Playground makeover for pupils from Paddington primary

Visa Europe’s Product and Solutions Team went back to school for two days over the Easter holidays. In just 10 hours the 12 volunteers transformed the school playground at St Mary Magdalene Primary School; creating not one, two but three new areas for the children to enjoy. The volunteers also transformed the internal school doors with fresh coats of bright blue paint - leaving everything spick and span for the start of the new term.

Drizzly conditions on day one meant the team had to stick to indoor tasks, basing themselves in the school hall and corridors where they sanded down the heavily stapled and scuffed school doors before painting. With the help of Spotify, a competitive game of ‘guess that song’ kept the team entertained for most of the afternoon as they worked companionably side by side.

Day two saw a dramatic improvement in the conditions with bright blue skies and sunshine – perfect weather for a day out of the office, volunteering. The group showed their commitment before even departing Sheldon Square in the morning, managing to source donations of stainless steel bowls and pots from nearby eateries which became central features of the instrument wall the group created.

The wall, created entirely from scratch, will certainly make playtime's noisier as the children enjoy making music from the assortment of household objects turned percussion instruments.

For children (and teachers) seeking some peace and quiet; the newly sanded, varnished and painted reading tree will provide a sheltered space to enjoy a good book. Sanding back the splintered wood took all morning and was back-breaking work, but the results are fantastic. Hopefully some of the Visa reading volunteers will enjoy sitting under it with their reading partners in the warmer months ahead.

A real bonus was the ‘chat zone’ space created, which had been on the school’s wish list for years. Having seen the speed and skill of the group in the morning, the construction of the chat zone was a last-minute addition to the jobs list for the day. One volunteer worked alongside the school Premises Manager to cut the wood to size before securing it in place. This new seating area will create a comfortable place for children to sit and talk at playtime, away from the busier sections of the playground.

Based on their success the Product and Solutions Team are already signed up to help another local school in June half term, but if your community project could benefit from a similar injection of energy, please contact Emily, our Community Programme Manager.