, 6 members of the site team from VolkerFitzpatrick took part in the Envision Mentoring Programme, an initiative which aims to support young people in the local area to develop their creativity, determination, communication and teamwork skills.
The team was paired with a group of 12 young people, supporting them to develop a project to improve their school community.
The final was held on Tuesday 3 June at St Andrew’s Stadium, where each team of young people from across the local area presented their projects to the mentors and a panel of judges.
Envision provide invaluable support to local students from low socio-economic backgrounds, and the team have been incredibly honoured to take part and see how far the young people have come in developing their confidence and essential skills.
Site visit for Birmingham Children’s Trust
On 28 May, VolkerFitzpatrick hosted a group of care-experienced young people supported by Birmingham Children’s Trust who were interested in careers within the construction industry.
Supported by volunteers from across the project team, we aimed to provide them with insight into the construction industry and first-hand experience of a live construction site.
The session included:
- an introduction to the company and our supply chain
- a timeline of the strengthening works
- drone footage and pictures which helped the visitors to have an idea of how confined the spaces within the crossboxes were
- a site induction, before we were able to take the group on a walk of the site
MRSL discussed their role on the project and gave a demonstration of the confined space rescue equipment, as well as a look inside the mock-up crossboxes. We finished off the day with a section on ‘careers in construction’, where each volunteer discussed their individual roles and responsibilities within the project team, and their individual paths into the industry, to show the wide range of possible career and education pathways which can be taken.
The students were well engaged through the session, asking plenty of questions throughout the day.
“I am still amazed that people even work on the viaduct in such small, enclosed spaces! It was great for the young people to hear about the different types of opportunities available within construction.” – Charlotte Brownhill, Rights and Participation Worker, Birmingham Children’s Trust.
"Thanks to you and the team yesterday – very insightful for not only the young people but for myself and Charlotte as well.” – Alex Hillman, Corporate Parenting Coordinator, Birmingham Children’s Trust.
Defibrillator donation
Pitch 2 Progress (P2P) is a community interest company (CIC) based in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, dedicated to supporting young people aged 8 years to 25 years, particularly those from areas of high deprivation. Established in 2020 as a CIC, P2P utilises sports and recreational activities to engage young people, fostering personal development and community cohesion.
We were able to donate a defibrillator to the CIC which will be a vital addition to their community facility. During our visit we were able to learn about the incredible work P2P do, offering a variety of programmes, including football, boxing and yoga, to promote physical well-being, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Beyond sports, the organisation offers mentoring, employability training, and workshops addressing critical issues such as mental health, youth crime, and social media use. These initiatives aim to equip young individuals with the tools necessary for positive life trajectories.
Easter egg collection
Over the course of April, the team at the A38 were collecting Easter eggs to donate to three local charities! An outstanding 153 eggs were collected which were shared between JERICHO’s Equiano Plus, Nechells POD and St Basils.
“Thank you again Abigail and Grace and the team at VFL for thinking of our charity and the young people we support – and all that you do to support our whole community!” - Pauline Clarke, Senior Business & Communities Fundraiser at St Basils
“Just wanted to say a big thank you for the Easter eggs, they went down a treat!” - Nicole Newman, Equiano Plus Project Coordinator at JERICHO
Walsall College STEAM event
We were invited to host a stand at Walsall College’s STEAM event which covered covers Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths. The event was for everyone who attends Walsall College and studying a variety of courses with the aim to give all students an opportunity to learn about different companies, the variety of roles and industries, and the career paths they could take. It was fantastic to be invited along so we could showcase the work VolkerFitzpatrick cover as well as the works on the A38(M) project. We met lots of engaging and wonderful students with bright futures ahead.
“I just wanted to say a massive thank you for giving up your time today to attend the college’s STEAM event. It is greatly appreciated, and we hope you enjoyed the day! Please pass on our thanks to any of your colleagues who also attended.” – Andy Clark, Careers Officer, Walsall College
Open doors
During March, the project hosted a total of 27 students from Walsall College and BMet College, as part of Build UK’s Open Doors initiative. All involved students are in their first year of the Design, Surveying and Planning T-Level.
Open Doors is a fantastic initiative to teach young people about the construction industry and the opportunities available, providing them firsthand experience of visiting a real site and hearing from professionals currently in the industry.
The sessions were supported by members of the project team, who were able to provide insight into their individual disciplines and share their knowledge and experience.
Each session began with a presentation including:
- an introduction to the company
- a step-by-step overview of the works we are completing on the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct
- drone footage to give the students a feel for the confined space within the box girders and crossboxes
- a site induction
MRSL gave a talk about their role on the project and the equipment they use, including a look inside the mock crossboxes.
Each session also involved a site walk to the North Transition and South Abutment.
We finished off the sessions with a section on ‘Careers in Construction’, where each volunteer discussed their individual roles and responsibilities, as well as sharing their education and career routes into the sector to provide insight into the different pathways they can take.
The students engaged well with the sessions and asked plenty of questions throughout the day.
“Without the support from employers such as VF, our students would not gain the knowledge and skills they require for their qualification and their future careers in construction.” – Mandy Creswell, Industry Placement Officer, Walsall College
“Thank you for inviting us to visit your site on Monday 17th. I found it very interesting and allowed us to see a different area of the construction industry. It was also interesting to meet the rescue team as well, as we have never seen anything like that before.” – Emma Cartwright, T-Level Design, Surveying and Planning Student, Walsall College
“Opportunities like this empower our young talent to envision their future careers with confidence. Thank you for inspiring the next generation of construction professionals!” – Suzanna Hussain, Industry Placement Officer, BMet College
WAITS donations
In support of International Women’s Day on 8 March, we supported Women Acting In Today's Society (WAITS) with donations.
WAITS is a charity based in the city centre that supports women who are experiencing domestic abuse, homelessness, or other challenges.
They offer practical assistance, advocacy, and emotional support to help women rebuild their lives.
On project, we set up a donation points for items needed including toiletries and towels as the charity offers refuge accommodation for women who have had to flee abusive situations and don’t have these basic items.
The project team donated items worth over £180.
Spaghetti junction competition
We held our annual ‘Spaghetti Junction Competition’, which involved everyone on site taking part and trying to replicate the junction and A38(M) viaduct using food items, including dried pasta, tins, and other goods they had brought in.
These items were then donated to St Basils' local accommodation projects to support their young people over Christmas! There were over 250 items donated this year – a massive thank you to our project team on site for getting involved, their generosity, and supporting such a worthwhile charity.
We also welcomed participants of Jericho’s Equiano project for a site visit, which was wonderful. It was great to spend time talking about the project and the different roles within the construction industry.
Children's Book Project
At the start of October, 6 members of the team had the pleasure of joining the Children’s Book Project’s hub in Birmingham.
The project runs nationwide and aims to:
- stop book waste
- support children from disadvantaged groups
- promote a sustainable solution
Thousands of children across the UK grow up with very few or no books in their homes, which many of us take for granted.
Alarming figures suggest that 1 in 12 children in England do not own a book, and 1 in 5 children leave primary school with inadequate reading skills.
Reading in childhood has so many benefits including increasing vocabulary, supporting with academic performance and help develop creative skills.
We spent the day sorting through donated children’s books, categorising and then packing them ready to go to their new homes – those who need them most.
Over the summer we held a book donation drive for the Children's Book Project. It was fantastic to see it from the other side and what happens with the books once the charity receives them.
Such a worthwhile cause and sustainable option for your children’s books they no longer want/have grown out of.
During July and August, we held a book collection for the Children’s Book Project.
Our project team all got behind the initiative and donated over 300 brand new and pre-loved books, worth £2,000.
The books we collected on site were taken to the distribution centre in Birmingham where wonderful volunteers give up their time to sort them into different categories and pack them ready to be sent to local schools where they are given to children all over the West Midlands.
Canal and River Trust volunteering 
Members of the project team have taken part in two volunteering days, supporting the Canal and River Trust.
During the two days at Duddeston Saltley and Mill Street, near Aston University, the team supported with tasks including:
- vegetation management and clearance
- litter removal
- bi-yearly maintenance checks along the canals
The team volunteered over 130 hours which is fantastic, because we are supporting the whole community who access the canal and river network.
Corporate volunteering days are vital to assist the Canal and River Trust’s continual commitment to ensuring these green spaces are open and safe for the local communities, or anyone travelling along the historic waterways.
The teams enjoyed both days, and they would recommend volunteering with the Trust to anyone, to improve your own wellbeing, the community and the environment.
Page last updated: 29 July 2025
