CONSTRUCTION work is blooming at Airedale Hospital.

Children from Nightingales Day Nursery – based at the Steeton site – donned high-visibility jackets and joined the team building a new acute assessment unit, to create their own garden and mini wildlife haven.

Plants, trowels, watering cans and planters were provided by construction firm Sir Robert McAlpine and Integrated Health Projects, which is managing the project.

A safety talk was also given.

Daron Walker, for Integrated Health Projects, said: "Creating a planting area is a great way to get the children engaged and gives us an opportunity to reinforce the safety message that construction sites are dangerous places and not somewhere to play.

"Planting areas are also a terrific way to help improve the environment on our sites, something we are always looking to do.

"We involved Airedale Beekeepers Association and looked at ways in which we could help local wildlife and bee colonies, so the children have planted wild flower seeds which will attract and feed the bees.

"We hope that by working with the nursery in this way, we can also show the children that the construction industry is a great profession to be in."

Val Hogg, childcare provision manager at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said it was "a lovely project" for the youngsters to be involved in.

She added: "They have learned important rules on how to stay safe, designed their own safety posters and been able to plant and look after their own garden."

The new £7 million acute assessment unit is scheduled to open next March.

Meanwhile, 30 children have 'graduated' from the day nursery.

The youngsters and their parents took part in a special celebration to mark the move to primary school.

Staff organised a red carpet photocall, with caps and gowns, and gave each child a scroll and book to commemorate their time at the nursery.

The children also wrote cards saying what they had enjoyed and tied them to helium balloons, which were then launched.

Caroline Hannah, room leader at the day nursery, said: "It's so emotional, especially as the children are with you from being babies and you look after them all the way through nursery.

"They learn so much and grow and now they're all ready to move on to their next step at school."

And the children's ward at Airedale Hospital has received a boost.

Four televisions have been donated by SKT Welfare, which supports charities across the area.

The donation is the latest in a series given to the children's ward by the organisation, which has already provided goods including a fridge freezer, nebulisers, books and toys.

SKT Welfare stages fundraising events in aid of various causes. Its most recent was an Eid celebration in Keighley's Airedale Shopping Centre earlier this month.

A hospital spokesman thanked the group for its latest contribution, adding: "The televisions will be used in patient bays for children if they have to stay in bed."