Colleagues lend a hand with a lick of paint

Colleagues at Co-operative Funeralcare in Freshwater have lent a hand to paint the kitchen area of Wilberforce Hall in Brighstone, following an appeal for help.

Funeral Co-ordinators Michelle Wright and Shelley Hulme (pictured) responded to a request for help by the Hall’s Chairman Anne Phelps, who said: “We’ve been trying to get volunteers to paint the hall for a while and I heard that The Southern Co-operative might be able to help. I approached Co-operative Funeralcare at Freshwater, and they responded straight away. Shelley and Michelle were brilliant; they came prepared, were really cheerful and willing to do anything and this has really helped!”

Colleagues working for The Southern Co-operative are actively encouraged to volunteer and support community projects, and can do this in work time. Recently, a team of 10 colleagues from The Southern Co-operative’s food stores and funeral homes from across the Island also joined forces to paint the dining room and a quiet room at Ryde’s Phoenix Centre.

Shelley (pictured on ladder) said: “Wilberforce Hall is based in the heart of Brighstone and is a venue that is used daily for a wide variety of events in the community, from children’s dance classes to the Christmas tree festival and everything in between.  We spent the day repainting the whole of the kitchen area, although I think Michelle got more on herself than the actual walls!  Anne was very appreciative of our work and will be keeping us in touch with the goings on at the hall should we be able to help again in the future.”