Guisborough Rugby Club

Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground

Hadleigh Junior School

Hagard Community Centre

Hall Cross Academy

Hall Green Boxing Club

Hall Green Boxing Club in south east Birmingham was established in 2000, and now has more than 60 local young people who train at the club every week. The club nominated itself to host a VIY project in 2013 to fully renovate the gym’s showers, toilet block and changing rooms. 18 young people aged 14-17, all members at the clubs, volunteered on the project, working alongside two VIY skills mentors (local builders who also volunteered their time).

Club manager Tom Chaney was delighted to link with VIY: “Our toilets, showers and changing rooms were very run down and in desperate need of repair. Fixing them was a great opportunity for our young members to give something back to the gym and for the whole club to benefit. They took great pride in the work they completed, and the fact that they gained an entry level City & Guilds qualification, under the guidance of professional tradespeople, was a big draw – and reward – for the young people.”

VIY mentor and local tradesman Hermes added: “We were really keen to do what we could to help these young people. They really got stuck in and did a great job. This is a great way to show young people what building work is all about and how it might be for them.”

The project was also visited by Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd.

Hampton & Richmond Football Club

Throughout our partnership with Wickes, store colleagues would often have clubs and community initiatives that they would like to offer their support to and would look to VIY to bring these projects to life. One fantastic example of this was at Hampton and Richmond Borough FC. This project was identified by a staff member at Wickes Hanworth who was a member of the club. 

The club were looking to improve the entry and exit facilities for the away fans on match day so the scope of work was to erect two large fences to provide a cover for the away fans turnstile and a larger exit for them.

Hampton & Richmond Borough FC have an existing relationship with Feltham Youth Offending Institute (YOI), engaging inmates previously to support with the ground upkeep.  The impact?

• Four youth offenders volunteered over two days, along with two VIY mentors and a member from the club’s youth team
• They gained valuable skills and hands-on experience working alongside our mentors
• A delighted club with their desired improved facilities and the added social impact of engaging local inmates from Feltham YOI

Michelle Glassup, Feltham Resettlement Officer, was thrilled with the opportunity to get involved with this VIY project: ‘Thanks so much for the opportunity you gave our Young Adults. As amazing as it is for the Football Club, our boys really benefit from working on initiatives such as yours.

For our boys to be able to volunteer alongside other volunteers makes them feel more than just a prisoner serving a sentence. It allows them to achieve the feeling of giving back to the community, which every volunteer knows gives you an enormous sense of well-being and achievement. In the two days they were able not only able to pick up some valuable skills that will enable them to complete DIY on release, it also provided them with life skills like teamwork and leadership. The team as a whole – mentors and our Young Adults – had mutual respect and understanding of each other over the whole job and the days were filled with positive conversations and smiles.

This was one of the most engaged I’ve seen our boys during a work experience placement.”

Handsworth Grange School

Handsworth Wood Girls Academy

Hanworth Air Park Leisure Centre

« Previous Page — Next Page »