Member Article

Students give business park new identity

A North East business park is to be renamed after students from a local school competed to find a new identity for the estate.

Students from Sunnydale Community College for Maths and Computing, in Shildon, were given the task of finding a new name and logo for the former George Reynolds Industrial Estate.

The challenge was set by the CreateCity Group, which has owned the site for a number of years.

The new name, The Future Business Park, was the winning entry into the competition, by 12-year-olds Brydon Kenney and Ryan Ord, whose designs and name were chosen.

The new identity reflects the positivity students felt about the future of the area, with Hitachi bringing railway industry manufacturing back to County Durham, with Shildon having been the original Cradle of the Railways.

The CreateCity Group, which includes Franks the Flooring Store, linked up with staff at Sunnydale Community College and Gary Chaplin and John Parnell of Business Durham to run the competition for the students.

David Stubbs, of The CreateCity Group, said: “We have owned the site for a number of years and decided we would like the name to reflect business in the area as it is now and The Future Business Park does exactly that.

“It reflects both Shildon’s proud railway heritage and the fact that this area is once more set to thrive from the railway industry and other sectors.

“The support we have received from Durham County Council has also been terrific, with the name being approved very quickly and key members of their team working closely with us throughout the project.”

Sue Byrne, headteacher at Sunnydale said: “Our students are very proud of the town they live in and were thrilled to work with the CreateCity Group.

“The students involved in the project have gained new skills and are delighted that they have made a lasting contribution to Shildon’s heritage “

Sarah Slaven, Business Development Director at Business Durham said, “This is a great example of how schools and businesses can work together to solve real world problems.

“Students have learned how business works and what is needed to succeed in today’s competitive business environment.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .