Birmingham-based Willmott Dixon Partnerships has donated 1,962 hours of staff time to create an autism friendly community centre complete with new sensory room at Highcroft Community Centre, Erdington.

As part of Willmott Dixon’s strategy to deliver projects that strengthen the wellbeing of local communities, Highcroft Community Centre will become a vital resource for Autism West Midlands and local support parent support group Autis to enable those with autism to thrive.

Willmott Dixon, which has a branch on College Road in Erdington, worked with its supply chain on modernising the centre and equipping the new sensory room, carrying out activities including fitting a new kitchen, refurbishing the communal room, and installing a new roof and flooring.

In total, £76,000 of work time and materials was donated to create the facility, which was visited by Erdington MP Jack Dromey and Cllr Penny Hollbrook, Cabinet Member for Young People at Birmingham City Council.

Willmott Dixon’s team also raised £3,089 through breakfast sandwich sales, cake sales, annual leave raffles and football card draws and an iPhone 5c raffle across the company’s Midlands and Southern branch staff, clients, subcontractors and suppliers.

Autism West Midlands supports the lives of people with autism and their loved ones and carers by helping with independent living, an information helpline, assistance with finding a job, training for parents of children with autism and professionals and activities and events.

Natalie Wood, Fundraising Manager for Autism West Midlands said of the new centre: “It will mean that parents of children with autism can meet regularly and gain peer to peer support while giving their children a chance to play in a safe and stimulating environment. We really cannot express our gratitude to all the Willmott Dixon team for everything they have done for us.”

Willmott Dixon would like to thank the following:
• Travis Perkins for donated materials;
• Edmondson’s for electrical materials;
• Broadoaks for decorating labour;
• The Space Studio for drawings and designs and Principle Designer duties;
• Neil Cotson from Symphony for donating a new kitchen;
• RAD windows for new window boards and glazing;
• RS Millers and AIR Scaffolding for donating roofing and scaffold;
• Paint 360 and Crown paints for paints;
• Euroshowers for supplying and installing a brand new macerator;
• Birmingham Drains and Tersus for carrying out free drain and asbestos surveys;
• Sherringtons Waste Management for skips; Graftons, Buildbase and Capitol tiles for flooring and flooring materials;
• Premier Support Services for supplying cleaners;
• GB Total Solutions and Dale studios for t-shirts and signage.