Novus and Dulux donate materials to a local special school

Novus were already working on a building refurbishment contract at Horton Lodge Special School in Rudyard, where 3 respite overnight bedrooms were in need of redecoration. Novus and supply partner Dulux were happy to donate materials to the cause.

Horton Lodge Community Special School

Situated in the picturesque lakeside village of Rudyard in Staffordshire, lies Horton Lodge School.

As a special school, it aims to “provide high-quality teaching and learning where children are challenged and every individual is valued.”

The school caters for children aged from 2 to 11 years with physical disabilities, with many of the pupils experiencing additional learning difficulties, complex communication needs, and visual and / or hearing impairments.

As the Stoke Sentinel reported in September, Horton Lodge was one of five Staffordshire schools that stood to lose funding for children’s overnight stays from this term before the funding cuts were ultimately put on hold.

The refurbishment contract

Horton Lodge has a residential provision known as “Kiplings” so named due to its proximity to Lake Rudyard.

Kiplings is designed and managed to provide a homely environment for the school’s children and young people.

The provision is designed to help build independent living skills as children learn to feed and bathe themselves, read to each other, and take part in creative activities.

As part of the works, 3 bedrooms within Kiplings were in desperate need of refurbishment and redecoration, as the windows tended to leak into the rooms causing damp damage to the flooring and skirting.

Novus were awarded the contract to carry out the refurbishments on the school, these works included:

• Refitting windows and doors to bedrooms
• Replacing the carpets
• Roof repairs
• Boiler replacement
• Shower refurbishments

When complete, the refurbishments were described as a “real boost” to the school by the Headteacher.

Donation of materials

At the time, Horton Lodge were asking for donations of paint and curtains to redecorate their bedrooms in time for the return of the children after the summer break.

Novus sourced the curtains and window tracks from a local Staffordshire supplier and donated them for use in the bedrooms.

Supply partners Dulux also kindly donated the paint required to redecorate the bedrooms, which equated to over 65 litres free of charge.

The school caretaker then decorated the bedrooms himself.

Chris Lear, Senior Quantity Surveyor at Novus Property Solutions said:

“It was our pleasure to donate these materials to Horton Lodge, the work they do with young people here is inspirational and we hope the children enjoy their new bedrooms.”