STOURBRIDGE College construction students were given a rare peek behind-the-scenes at a multi-million pound redevelopment project at Mary Stevens Hospice.

A £3million project to create a new state-of-the-art Day Services Unit at the Oldswinford hospice is currently underway to expand the specialist care available to people battling a terminal diagnosis.

Wolverhampton-based firm AM Griffiths & Son broke ground on the project in July last year and are working towards a completion date for the new and improved building later this year.

To help them in their studies - a group of construction students from Stourbridge College, part of Birmingham Metropolitan College, got chance to see the building work taking shape recently and to meet the construction specialists involved in the project.

Brendan Oakley, business development director at AM Griffiths & Son, said: “Our MD was keen to demonstrate AMG’s continued commitment to give something back to both the local community and industry by providing an excellent opportunity to inform and educate students about the significance of health and safety on site and the importance of providing a quality building product that exceeds the client's expectations.

"The students got valuable experience and learned first-hand from AMG’s on site team about the opportunities that working in construction can offer, in an industry that is currently crying out for construction professionals.”

Mozz Baker, senior lecturer at Stourbridge College, said: "The tour around the site enabled us to look closely at the build which has many interesting and challenging aspects to it. The students were able to get first-hand knowledge from experienced professionals and see all three main parties to a contract - the client, the designer and the contractor - together at the same time, a rare and very valuable opportunity."

Hospice chief executive Stevan Jackson said: “It was a privilege to welcome students from Stourbridge College to the hospice to see a live construction site and ask questions about our £3m refurbishment project.

"It is important for us to offer students the opportunity to learn from what we do here so they can better understand the community in which they live and where they hope to work. It also helps us to raise awareness of our charitable work.”

Thanks to support from companies, grants, trusts and major donors - the hospice has so far raised around £1.5m and received pledges totalling around £1m for the ambitious redevelopment project which will cost £3m plus VAT (although the VAT costs can later be claimed back).

But there is still a way to go to raise the remaining funds to complete the project which will increase the charity's day services capacity from 17 patients per day to 25 to help meet the increased demand for care - so hospice chiefs will be urging the community to help through a series of upcoming initiatives.

Donations towards the project can be made online through Stourbridge fundraising platform GivePenny - www.givepenny.com/msh-capital-appeal