Helping Regenerate the Abbey Hub in Stratford

20 Axis Volunteers Helped Regenerate The Glyn Hopkin Abbey Hub in Stratford

On Friday, the 4th of November, a team of 20 Axis volunteers helped regenerate The Glyn Hopkin Abbey Hub in Stratford, a children’s centre owned by the charity Ambition Aspire Achieve. The Hub is a neighbourhood play and youth club which opened its doors in 2018, which provides inclusive play spaces and community resources for children, young people and their families living in Stratford.

​​​​​​​We have previously supported them through that Axis Foundation, donating £1000 towards their Christmas appeal. If you would like to read more about this, then please click here.

Within the grounds of the Hub, they have many facilities including a multi-activity space, soft play area, computer room and training space, outdoor play structures, tree houses, den building space, greenhouse and a gardening area. The team of Axis employees helped with a range of different activities to help regenerate the grounds:

There were loads of different activities we helped in, like; painting, gardening and organising. It was a wonderful experience at the Abbey Hub on Friday as we got to help with making the centre a lot more safe, comfortable and fun for all of the children that attend there. It was great to spend the day with everyone having fun and I’m happy I got the opportunity to be a part of something so special and life changing for them kids. – Ellie Pallet, Trainee Administrator explained.

Read below some quotes from the volunteers about their volunteering day:

I really enjoyed my day today and found it so rewarding to have helped out disadvantaged children in Newham. For anyone that thinks “what difference can one person make?” I was with another 20 people from axis, all different jobs and departments, which meant 20 days of work for a good cause! Please make sure you use your day to benefit the communities we work in. – Gary Bowdery, Supervisor

This was my first volunteering day through axis and it certainly will not be my last! It really opened my eyes on how little some people have and rely on the centre and how we helped prepare the garden and decorate the place, we cut back the trees and made the garden nice so they can play and we trimmed the huge Christmas tree just in time for them to decorate in lights in the garden for the children & Christmas! – Billy Reed, Site Supervisor

Volunteering at the Abbey Hub was hard work but enjoyable! There was a lot to be done and everyone got stuck in. Also, It was nice getting to know and working with some of our other colleagues at Axis that we don’t usually cross paths with on a daily basis! – James Orphanides, Quantity Surveyor

This was my first volunteering day at Axis and it did not disappoint! Volunteering was amazing. I would have loved to see the faces of the children when they next come to the hub. The team worked very hard and had loads of fun. It was nice to see the whole team painting enthusiastically. I look forward to my next volunteering day! – Elizabeth Ogunfowokan, Trainee Quantity Surveyor

From my perspective it was a great day, and a pleasure to be able to give something back to the community, especially such worthwhile cause supporting local children. – Stephan Hardy, Divisional Manager

It was a great experience to see how the Abbey Hub helps local children in the area. You could see the passion in the organisers and it was evident that they take what they do very seriously. It was great to be able to assist the abbey Hub team to regenerate the grounds and enhance the children’s experience when using the centre. – Dan Wrigglesworth, Divisional Manager

It was a really fun day and it was also really nice to meet some people from different departments as I’m still only new to Axis. They were great and a couple were actually very talented painters unlike me – Victor Williams, Quantity Surveyor

I really enjoyed the volunteering day. The team worked really hard to transform the Abbey Hub. It was highly rewarding seeing the changes that were made and understanding the importance of the Hub for the children and their families.- Sydney Baker, Technician Quantity Surveyor

It was nice to be able to give something back to the community, especially being so close to the office where we work every day. The facilities that they provide the children there are amazing, and I’m glad we could help! – Oliver McCabe, Trainee Quantity Surveyor

I’m glad I had the opportunity to volunteer for such a good cause and it was fun meeting and working with people within the business. – Mae Khan, Administrator