As part of our commitment to Social Value and in particular the Armed Forces, BJF Group and our client VINCI, with support from a host of our suppliers and subcontractors, have recently completed a volunteering project to refurbish the Jubilee Community Centre at ATC Pirbright.
For those unfamiliar with military life, it cannot be emphasised enough quite how important an asset the Jubilee Community Centre and similar community hubs are to those serving in the Armed Forces and their families. Whilst it is a relatively unassuming facility in the grand scheme of things, the centre is in fact a vital element in welfare support for those stationed at ATC Pirbright.
For the military community based in and around Pirbright, the centre is a valued place to meet, socialise and celebrate and is also home to a wide range of family-oriented activities. From children’s football clubs and mother and toddler groups to private parties and wedding receptions, not a day goes by when the centre is not being used to the benefit of the community.
Having scoped the project in late 2022, BJF Group made the decision to undertake a range of significant improvements to breathe new life into this key community asset and give back to the service personnel that give so much for us.
In total, the 40 tradespeople and volunteers involved contributed approximately 650 hours of their time to the project. The main focus was around improving the condition of the building including the acoustic and energy performance in key areas. From painting and decorating to replacing lighting and ceiling tiles and other repair works, most areas of the inside of the centre have been vastly improved. Externally, the team cleaned, and jet washed all of the paths and the sports pitch as well as constructing a new canopy over the BBQ area.
Barry Foster, Managing Director at BJF Group said:
“It’s really important for BJF to be involved in community projects as it gives us an opportunity to give back to the local communities in which we operate, particularly the MOD and Armed Forces that we have been serving for many years.
We really do understand what an important building this is and how well used it is.
I’ve been overwhelmed by the support, effort and dedication of our BJF Team and Supply chain to deliver this fantastic project at no cost to the Ministry of Defence.
I would like to personally thank everyone from BJF Group that has been involved in this project as well as our supply chain partners and our client VINCI for their support.”
WO2 Billy Braithwaite, Infra Lead for ATC Pirbright said:
“This project is all about helping the community which is circa 3,000 people in this area to enjoy the community centre and is about bringing people together. The project supports not just those in the military but also others outside of the Armed Forces community.
Albeit the community centre is quite an old building, we have been able to bring it up to a standard where people can really enjoy it.”
John Newark, Operations Manager SDA23 at VINCI Facilities said:
“This is a really powerful project which we’re all proud to be part of.
I would like to say a big thanks to everybody involved in this project, especially BJF Group for delivering such a fantastic project that is going to benefit everybody involved with ATC Pirbright.”
