Precast concrete specialist FP McCann recently co-hosted The Big Bridge Workshop along with civil engineers Design ID and quantity surveyors Hood McGowan Kirk at the Northern Ireland Science Summer School in Ballymena, County Antrim.

Renowned physicist and TV presenter, Professor Brian Cox, presented the 'Activate your Curiosity' event which was led by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

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The Big Bridge is a 13m long and 3m high cable-stayed model bridge. In its first year of running the bridge reached 1,750 students from over 46 schools and held 16 events with the feedback from students and teachers being overwhelmingly positive.

The workshop invited pupils to work together to construct a bridge deck using scaffold support, before connecting the cables. Participants were then able to test the bridge by walking across it.

The event also included keynote addresses from prominent figures, and was attended by pupils from Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Dungannon, Larne and Omagh.

The innovative STEM skills learning experience is a social value partnership supported by leading construction and engineering companies Design ID, Farrans Construction, FP McCann and Adman.