Coxhoe Village Hall has been given a new lease of life after receiving a much-needed facelift thanks to a group of volunteers from Wates Construction and its supply chain. It has been refurbished as part of Wates’ Community Week initiative, a nationwide charitable programme that sees the business down tools to donate time to transform their local communities

This year has seen the team focus its efforts on the village of Coxhoe, home of Wates Construction’s Business Unit Director, Paul Dodsworth, who joined the business in April last year. Paul, who is current Chair of the village hall management committee, and a team of volunteers carried out internal decoration, painted several rooms, cleaned both the interior and exterior of the building and spruced up the main hall.

Wates’ work to revamp the village hall has contributed to the committee’s plans to modernise the building and has facilitated its aim of encouraging more people to make use of the hall’s amenities.
Wates’ Community Week initiative (13-17 June) saw approximately 850 volunteers donate time and resource to 62 projects nationwide to make a positive difference to the communities in which they are working.
Wates’ presence in the North East region currently includes the £11m expansion of Newcastle High School for Girls and the creation of a new £60m student accommodation development in Newcastle.

In addition to the man-hours donated, a grant of £500 was made by Wates Giving, which is the charitable programme of Wates Family Enterprise Trust. Wates Giving forms a vital part of the Wates Family’s approach to being responsible business owners. The programme’s priority is to empower initiatives that make a real difference to society. The Village Hall has benefitted to the tune of £5,000 and the works have included:

• Redecoration of Hall and Bar Area
• New ceilings upstairs
• New Dado electrics in computer room
• Various electrical upgrades
• Joinery throughout, and
• New lighting in the bar area

Paul said:

‘Wates has a deep-rooted commitment to the delivery of social value initiatives, which forms the basis of our Community Week scheme. Coxhoe Village Hall is a charity and facility dear to my heart as I reside in Coxhoe and am a volunteer on the management committee. Our employees and supply chain have channelled all of their energy into making this week-long project a success, making a tangible difference to the transformation of this fantastic community building.’

Thank you Wates!