Local MSP Shirley-Anne Sommerville joins Persimmon Homes to mark donation of 20,000 bricks to Fife College

Fife College’s new Dunfermline campus has received a significant boost thanks to a donation of 20,000 bricks from Persimmon Homes North Scotland.

The bricks were officially handed over by James MacKay, Managing Director of Persimmon North Scotland, in the presence of Shirley-Anne Sommerville, MSP for Dunfermline, to Jim Metcalfe, Principal of Fife College, at the construction site of the state-of-the-art campus.

The donation of bricks will support construction students studying at Fife College. The materials will support the college in allowing students more time on the tools whilst at college to complete skills tests and create models in the classroom.

Fife College’s new Dunfermline Campus, set to open later this year, is the first net-zero-ready tertiary education building in Scotland. The development is part of the innovative Dunfermline Learning Campus, which will bring together Fife College, St Columba’s RC High School, and Woodmill High School in a purpose-built, collaborative environment.

The campus will provide industry-leading facilities to equip students with the skills and experience needed to succeed in their chosen fields. The donation from Persimmon Homes will further enhance hands-on learning opportunities for construction students, allowing them to refine their craft with high-quality materials.

The five-star builder, which creates more than 1,500 new energy efficient homes across Scotland each year, make their own bricks at their state-of-the-art factory in Doncaster, which can produce over 72 million bricks per year – enough to stretch from Dunfermline to Dehli and back again.

Shirley-Anne Sommerville, MSP for Dunfermline, said:

"The donation of 20,000 bricks from Persimmon Homes is a fantastic contribution to Fife College’s new Dunfermline campus. 

"This generous support will provide construction students with greater opportunities to develop their skills in a hands-on environment, ensuring they are well-prepared for future careers in the industry. 

"It is great to see local businesses working in partnership with the college to invest in the next generation of skilled workers.

"The Dunfermline Learning Campus is already a fantastic project and I am really looking forward to seeing Fife College opening its doors later this year."

James MacKay, Managing Director of Persimmon North Scotland, said:

“We’re delighted to support Fife College and its students with this donation, which we hope will help the college continue to equip the workforce of tomorrow with the skills and experience they need to succeed.

“Our developments across Fife bring exciting employment and training opportunities for local people and we’re committed to working with partners such as Fife College to maximise the benefits of our investment in local communities.”

Jim Metcalfe, Principal of Fife College, expressed his gratitude for the donation:

“This generous donation from our partners and friends at Persimmon Homes is a fantastic boost for our students. This helps provide them with high-quality materials to develop their skills through hands-on experience.

“With our new Dunfermline Campus opening later this year, this donation will help us create industry-leading learning spaces that equip our students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the workforce.”

The donation aligns with Persimmon’s broader efforts to leave a lasting legacy in Fife, including supporting education and creating good-quality, well-paid jobs. As one of the largest providers of craft construction apprenticeships in Scotland, Persimmon partners with more construction colleges than any other homebuilder and has donated over 90,000 materials to colleges across Scotland.