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Sisk deliver handmade toys to Waterford children's ward and charities

Sisk deliver handmade toys to Waterford children's ward and charities

Apprentice carpenters from Sisk, Ireland’s leading construction business, are spreading Christmas cheer to children in Waterford.

Wooden toys which were handcrafted by apprentice carpenters and joiners at the company's workshop on the Naas Road in Dubin have been delivered to the Paediatric Ward at University Hospital Waterford.

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The wooden toys will also be arriving at St Joseph's Special School in Waterford City and Barnardo's.

Commenting on the initiative, Steve Bowcott, Chief Executive Officer, John Sisk & Son, said: "The Sisk Christmas Toy Story is a longstanding tradition that has gone from strength to strength over the past 40 years. The toys are hand made by our apprentice carpenters and joiners, utilising the skills taught to them at our training centre in Dublin. The toys are donated to deserving causes all around Ireland and the UK. This is our way of giving something back to the communities that have supported us throughout the year, and something we as a business look forward to every Christmas."

Dave Tracey, Sisk Training Centre Manager said: "Our talented apprentices who built these toys are the future of the construction industry and it's clear to see the satisfaction they get from being involved in such a positive project. At the end of their training, these apprentices will have a skill set that will last a lifetime and enable them to work anywhere. It is incumbent on leaders and employers in all industries, as well as Government and educational bodies, to promote the excellent careers that can pursued in carpentry and joinery works."

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Work on the toys commences in mid-November and takes 4-5 weeks to complete, with all staff and management in the training centre getting involved.

Each November, the team assemble to decide on the toys they are going to make, sourcing ideas from toy books, websites and feedback from the charities who have received toys in the past.

A materials list is drawn up and sent to different suppliers and includes sheet material, MDF, plywood, solid woods like southern yellow pine and tulip wood, wood finishing lacquers, steels, rods, chalk and dusters, graphics, screws and fixings. Suppliers over the years have been very generous and provide special rates for all materials given the charitable nature of the work.

When the work is complete, the apprentices involved, some dressed as Santa, will load the toys into vans and deliver them to the various locations around the country.

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