Pictured: Tim Rymond, whg Skills Centre Manager

Community-minded colleagues from whg and partners picked up their spanners, paintbrushes and mops to safeguard the future of a centre in North Wales where hundreds of Walsall schoolchildren have learnt about the great outdoors.

whg partners Wolseley UK, Biffa, SitexOrbis and Ford Commercial UK all did their bit to assist with whg's annual Community Benefit Day by providing volunteers, equipment and vehicles.

More than 60 colleagues volunteered to carry out a wide range of vital repairs and maintenance work as part of the project at Bryntysilio Outdoor Education Centre near Llangollen on Friday 30th September. 

Tasks included fitting a new kitchen, cleaning, decorating, mending fences, cutting grass, pruning shrubs, carrying out repairs and plumbing work.

Carole Wildman, Director of Regeneration and Development at whg, said: "The centre provides children with the opportunity, through outdoor adventure, to enjoy a broad and balanced education and many young people from Walsall have visited and found it a great experience.

"But it was in urgent need of some TLC to bring it up to modern standards, so it can attract enough new customers for it to continue to operate and we were only too delighted to roll up our sleeves and help out."

Integrated Services, a business division of Wolseley UK, donated £3,000 worth of equipment - including paint, timber and decking - plus garden tools, and two senior staff joined the volunteer workforce.

Walsall-based Cluster Services Manager Malcolm Bruton said: "We are always happy to help with community projects. This event will benefit the schoolchildren of Walsall, both now and in the future, by making sure they can continue to enjoy the opportunities this centre offers."

Paul Payne, Midlands Business Planner at property services company SitexOrbis, said: "We turned our hand to whatever work was needed, from gardening to painting. We welcomed the opportunity to work with our partners on this project, which will ensure that Walsall youngsters can enjoy the centre for many years to come."

Waste management company Biffa supplied two skips for the event. Corporate Account Manager Roger Barrett said: "We are very pleased to have supported such a worthy project."