Residents of Plymouth’s Marlborough House are enjoying a newly refurbished Community Room thanks to a generous donation by contractors.
Plymouth Community Homes hired contractor Lancer Scott to deliver a £1.4 million project at the block in Devonport to replace the Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) style-cladding at the roof level on the prominent building.
Lancer Scott wanted to give something back to residents in thanks for their patience and understanding during the works and donated their time and work totalling £10,000 to refurbish the Marlborough House Community Room to help make the space warmer and more welcoming, with new carpets, ceilings, decoration, fixtures and fittings as well as brand new furniture.
Two new televisions were installed, including one by the entrance area which can act as an electronic noticeboard, and furniture was bought, including a new sofa for the Marlborough House foyer to create a more welcoming communal entrance.
The original Community Room was officially opened on 2 November 1988 by Councillor Gordon Draper, Lord Mayor of Plymouth at the time, and it has been a space well-used by residents for over 35 years.
Adrian Willcocks, who has lived at Marlborough House for over 47 years, is delighted with the newly refurbished community room. He said: “It has lovely décor, it is bright, airy and modern and it is a great space for those living in Marlborough House. It is a space where I like to socialise with the other residents, and I enjoy the Tea and Toast meet up on a Tuesday where I can sit with a cup of tea and catch up with my neighbours.”
Stephen Morgan, Programme Delivery Manager at PCH, said: “The new Community Room will be a focal point for residents and a vital space for residents to help create a positive atmosphere in the building community.
“We always encourage our contractors to give something back to the local community when they’re working on all our contracts, as it is important for us to ensure we invest in social value while delivering our projects. Sometimes it’s a donation of their time or work, or sometimes a donation to fund improvements. In this case it was both, with just under £5,000 of new furniture bought and close to the same again being spent on building improvements and decoration.”
Matthew Evans, Commercial Manager (Wales) at Lancer Scott, said: “We are delighted to have been able to assist Plymouth Community Homes with the upgrade of the Community Room alongside our works at Marlborough House. We recognise the value of these spaces and believe they play a crucial role in the life of any community.”
