Dinnington-based wall, floor and tiling experts, A Cumberlidge, have helped to turn an unused building given to Dinnington High School by Rotherham Borough Council into a multi-purpose learning centre for pupils and local people.
The building, located in Dinnington was in a state of disrepair when teacher, Alison Clarke, first visited the site last spring. Alison, however, saw its potential as an educational and community hub and approached Tim Vaughan, financial director at A Cumberlidge, to help with its transformation.
Explains Alison: “The roof had been leaking for a few years so the beautiful herringbone wood floor was really damp and unfortunately beyond repair.
“A number of our pupils have taken apprenticeships at A Cumberlidge so we thought it would be a great idea if they could work on the project and put the skills they’re learning into practice.
“We had a lot of other work to do in the building so Jack Walker and Adam Curtis, two of Tim’s current apprentices and former Dinnington High School pupils, stripped out the old floor, prepared the area and screeded it so it was safe for people to work on – that was a huge help in getting the six month project off the ground.”
Adds Tim Vaughan: ”Once the roof was repaired, Jack and Adam laid a brand new covering of Polyflor FX wood sheet. The building now has a serviceable, hard-wearing and easy to maintain floor which is totally fit for purpose.”
Concludes Alison: “Both Jack and Adam did a superb job and we were delighted to have them back on site for a few days. It’s great to see how much they’ve learnt so far from the team at A Cumberlidge – they’re a credit to the school and themselves. They helped us to transform the premises into a place that can be used by a wide variety people including our own pupils and the local Weight Watchers group.”
