Member Article

Keepmoat and their apprentices give community building a facelift

Keepmoat Property Services, a division of national housing and regeneration specialist Keepmoat, and its apprentices have revamped a community building in Leeds.

Keepmoat has been working with its client Leeds Federated Housing Association to offer residents the chance to nominate a community building in need of a facelift.

Beckett Park Community Centre was nominated and Keepmoat stepped in to help with their KickStart apprentices.

KickStart is an apprenticeship programme offering 12 candidates an eight week training and mentoring course, at the end of which Keepmoat expects to take on two of the trainees as full-time apprentices.

Julie Baker, Community Liaison Manager from Keepmoat Property Services, said: “Guiding and seeing through this transformation has been really great and the apprentices loved seeing the end results.

“We gave the residents a chance to nominate a community building in need of a refurbishment because we think it’s important to work with them to give them somewhere to go for events and to keep the community spirit alive.

“Working on this project has been excellent for the residents, apprentices and Keepmoat – everyone in the community can see the benefits for themselves.”

Improvements made to the building included repairs and painting to the external brickwork, ironmongery, window grills and fencing. Keepmoat Property Services also improved security for the building and provided easier access with a keypad lock and completed and annual electrical test. All the works completed need to be done every three years to ensure this building complies with its lease.

Jonathan Rogers, Leeds Federated’s Employer and Partnerships Liaison Officer said: “Kickstart has been a great way for those on the course to gain useful practical skills and on the job experience. The apprentices have also given a boost to the local community by using their new skills to give Beckett Park Community Centre a fantastic makeover.”

The work was completed within four days and the Beckett Park Community Association will use the newly refurbished facility for dance lessons, bingo and other activities.

Joan Midwinter, Secretary from Beckett Park Community Association, said: “On behalf of the Association, I would like to say a big thank you to Keepmoat Property Services for the external refurbishment of the building.

“The trainees and supervisors who were involved in the project worked very hard and the transformation is amazing, thank you.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ailsa Macmillan .