Hands-on Help support delivered

Telford & Wrekin Council along with development partners, Nuplace, Wrekin Housing Group and Lovell have completed the latest round of the Hands-on Help scheme in Telford.

Not for profit organisations in the borough were asked to submit applications last summer for the scheme which offers free materials and labour to help transform buildings and outside spaces which are in need of improvement.

The Dragons’ Den-style initiative attracted applications from over 40 voluntary, community and not-for-profit organisations who were seeking help to improve to their community spaces.

The successful projects were selected as a part of an application process which prioritised improving community facilities which would benefit residents moving into the new mixed tenure housing development in Donnington Wood which is being brought forward by the partnership. 

Building partner Lovell supplied the labour and materials to deliver the improvement work across four projects at Telford Sea Cadets, Donnington Wood Infant School, St Matthews Church and Donnignton Parish Council.

Telford Sea Cadets benefited from painting and decorating work internally, including new kitchen flooring. As well as installation of new radiators.

At Donnington Wood Infant School new slabs were laid to the outdoor area of the school to improve accessibility for parents and children.

St Matthew’s Church have benefited from redecoration of the kitchen and toilet facilities and Donnington Parish Council received a new bespoke made to measure fire door as well as painting and decorating work throughout the building. 

Caroline Boddy, headteacher at Donnington Wood Infant Schoool, said: “We are thrilled to have been chosen and with the work completed by Lovell, we now have a large, paved area which is fully accessible and can be used all year. This will make a big difference to our whole school community.”

Simon Wingate, regional partnerships director for Lovell, said: “We are committed to ensuring tangible change in the communities in which we build, and the Hands-on Help scheme is essential to that in Telford.

"Offering our time and resources to the community has allowed us to improve the fantastic services already in the area and ensure they can continue to be valuable assets to the people of Telford. This is another great example of what public and private sector partnerships can achieve in delivering communities not just homes.”

The Hands-on Help 2023 scheme was brought forward as a part of the new mixed tenure housing development ‘Wild Walk’ in Donnington which is delivering some of the borough’s most low carbon homes to date. 

Pictured: The paving project at Donnington Wood Infant School