Students give charity’s new premises a make-over

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 24 May 2023

A Kirkby-in-Ashfield charity has given thanks to West Nottinghamshire College painting and decorating students after it’s new centre gets a facelift.

Our Centre, which was established in 1981, offers a range of services for the people of Ashfield. Working in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council and Ashfield District Council, Our Centre provides minibus journeys for people attending group meetings and lunch clubs, a ‘ring and ride’ service for passengers who require wheelchair transportation, shopper buses and wheelchair hire.

The Centre, based on Pond Street, is also open for the public to engage in social activities and coffee mornings, along with a group walking activity each Friday and the Caring Codgers group, which sees individuals aged 70 plus with mobility issues, which meet each Thursday to share information, advice and to make new friends to help combat social isolation.

Over a period of two days, students from the Intermediate Painting and Decorating course, have offered their time and expertise to tidy and paint the centre’s latest project – a new venue on nearby Portland Street, which is home to their expanded clothing charity shop ‘Glad Rags’.

The group of 17 students, spent time sanding down woodwork, eliminating dust and dirt, then repainting the walls, ceilings and woodwork of the main room which will be the clothing shop, as well as a small toilet and garage storage area.

Centre manager Angie Peppard, who has worked at the centre for 32 years, said:

“This new venue is perfect for the new charity shop. It did once upon a time belong to Our Centre but then it moved to another company.

“When we got the keys, we realised that it was in real need of some love and care, so we got in touch with the college. The students have done so very well and have worked really hard to make it a workable space for us. We are so grateful for their time and effort.

“The Glad Rags shop opened in 2021 over the road at our community building, and we soon outgrew it. There’s a big need in this area for people to buy reasonably priced clothing and we can’t wait to launch this new shop in June.”

Student Corey Booth, 23, said:

“It has been a lovely job to work on. Once we got the ball rolling, we worked so well and got all the jobs done. I concentrated on painting the ceiling and glossing the skirting boards and painting some brickwork in the garage.

“We’ve all put top effort in and it’s looking nice. I have a job interview lined up soon with Swirlforce, in Mansfield. They’ve been looking for new decorators and a few of us are hoping to work for them.

“Originally, I was working in warehousing, and I was ready to refresh my skills, so I enrolled at college on the painting and decorating course, and I’m glad I did!”

Teacher Mark Cantrill was equally thrilled with the results adding how the students:

“Got stuck in with great enthusiasm for this charity and have done amazingly in just two days of hard work.”

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