1st May 2025
Refurbishing a Women’s Refuge: Women in Construction
Taking on a Volunteering Project at a Peabody Women’s Refuge
This April, a group of 12 employees from our Women in Construction group (WIC) took on an incredible initiative to refurbish a women’s refuge and make a homely environment for vulnerable women and children.
The refuge was introduced to us by our client Peabody back in March. The amazing team at the refuge support women and children from across the UK to escape difficult domestic situations and offer a safe space to rebuild, gain new employment and skills, and wait for housing availability.
The site houses a variety of individuals, both individual women and mothers and children, across 13 en-suite bedrooms. It offers 3 shared living spaces, a shared kitchen and dining area, a garden space, and a children’s playroom (in addition to offices and facilities for the refuge’s team of support staff).
Our project targeted 3 key areas in the centre:
- Redecorating and organising the playroom
- Clearing and tidying the garden area
- Installing new shared equipment and furniture
Led by Fran Fordham, Site Manager, and Natalie Woodbine-Johnson, Apprentice Painter, our WIC kicked off the day by painting the playroom.
The playroom had fallen into disrepair and out of use, its original yellow paint was dull, peeling and not engaging for children and toys were unorganised and overwhelming. The group painted it a light pink, brightening up the whole room and adding to the spacious feeling; even donating extra paint to the centre so the walls can be refreshed at any time.
Our WIC also categorised the toys with toy organisers to make it more appealing to the children in the centre. Many of the kids in the refuge struggle with experiencing relocation and disruption, this playroom has now become a less intimidating and more safe space for them to express themselves.
We also purchased and installed an armchair and beanbags for mothers to relax while watching their children in the playroom. There was previously no seating available for them. This gives families a chance to bond and take a break during a difficult time in their lives.
Moving outside, Sarah Taylor, Operations Director, and Adila Gredelj, Customer Service Manager, led the group in clearing the outdoor space.
Before the team’s arrival, the area was full of green moss – making the area slippery and dangerous to the residents. Donated by one of our subcontractors, the team used a jet washer to clear the ground, reveal the red paving underneath, and make the garden safe again.
Following this, the team donated and installed 2 smart TVs in the communal living areas to replace the broken pre-existing ones. This will allow the residents to engage in movie nights, group activities, and make the refuge feel more like a home. We were also able to donate frosted window films for all living spaces for the privacy of the residents.
About the day, Kate Thomson, Social Impact Coordinator, said ‘Volunteering at Peabody’s women’s refuge was an inspiring experience. It was heartwarming to see the women in our construction team come together to transform the space into a safe, welcoming environment for mums and children. Knowing our efforts brought comfort, dignity, and a sense of normality during such a challenging time made the day truly rewarding.’
Corin Menuge, Social Value Lead at Peabody added ‘The team generously led a significant refurbishment for our domestic abuse refuges (in collaboration with our domestic abuse specialist, Natalie). Thanks to the all-women group, the conducted refurbishments to the indoor and outdoor areas brought the site up to a higher standard.
We’re excited that to Axis team are also working with Natalie to develop a confidence and employability programme for women living in our refuges – which can lead to work experience, site visits, apprenticeships and career pathways.’
In total, Axis contributed £846 in materials and donations, and 77 volunteering hours to the project. A massive thank you to our volunteers from the day, you made an incredible difference to the lives of women and their families:
- Sarah Taylor, Operations Director
- Vera O’Driscoll, Social Value Manager
- Kate Thomson, Social Impact Coordinator
- Francesca Fordham, Site Manager
- Natalie Woodbine-Johnson, Apprentice Painter
- Ebony Leon, Apprentice Plumber
- Adila Gredelj, Customer Service Manager
- Emily Skipp, Commercial Manager
- Abigail Darkwa-Marfo, Quantity Surveyor
- Cindy Nguyen, Trainee Quantity Surveyor
You can find the link to photos from the project here.
