The Ash Green Story

In 2004 a UK businessman was inspired as he watched a short documentary film in a church meeting of a project undertaken to transform a local High School. The businessman was so inspired that he challenged his church community, King’s Community Church, to undertake a similar project at his former School, Ash Green Comprehensive in Coventry in the West Midlands, UK.

With the support of the church leadership and the approval of the head and governors of the school, he arranged for one of his staff to undertake a feasibility study and create a resource requirements report. Over the next few months plans were put in place to recruit volunteers from local churches, businesses, the local community and of course, from the school; and appeals were made for the materials to complete the work.

The date was arranged in April 2006 to coincide with school holidays and the Easter break to cause the least disruption to the schools pupils and staff. An operations team was assembled to oversee the project and to organize the materials and volunteers. Many meetings were held with the school and the Local Education Authority (LEA) to cover all of the issues that might occur such as Health & Safety, Insurance and Security.

A total of 623 volunteer were involved throughout the week, including Mike O’Brien (Local MP), Graeme Tyrer (Head from Ash Green), staff and students of Ash Green, ex-pupils from as far away as Reading alongside members of King’s Community Church, a group from Bramcote Army Barracks, The Air Force, Fire Brigade, staff from the volunteer centre at BBC Cov & Warwick Radio and staff of the Proton Foundation.

All of the materials required, or gifts to purchase them were donated towards the work, including scaffolding, hire tools, paint, brushes and rollers, dust sheets, hardboard, sandpaper, masking tape, carpets and refreshments to keep the volunteers sustained which came to around £100,000. Local businesses as well as a number of major national companies contributed significant amounts towards the requirements. The project was able to repaint and carpet the whole school and to tidy up the school gardens.

The most incredible part of the whole project was seeing the faces of the pupils as they saw the transformation of their once, dire school take shape. The teachers who worked alongside members of the community gained a new sense of pride in their school. It was for the teachers and pupils that this community pulled together and made a difference.