Bricklaying students at Stockton Riverside College have been given a welcome boost that will assist in building their skills for years to come.

A generous donation of 9,600 brand new bricks from Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC, is sure to prove a cornerstone of their learning.

The college’s Course Leader for Trade Skills, Alex Thompson, said: “This is a really big deal for the college, to have that number of brand-new bricks to work with.  It’s going to be unbelievable for the students.”

Getting the maximum use out of their resources, Alex explained that the bricklaying team often work with older bricks, many that have been used and cleaned, time and time again.

He said: “Everything in our department is reusable, even down to the sand. Obviously, after a good few years, the bricks start to become quite worn.”

On today’s building sites, he said you can expect to be working with new bricks as standard, therefore it’s fantastic to be able to refresh their own supply.

“New bricks have a clean sharp edge,” he said. “This will no doubt encourage the students to take more pride in their work and put more care into the job.”

Astounded by the volume of bricks donated, Alex said: “We would like to say a massive thank you to Michelmersh, these bricks will no doubt help our students for the next three to five years.”

Sarah Le Gresley, Marketing Director at Michelmersh, commented: “For over a decade we have supported colleges with products, CPDs, tools and more, and we are excited that Stockton has joined the long list of educational institutions which have benefitted from our Pledge 100 initiative; donating 100,000 products to deserving colleges.

“It is such a pleasure to watch the students improve their skills, developing into the craftsmen and women of our future. It is for this reason, as they become the next generation of bricklayers that we are always keen to help where possible, to provide premium products to enhance their learning experiences. We look forward to being involved on their educational journey and can’t wait to see what they build with our products.”