Northumberland Send School To Benefit From Community Partnership With Akzonobel

An innovative partnership with a decorative paints and coatings manufacturer is set to breathe life and colour into a Northumberlandbased school for children with learning disabilities and special educational needs.

AkzoNobel Ashington has announced its new community partner of the year for 2019 as Castle School in North Seaton, which supports children aged 3-19 years who have severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties.

AkzoNobel, which is best known for its household brands, Dulux, Cuprinol and Polycell, was first introduced to the school through a community project which saw the business donate paint towards developing a new sensory garden. After learning more about the school and its provision, employees at the £100 million manufacturing unit were so inspired, they voted unanimously to support it with a number of volunteer-led projects and activities throughout the year.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be working alongside Castle School. The staff at the school do a wonderful job, day in, day out to support the children and we’re excited to be able to support them with their vision to improve the school’s facilities, said Jeff Hope, head of manufacturing unit at AkzoNobel Ashington.

“The team at AkzoNobel are already off to a flying start, making the most of the first few school holidays of the year to rejuvenate various indoor and outdoor spaces around the school for the students to enjoy.

“Next on the agenda is for the 150-strong volunteering workforce to work alongside the staff and students to get involved in some garden maintenance work and create interactive outdoor areas to inspire the children to learn and play, as well as brighten up some of the classrooms.”

Sara Wild, principal at Castle School, commented: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to AkzoNobel Ashington for choosing Castle School to be its community partner for 2019. “The pupils that we support have a profound range of different learning difficulties so the work that we do to support them through their education is absolutely vital. “Everyone at the school, staff and pupils, are all very excited about the partnership project with AkzoNobel. The development work for our outdoor areas in particular is going to be absolutely fantastic.”