Volunteers from the Kraft Foods site in Bournville have been helping out at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College as part of an effort to improve its outdoor space and garden area.

Throughout the week over 30 employees worked at the Bournville-based school, repairing pergolas, painting outdoor benches and staining some of the surrounding barriers. They also helped to paint and decorate an office space inside the school and tidy up an area used by the students to grow food.

Lorna de Marco, trade marks manager at the Kraft Foods site in Bournville, and team leader for the day, said: "It's fantastic that we can support a local school, situated around the corner from us, which has clear ties to the Cadbury brand. 

"The whole team really enjoyed themselves and got stuck into the activities with great enthusiasm; it was a fun day for everyone involved". 

The school was named after the wife of George Cadbury, the third son of the founder of the chocolate brand, and both were instrumental in the development of Bournville village. 

Richard Tattersfield, Headteacher at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School, said: "It's great that the employees from Kraft Foods are helping to maintain the school grounds and support their local community. Their hard work has been of huge assistance to us in our quest to become an outstanding school, where the quality of our surroundings makes a huge difference to staff and student morale".

The volunteers were given leave from their day jobs as part of Kraft Foods' annual delicious difference week. The volunteering week is a global initiative which this year hopes to engage around 30,000 employees in local community activities, with a focus on hunger and healthy lifestyles.