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Community Projects
In an effort to help with the work of the Pupil Referral Unit who are one of our neighbours on Halliwell business park, we approached Byron Billington, the course co-ordinator, to ask if the unit would like to be involved in our redevelopment project.
The centre was set up two years ago, at the Biz Space Industrial Park, with European funding and trains pupils in bricklaying and joinery, as well as teaching academic subjects, and it is controlled by the local education authority.
Teenagers aged between 14 and 16 years-old, who have been expelled from schools, are brought along to develop bricklaying and joinery skills. Each of the youngsters has been sent to the Pupil Referral Unit after being permanently excluded from their secondary schools for bad behaviour.
"Following discussions with Byron, we were aware that the kids were in desperate need of a real project to work on, to use their skills in a real work environment, and to allow them to develop some sense of achievement" said Barry Coyle of Rhys International. "Their age and background however, meant that it was very unlikely that anyone would be willing to give them a chance, simply writing them off ".
Unit 41 Prior to the work commenced.
"We wanted to see if we could somehow incorporate the lads into our development plan, and with Byrom's enthusiasm and confidence things developed until they were just there one morning building our offices and laboratory". Added Barry.
"We provided the designs and layout and left the lads to it - the pupils did everything themselves under the supervision of Byron their tutor". "What surprised us all was the commitment shown by the lads who even wanted to help further by being involved in the painting and decorating!"
"Most of these lads have only been with us since September and the turnaround in them has been amazing" said Byron Billington, the course co-ordinator.
"One of the pupils would not even come through the door for his interview, but he has now 97 per cent attendance, which is remarkable."
Mr Billington added: "All the group had was the shell of a warehouse with nothing in it.
"The pupils built the offices and the laboratory. They did everything and had it completed in just a couple of weeks". "We were approached by Rhys International who wanted a professional job, and I cannot fault the work of the lads at all."  
"The transformation in the building is amazing" said Peter Robinson of JPBIOMED, "but it was a real eye-opener to see the work which is being done by the pupil referral unit. I had never heard of the unit prior to this project and I have only admiration and respect for Byron and the team who look after these lads. They get such a remarkable result from kids who have, after all, been rejected by the system and are in "last chance saloon" in every sense of the word. The respect the lads show to their tutors is testimony to the work of the unit and proof in itself that these kids should not be written off and deserve to be given a chance".
On completion of the facility the Referral unit were invited back to Rhys International to see the completed and now furnished laboratory and offices which they helped to produce and the Bolton Evening News were invited down, along with a special guest from the diagnostic industry, Mr Bernie Almond, who performed the opening ceremony. 
Pupils from the Referral Unit give the finished project their approval
Bernie Almond (Divisional Director for the Professional Division of Bio-Stat Limited) kindly opens our laboratory.
The facilities will be used for training and demonstration of instrumentation and Point of Care Testing products, and to assemble and prepare the instrumentation required for the BacLiteflex MRSA rapid detection process, developed by Acolyte Biomedica, Defence Science & Technology Laboratories.
Pictured with Bernie is Barry Coyle (Rhys International) & Peter Robinson (JP-BioMed)
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