By Isle of Wight Observer
Staff from Island Roads have lent a hand to help prepare a new community hall, in Wootton, ahead of its planned opening this autumn.
The Church Close community centre has been out of use since 2020, but is now being brought back to life by Aspire Ryde, which will run the venue for local residents.
Aspire hopes the building will become a hub for a wide range of community activities, but it first needed some attention after years of lying dormant. With volunteers already hard at work, Aspire approached Island Roads to ask whether any staff would be able to help with painting and DIY tasks.
Under its employee volunteering scheme, which allows staff to take two paid days each year to support community causes, five Island Roads employees offered their time. Armed with brushes, filler and sandpaper, they helped prepare the building for its reopening in September.
Steve Johnson, Aspire’s director of community and development, said: “It was a really great help for us; a lot was achieved, and it keeps us on track for opening. We’re all really grateful.”
The centre is expected to host coffee mornings, knit and natter groups, gourmet nights and advice sessions for local residents, with the building also available for public hire to support its upkeep.
Samantha O’Rourke, from Island Roads, added: “It’s a brilliant new project which we are sure will make a really positive local impact.”
Isle of Wight Observer