A team of volunteers from Westley-based housebuilder, Denbury Homes has been busy with paintbrushes and rollers giving the Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre a fresh coat of paint.
Denbury Homes arranged for a team of eight volunteers from head office to be joined by painting professionals from Millprior Estates. Across two days the team painted a lounge, hallways and countless doors at the centre, giving the interior a much-needed update ahead of summer.
Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre is currently home to eight women and 10 children in need of a safe space to escape dangerous domestic situations.
Speaking of the work with the refuge, Joshua Hopkins, Land Director at Denbury Homes said: “Our team is very proud to have Bury St Edmunds as our hometown and always enthusiastically gets involved if there is an opportunity to give practical support to a local charity. We’ve made financial donations to Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre in the past and know what important work they are doing. Painting the living space was a great way for our team to offer some practical support and help the centre’s staff create a welcoming environment.
“It’s hard to imagine what some of the women and children living in this building have been through. I hope that a refresh of their temporary home will help residents as they start to get back on their feet.”
Most of the paint was generously supplied by the Dulux Decorating Centre in Bury St Edmunds with Millprior Estates, one of Denbury Homes’ regular contractors, contributing the remainder. Staff from Millprior Estates also helped prep the walls before joining the Denbury Homes team for two days of painting.
Ollie Everritt from Millprior Estates: “We were delighted when Denbury Homes invited us to get involved in the volunteer work at the Women’s Aid Centre. Helping freshen up the paintwork is our way of showing the residents that we care and I hope it goes some way to giving them a positive atmosphere in which to take their next steps.”
As well as providing a haven for women and children fleeing domestic abuse, Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre provides outreach services for male survivors and works with children and young people living in the community. Help ranges from a helpline to a full programme of individual or group support.
The Support Services Manager at Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre said: “We are so grateful for the help from Denbury Homes and Millprior Estates. The rooms and corridors were looking quite tired but it’s challenging for us to update the paintwork whilst we have residents and their children living in the centre.
“The volunteers came in and within two days, our rooms have had a complete refresh. It’s made a tangible difference to the atmosphere and is a reminder to our residents that there are people thinking of them and wanting to help bring a little light to their day.”
This latest volunteering effort is just part of Denbury Homes’ commitment to supporting charities across East Anglia. The company has given over £1.6 million in the form of grants and donations to over 140 charities in Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.
Anyone wanting to find out more about the help available at the Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre can visit their website or call 0330 551 9495.
