A F Blakemore volunteers brighten-up Willenhall day centre

A team of employee volunteers from a Willenhall based food distribution company have picked up their paintbrushes and helped to brighten up a day centre for adults with disabilities.19 volunteers from A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd’s Human Resources department spent two days recently redecorating the main hall and reception area at Stow Heath Day Centre, Willenhall in a project organised through Business in the Community.

It is important for us to make a positive impact in the communities we serve and this has been an enjoyable experience for the whole team.

The main hall and reception area is the hub of the day centre and the first thing visitors and users come into contact with. The centre was in desperate need of a lick of paint to provide a happier, cleaner and more uplifting space for both users and visitors.

It is hoped that the combination of bright and innovative colours will transform this space, dramatically enhancing and creating moods.

Stow Heath Day Centre was established in 1969 and supports adults with learning difficulties or profound disabilities. The centre offers a wide range of services from physiotherapy to skill building sessions, which helps to increase independence & quality of life.

In addition to this the centres offers arts and crafts workshops where users make bird boxes, benches, patio slabs and grow plants which are sold to the public where by the profits are ploughed back into the centre.

Ann Telfer, Wolverhampton City Council Day Opportunities Lead Manager said:

“We were delighted that staff from A.F. Blakemore’s HR team chose to support our service. They have really invested in the cause and we thank them for doing such a good job.

“They were brilliant- particularly because they were able to make all the improvements with minimal disruption to the day to day running of the service.”

Lorna Harris, Training/Personnel Assistant and Kate Senter, Community Affairs Assistant led the project and added:

“The HR team did an incredible job to transform the day centre in just two days, making it a much brighter place.

“I would also like to say a big thank you to Origin Media for donating T-shirts, Buffet Express for supplying refreshments and finally B&Q, Wednesbury who kindly offered discount on stock purchased for the project.”

The project was organised through Cares, the national employee volunteering initiative of Business in the Community, which gives employers the chance to make a positive impact in their community.

More information

For more details on this project and other employee volunteering opportunities in the West Midlands, contact Phil Hunt, Employee Volunteering Manager at Business in the Community on 01902 717491.