Current Projects

Eyres Monsell Club For Young People

29 January 2026

Project contact: charlie@teamviy.com

Filed Under

The Social Action Hub 2

20 February 2026

What does this community space/venue do?
The Social Action Hub in Rainworth is a long-established local charity focused on improving life chances and supporting the community, particularly children, young people, families and vulnerable adults. Originally formed in 1993 as a detached youth project, it has grown into a thriving community hub offering a wide range of services including weekly youth clubs, holiday playschemes, one-to-one support, mentoring and mental health help, as well as volunteering and work-experience opportunities. The Hub also tackles food poverty and isolation through initiatives such as a social supermarket, which allows local people on low incomes to access affordable, nutritious food in a dignified, choice-based way while also offering advice and signposting to additional support, alongside emergency food parcels and a youth community fridge. In addition, it provides community learning, courses and social events to help people develop skills, connect with others and feel supported.
What is VIY doing?
(VIY) will undertake a full garden transformation at the new Social Supermarket venue in Rainworth, converting a previously disused and overgrown, uneven outdoor space into an attractive and accessible wildflower garden. The garden will form part of a grow-to-sell scheme, where food and herbs are grown on site and then sold within the social supermarket, helping to promote sustainability, local food production and environmental awareness. New planters will be constructed, alongside the build of a new decking area with a sheltered roof.

In addition, VIY will work to improve the wider appearance of the site by renovating the underpass and the front of the building, installing new planters, refreshing existing paintwork and exploring the creation of a floral or wildlife-themed mural or artwork to make the space more welcoming and visually engaging for the community.

What will be the impact of our project?
This project will have a wide-ranging positive impact on the Rainworth community by transforming an underused and neglected space into a welcoming, functional and environmentally sustainable community asset. By delivering the garden transformation and site improvements, Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) will help create a safer, greener and more attractive environment that local residents can take pride in, improving the overall look and feel of the area and encouraging greater community engagement with the Social Supermarket.
The grow-to-sell garden will increase access to affordable, locally grown food and herbs, directly supporting people experiencing food insecurity while promoting sustainability, healthy eating and environmental awareness. Income generated through produce sales will help strengthen the long-term viability of the Social Supermarket, ensuring continued support for vulnerable households.
The creation of new planters, a decking area with sheltered roof, and improvements to the underpass and building frontage will provide an inclusive space for learning, volunteering and social interaction. The project will also offer hands-on skills development opportunities for young people and volunteers, building confidence, employability skills and a sense of ownership within the community. Overall, the project will reduce isolation, enhance wellbeing and foster stronger connections between people, place and purpose.
Project contact: charlie@teamviy.com

Filed Under

Rough & Ready Boxing Club

7 November 2025

Rough N Ready Gym was Established in 1986 by Morris Young, making Rough N Ready one of Northampton’s first Martial Arts Clubs. We offer a wide range of classes suited for all abilities ranging from Kids Classes, Teenagers Classes, Adult Classes and a range of Self Defence Classes. We also do Day and Weekend Events, such as, Bootcamp.
we have been in spring lane for over 20 years providing kick boxing classes to the community also working with different groups. Most of this is unpaid where we attend various community days to give tasters on what we do in the hope that we can get some students from the day.
We also work with various behavioural schools who bring students to us for some downtime where we teach them syllabus and talk to them about everyday situations within their life, we have run a 6 week free self-defence class only for women and also sponsored so many families on low income by given them their uniform and gradings for nothing.
What is VIY doing?
• Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) is excited to be working with Rough & Ready to redecorate their lower-level training facility. Our goal is to bring this area up to the same high standard as the rest of the facility.

• Our plan includes first addressing and treating the existing damp issues. Following this, we will repaint the area in the club’s colours, giving it a fresh new look. Additionally, we will enhance the changing rooms with a fresh coat of paint.

What will be the impact of our project?
• Visually Appealing Space: A well-designed, clean, and organized gym is more inviting to new members. Bright, inspiring murals or motivational quotes can increase the gym’s appeal and create an environment that encourages people to push their limits.
• Impressive Aesthetic: A well-designed boxing gym adds a level of professionalism and credibility to your business. It can help position your gym as a serious training facility, which will attract serious athletes, as well as casual members looking for fitness.
• Inspiring Environment: The right atmosphere can elevate motivation. Whether it’s a vibrant color scheme, inspiring artwork, or high-energy music, the gym’s vibe can fuel a fighter’s spirit
• Aesthetic and Functional Space: When a gym looks professional and is easy to navigate, members are more likely to continue using it and recommend it to others. Retention rates are often linked to the quality of the gym’s atmosphere and design.
• In summary, by investing in the setup, decoration, and overall design of our gym, we can enhance the experience for both trainers and members, leading to greater success, profitability, and community engagement.

Project contact: charlie@teamviy.com.

Filed Under

Fenside Community Centre

12 September 2025

Project contact: mick@teamviy.com

Filed Under

Shoe-Box Boxing Gym

15 September 2025

Project contact: charlie@teamviy.com.

Filed Under

Gotham Scouts Hut

16 June 2025

Gotham Scouts Hut is set for a complete transformation, inside and out, creating a safer, more welcoming, and inspiring space for local young people.

Outside, we’ll create a purpose-built fire pit zone with surrounding seating for fire safety and social sessions, repaint and treat the entrance gate, replace broken fence panels, and refresh others with a fresh coat of paint. Overgrown weeds and shrubs will be cut back, opening up the space for everyone to enjoy.

Inside, we’ll tackle a full-scale redecoration. The current mix of multi-coloured walls will be replaced with a bold, cohesive community Scouts theme. Ceiling wooden beams will be painted or treated for a striking finish. The toilet doorway will be widened to allow wheelchair access, and both the kitchen and toilet areas will be repainted. Steps to the storage area and railings will be freshened up, and if time allows, we’ll add new wall storage units or shelves in the kitchen. A brand-new storage cupboard under the stairs will be built to keep the space organised and safe.

This project will breathe new life into a much-loved community hub, turning it into a vibrant, accessible, and engaging space for generations of young people to enjoy and take pride in.

Project contact: Charlie@teamviy.com

Filed Under

Saffron Acres Project

16 June 2025

Project contact: Charlie@teamviy.com

VIY will be transforming an overgrown and neglected woodland area into a vibrant and inclusive sensory trail and garden, alongside a dedicated forest school space for local young people and vulnerable adults to enjoy for years to come.

Once a thriving outdoor area, the space fell into disuse during the COVID period due to limited funding and capacity. We’re now bringing it back to life with a full renovation — including the construction of new timber planters, the creation of an accessible bark pathway, and the installation of sensory boards, bug hotels, and other interactive features designed to stimulate and inspire.

Filed Under

Balderton Scouts Hut 2

23 April 2025

Project Contact :charlie@teamviy.com

Filed Under

Meridale Youth & Community Centre

14 April 2025

Project contact: katie@teamviy.com.

IY will be transforming the main hall at Meridale Youth & Community Centre by installing stylish tongue and groove panelling along the entire perimeter, bringing a sleek and modern new look to the space. The room will be completely refreshed with a bold, vibrant coat of paint that breathes new life into the area, creating a welcoming and contemporary environment for all who use it.

In addition, we plan to repaint all radiators throughout the building and give the main entrance — including walls, skirting, and architraves — a clean, updated finish. The centre’s disabled toilet & conservatory will also receive a fresh coat of paint, helping to ensure all areas of the building reflect the same high standard and feel inviting and well cared for.

Filed Under

St Ann’s Foodbank

23 October 2024

Filed Under

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