Allison Homes volunteers help reopen school
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 2 September 2025
The new term looks very different for children returning to St Michael and All Angels C of E Primary School in Rearsby, after volunteers from Allison Homes East Midlands stepped in to ensure pupils were back in class after a major flood caused £500,000 worth of damage.
Heavy rain and snow devastated the building in January 2025, closing the school to its pupils for over six months.
After an intense programme of renovations and rebuilding works the school’s interior has now been totally transformed.
On Friday, volunteers descended on the school to ensure that the doors would open in time for its pupils to begin the Autumn term.
Among those rallying to offer help, were a team of eight volunteers from Allison Homes East Midlands, which has its HQ based in Castle Donington.
Neil Bardsley, executive headteacher, said:
“It was a real joy to welcome children and parents back to St Michael & All Angels Primary School.
“We are ever so grateful and thankful for the support from Allison Homes, whose help was instrumental in getting our school organised and ready to reopen again. Their generosity and commitment have made a huge difference, ensuring that our children could return to a safe, welcoming, and inspiring environment.
“The school has been beautifully refurbished, with brand-new learning spaces created — including a wonderful new library."
Approximately 80 pupils attend the Leicestershire school, but since January, all pupils have been sent by bus to the nearby St Peters and St Paul School in Syston whilst the school building closed and its interior was fully renovated.
Mr Bardsley said:
“The children returned full of excitement and have already settled back into school life with great enthusiasm. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has played a part, in ways both big and small, in helping us rebuild and restore our school."
The Allison Homes volunteers worked in the school garden tidying, weeding, and maintaining green areas so that EYFS pupils can enjoy gardening activities straight away. They transformed the library and restocked the bookshelves with hundreds of new books.
Michael Hudson, group marketing manager for Allison Homes said:
“It was an honour to step in and help prepare the school for the children’s return. It all looks tremendous.
“The school has never had an official library before so the children will be delighted when they return to school to find a range of fiction and non-fiction for children aged 7-11 all made possible thanks to generous donations.”
Allison Homes received a letter from the school’s Parent Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA) asking for help, explaining their predicament and asked for assistance with the refurbishment works and replacement of items lost in the flood, that were not covered by the insurance.
Amy Gormley, head of sales at Allison Homes East Midlands, said: “When we heard about the school’s plight and the disruption it had caused to the children we were moved to take action.
“We are a community conscious home builder and will always support causes in the localities in which we build, wherever we can.
“Team members at our newly launched East Midlands division were quick to step in and lend a hand.”
Allison Homes structures its work policies to include annual volunteering days for its staff. Eight members of the Allison Homes team requested to volunteer for this worthwhile project, giving their time to ensure that the school was ready for returning pupils.
The Rearsby school is close by to a forthcoming development for Allison Homes, Auster Meadows. Land off Gaddesby Lane was acquired in 2024 and will feature 65 new homes, subject to planning permission.
Allison Homes also has homes for sale at St Mary’s Chase in Stanton Under Bardon, and coming soon to Finney Meadows in Shepshed.
