Children in a North-East town now have a sharp pair of eyes watching to make sure they’re punctu-owl at the start of the school day, thanks to the team behind local sewer upgrades.
Whether the day ahead involves learning their v-owls or studying owl-gebra, the new piece of art at the entrance of Conyers School and Sixth Form College, in Yarm, is becoming a regular sight for pupils and staff.
A sculpture of an owl, carved into a tree stump, has been created thanks to Northumbrian Water Project Manager Ben Gilbert, who spotted an opportunity to leave a special thank you for the school’s patience while work took place on its grounds.
The water company is carrying out a £4.8m project to upgrade sewers and protect the environment in the Yarm and Kirklevington area, investing in a new 3km sewer pipeline, that adds resilience and capacity to its network in the area.
The route of the pipeline passes beneath the tree, but rather than remove it completely, Ben engaged and hired a local tree sculptor, Tommy Craggs, to retain the stump and turn it into a piece of art that will welcome pupils and staff, long into the future.
Additionally, two semi-mature replacement trees are going to be planted at the school, as part of the project’s reinstatement and biodiversity mitigation programme.
The new pipeline runs from an existing sewage treatment works (STW) at Kirklevington to a pumping station close to the school. The STW itself is also being replaced with a pumping station, which will reduce operational traffic in the area. Work, which is being carried out by Northumbrian Water’s partner, Esh-Stantec, is due to be complete in Spring 2025.
Ben said: “The staff were so patient as we carried out the work at Conyers School during the summer holidays. As well as replacing the tree, two for one, we wanted to make something special to leave behind, and retaining the stump in the form of an owl sculpture seemed too good an opportunity to miss. Tommy’s done an incredible job and the owl looks great. We’re so glad the school agreed!”
Stephen Langstaff, Assistant Headteacher at Conyers School and Sixth Form College, said: “We would like to thank Northumbrian Water for the carved owl in the school premises. It has been really well received by pupils at the school and will provide a lasting feature to the landscape of Conyers School.”