Cloud services provider Giacom has given primary school children from Hull an unforgettable experience in London.
Giacom is a Gold sponsor of Hull and East Yorkshire (HEY) Children’s University, which aims to build the confidence, self-esteem and aspirations of youngsters living in areas of high deprivation by providing them with a diverse range of experiences outside the classroom.
Under the partnership, Giacom and the charity teamed up to take a group of 20 children from Paisley Primary School, in west Hull, on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the capital.
Most of the children had not been to London before and, for some of them, it was their first time on a train or leaving Hull.
They were taken on a tour of some of London’s most famous landmarks and attractions during the daytrip, including Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, Trafalgar Square and the Natural History Museum.
Wearing their “Giacom Cloud Explorer” hats, the children took in the sights during a river cruise down the Thames and were treated to dinner. Giacom, which is based at Hull’s Priory Park, also paid for each of the children to buy a souvenir of their trip.
Sophie Lockwood, Campaign Manager at Giacom, was one of three volunteers from the company who joined four members of staff from the school and three representatives from HEY Children’s University on the trip.
She said: “We had such a wonderful day. There was so much for the children to take in and it was amazing to point things out to them and see their reactions. We absolutely loved spending the day with them.
“The Royal Standard was flying at Buckingham Palace, so we were able to tell the children the King was there. Then, when we went to Downing Street, we saw Rishi Sunak coming out in his car to go to Prime Minister’s Questions.
“The children really loved all the exhibitions at the Natural History Museum and they were just blown away by the whole experience.
“At the end of the day, we were all exhausted – but totally exhilarated as well.”
Rose James, Director of Development at HEY Children’s University, said: “For most of these children, it was their first time on a train and for some it was the first time they’d ever left Hull.
“Giacom’s support allowed us to provide the children with this incredible experience. Without this, some of them might have never had the opportunity to visit London.
“They’ve made memories to cherish for a lifetime.”
To find out more about Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University, and how to support the charity, visit www.hullchildrensuniversity.com.
