Thirty Year four youngsters from St Joseph’s RCVA Primary School – aged eight and nine – are working with local artist Paul Merrick on a time capsule project, organised by Spenhill, the regeneration subsidiary of Tesco, contractors Bowmer & Kirkland (B&K), and Gateshead Council.
After learning about the significance of a time capsule, the children set about creating clay sculptures, drawings and collages that represent their impression of today’s Gateshead, as well as their ideas about what it will be like in the future.
Arts co-ordinator at the school, Joanne Thompson, said: “We are absolutely delighted to work with Spenhill, B&K, and the arts team at Gateshead Council on this unique project. It’s fantastic that our children have been able to work with such a talented artist and we are thrilled they have been given the opportunity to be involved in a multi-million pound project that they will be proud to be a part of for years to come.”
Eight-year-old Mcjaheem Kario has been working on a sculpture of his best friend Liam to put into the capsule. He said: “Mr Merrick is really fun and has taught me how to make loads of things that I have never made before. We have been working on drawings and sculptures of each other to show the people in the future what we looked like and what life was like for children in Gateshead. It’s really exciting to think that after we bury it nobody will see it for maybe hundreds of years.”
As well as handmade crafts the children will also collect photographs and local memorabilia – including a miniature Angel of the North – to go into the capsule.
Its burial in a metre long pipe will mark the start of work on site at Trinity Square in early November.
The scheme will deliver a vibrant new town square, 45 retail units, 38,000 sq ft (3,530 sq m) office space, town centre underground parking and a Tesco Extra store as well as a student village for almost 1,000 Northumbria University students.
It also promises to bring more than 1,000 new jobs to Gateshead with the new Tesco store offering jobs to long-term unemployed, those seeking flexible local employment and school leavers as part of its commitment to regenerating the town.
Doug Wilson, corporate affairs manager for Spenhill, said: “Spenhill is dedicated to involving people that live in the communities around its developments. I’m so pleased that these Gateshead children have been given the opportunity to be a part of the imminent regeneration of their town as well as leave a lasting impression of today’s Gateshead underneath our development – who knows who will dig it up in years to come!”
Leader of Gateshead Council, Mick Henry, said: “The Trinity Square development is another important milestone of very exciting times for Gateshead and we’re committed to involving local people in the scheme in as many ways as possible. We are working with Spenhill on a project that offers more than just retail to the people of Gateshead - we want to deliver a town centre in which they have a real sense of ownership and pride.”