Chelsea give Cornerstone Community Centre a spring spruce up

17 June 2008

Staff from Chelsea Building Society's head office have swapped their pens for paint brushes. They answered a plea for help from a well-used Whaddon community centre as part of the organisations commitment to Corporate Responsibility and helping the local community.

Nine staff from Chelsea's Audit department worked for two days to give the outside bollards and railings a much needed scrub, wash and repaint to help brighten up the centre and make it more appealing to its many visitors.

The re-decoration project at the Cornerstone Centre which took place in May is just a small part of Chelsea's continuing volunteering programme. Other activities staff are currently involved in include helping out at a soup kitchen, listening to children read at lunchtimes and supporting the company's chosen charity of the year Winston's Wish at fundraising events.

Chelsea is committed to encouraging their staff to volunteer and to help this staff can apply for up to 4 days a year during work time to volunteer in the community and for charitable causes.

All of the staff involved in the Cornerstone project thoroughly enjoyed the days and found the experience to be great for team-building. Ann Brook, Audit Department said 'The project was highly practical and far removed from our normal day jobs. We are delighted to have been able to help out in our local community and there were no shortage of volunteers offering their services to help on the day'.

Laura Spence, Centre Manager at the Cornerstone Centre said 'The centre is at the heart of Whaddon and more than twenty groups, including Bingo Club, Whaddon Homework Club and Dolly Girls Pom Pom Team meet here each week'.

'I'm extremely grateful to the team from Chelsea Building Society for taking time out of their busy work schedule to transform the entrance to our centre, which has not been decorated since the centre opened! It is a very popular venue for meetings for organisations from across the town' she added.

To find out more about the groups that meet at the Centre, telephone 01242 269325.

• Chelsea Building Society is the UK's 5th largest building society with assets of over £13bn
• Chelsea Building Society is one of the largest employers in Gloucestershire and the Southwest
• Chelsea's local branch is at 137 High Street, Cheltenham