Middleton Primary School Gets a Lick of Paint

Published by JenCooke for National Federation of ALMOs in Housing and also in Education

Aire Valley Homes Leeds, the arms-length management organisation (ALMO) responsible for over 15,000 homes in South and South East Leeds, and responsive repairs contractors Kier Building Maintenance (KBM), recently teamed together in a community day to lend their support to Middleton Primary School, providing the pupil’s tired-looking gymnasium with a new lease of life in time for the start of term.

Equipped with paint pots and brushes, kindly donated by subcontractor Scarth’s, a dedicated team of volunteers erected tower scaffolding and set to work. The team included KBM Maintenance Manager, Trevor Woolley, Aire Valley Homes’ Chief Executive John Clark and Middleton Primary School Head Mistress Samantha Williams.

The community day is part of Aire Valley Homes’ commitment to regenerating Middleton and the wider community. Aire Valley Homes and the wider ALMO movement is not just about providing bricks and mortar but aims to engage with local people to help them to build a community that they can be proud of and feel safe in.

Middleton Primary Schools’ Samantha Williams, said: “We are really pleased and grateful for the hard work and effort by the volunteers. They’ve brightened up the gymnasium and given it a new lease of life. Everyone is very excited to start using it in the new term.”

Neil Diamond, Aire Valley Homes Regeneration Manager, said: “We are currently involved in a large programme of community regeneration work in Middleton. By working with local people we engaged and mobilised staff to support and enrich the wider community. The day also provided a great opportunity for employees at Aire Valley Homes to work with other members of staff from different departments, encouraging team building.”

Maintenance Manager Trevor Woolley said: "Kier is dedicated to supporting and getting involved with the local community, so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to provide the pupil’s at Middleton School with a much needed gymnasium revamp.”

Aire Valley Homes is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO), an independent company charged with the management of over 15,000 homes in South Leeds on behalf of Leeds City Council. It has made the regeneration and improvement of local areas a core part of its strategy to help local residents to build a community they can be proud of and feel safe in.