Staff from the University gave up their day jobs on Tuesday 18 September to volunteer to paint the playground and extend the organic allotment at Kingsweston Special School in Shirehampton, Bristol.

The team of 30 from the Academic Registry exchanged their business suits for paper ones for a day to paint a ‘throwing game’ area, an educational and fun hopscotch area and an educational alphabet ‘jumping game’. They also weeded and tidied up the playground. 

Staff then pulled on their wellies and got dug into the organic allotment in the school grounds. The overgrown allotment was tamed, extended and formal wooden edging added. 

David Capel, the head teacher of Kingsweston Special School, said: 'We’re delighted to have our friends from the University of Bristol joining us and are extremely grateful to them and to Business in the Community for the time and resources that they devoted to us.'

The Bristol team, who last year volunteered at Horfield Primary School, would like to thank the Bristol Cares project run by Business in the Community for training and support; Philip Beveridge, business manager, and David Capel, head teacher, at Kingsweston School for allowing them to help the school; and local building company NEB for donating the stylish paper suits.