Small Jobs, Big Impact- its all about Community

Osborne Property Services first visited Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid Women’s Refuge in April when they were asked to help tidy up an area of the garden to create a much needed children’s play area.
With the arrival of a new family, the staff had moved their office into the garden ‘sheds’ to free up internal space for the family who, like all the residents of the refuge, were fleeing domestic abuse.

With the arrival of the children, the staff were keen to create a clean and safe outdoor play area which would enable them to feel at home.

Osborne has recently returned to the refuge to help improve the office areas. One of the garden offices has a small meeting room, tea and coffee area, which staff were keen to make more practical and aesthetically appealing.

Using surplus work top and base units, one of the Osborne operatives – David Zamora, who normally works on their Waltham Forest Council contract– created an attractive new unit providing useful storage which has made a huge difference to the meeting area.

David also carried out a range of other repairs and improvements. He repaired the refuge’s Therapy shed, fixed garden furniture to make it safe and repaired a chest of drawers for one of the families staying at the centre.

Sue, the refuge’s Domestic Abuse Advocate, was delighted with the support Osborne provided saying: “Thank you so much for the work you carried out today. The unit in our meeting room is absolutely lovely and has made such a difference rather than having everything everywhere. The therapy/counselling room which you have kindly repaired will make a massive difference to our clients as this room is where they need to be able to relax and feel comfortable as this is time for our clients to reflect whilst in therapy.”

Of David, she said: “His workmanship is impeccable, he was so polite and did an amazing job: a great role model for our women and children.”

This is typical of the kind of support Osborne provides in the communities in which it works.

“It’s so rewarding to be able to help organisations like this,” said Jo Fletcher, Osborne’s Head of Engagement. “It’s a small job for us, but it makes such a dramatic difference to them.”