Volunteers from Denbury Homes and Millprior Estates give Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre a refresh

A team of volunteers from Westley-based housebuilder Denbury Homes has been busy with paintbrushes and rollers giving Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre a fresh coat of paint.

Denbury Homes arranged for eight volunteers from head office to be joined by painting professionals from Millprior Estates. Over two days the team painted a lounge, hallways and doors at the refuge.

Bury Women’s Aid Centre is currently home to eight women and 10 children in need of a safe space to escape dangerous domestic situations.

Joshua Hopkins, Denbury land director, said: “Our team is very proud to have Bury 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 Women’s Aid Centre in the past and know what important work it does. 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 a refresh of their temporary home will help residents as they start to get back on their feet.”

Most of the paint was supplied by the Dulux Decorating Centre, in Bury, with Millprior Estates, one of Denbury’s regular contractors, contributing the remainder. Staff from Millprior Estates also helped to prepare 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 to freshen up the paintwork is our way of showing the residents we care. I hope it goes some way to giving them a positive atmosphere in which to take their next steps.”

The centre’s support services manager 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 while 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.”

To find out more about the help available at Bury Women’s Aid Centre, go to its website or call 0330 551 9495.