A community centre in Winchester has been given a new lease of life thanks to a group of housebuilding volunteers.
Employees from Barratt Homes’ Southampton Division headed over to Unit 12’s building in Winnall recently armed with paintbrushes. They spent the day updating the local organisation’s space.
Unit 12 believes in building positive community. It aims to provide excellent learning opportunities for personal and skills development by building links with support services and working alongside professional performing arts organisations. It provides refugee support and community advice drop-in sessions, and its community centre offers a space for local people to get together for classes and activities. There’s also a community garden, and a food and clothes pantry available for those who need it.
Barratt Homes is keen on supporting local initiatives, so five Barratt workers took time away from their day jobs to give the studios at Unit 12’s community hub a new lick of paint. Housing various groups throughout the week, Gill Driver, Unit 12 Volunteer Board Director, said she was delighted to see how much better the rooms looked with the Barratt team’s help.
She said: “As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the generosity of volunteers to help us to provide our services. We are thrilled to have received this help from Barratt Homes. Without this kindness we could not continue with the community activities we aim to provide. The team did a fantastic job today. Our studios are used for dance classes, disability movement and dance groups, yoga, and may other social gatherings and activities, and they are now looking back to their best.”
Tammy Bishop, Barratt Homes Sales Director, said: “We want to support organisations in the communities where we are building new homes, and Unit 12 is providing a wonderful service for people in the local area. It’s been a pleasure to offer our volunteering help and it’s been great to hear what a great job the Barratt team has been doing.”
Unit 12 is passionate about changing the perception of what a community should be through providing activities and opportunities that are suitable for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to participate together. Its community hub is in Winnall, Winchester.
Barratt Homes is building new homes across the region. It is committed to supporting local organisations that improve the quality of life for people in the local area.
For more information about Barratt’s developments in Hampshire, visit Pebble Walk and Harbour Place at www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes
