AWE Volunteers Transform Local Schools Through Community Action
AWE colleagues are making a lasting difference in local communities through the company’s school volunteering programme, helping to improve learning environments while inspiring stronger connections between industry and education.
Between August 2025 and August 2026, 81 AWE volunteers dedicated approximately 474 hours of their time to support 10 primary schools across the region. Through hands-on projects ranging from gardening and maintenance to creating new outdoor learning spaces, volunteers have helped schools save an estimated £14,000 in improvement costs.
Investing Time Where It Matters Most
As part of AWE’s commitment to supporting local communities, all colleagues are entitled to up to two days of individual volunteering and one day of team volunteering each year. This dedicated time allows employees to share their skills, energy and expertise with organisations that make a real difference in the communities where they live and work.
Schools have been a key focus area, with volunteer teams helping to enhance outdoor spaces, improve facilities and create engaging environments for pupils to learn, play and explore.
Tadley Primary School: A Community Success Story
One of the most impactful projects took place at Tadley Primary School, where a team of 13 AWE volunteers worked alongside the school’s caretaker to deliver a wide-ranging transformation of the school’s outdoor areas.
Over five days, the team tackled numerous improvement projects across the site. Volunteers carried out weeding, hedge trimming, planting and general maintenance, while also repairing and repainting playground equipment to give it a new lease of life ahead of the academic year.
The team went beyond routine maintenance, creating exciting new learning and play opportunities for pupils. Repurposed pallets and plywood were transformed into bug hotels, outdoor stages and mud kitchens, providing imaginative spaces that encourage creativity, exploration and nature-based learning.
Visible Results Across the School Grounds
The impact of the volunteering effort can be seen throughout the school. Areas previously overgrown with vegetation were cleared and restored, opening up access routes and improving the appearance of outdoor spaces. Fencing was refreshed with bright colours, play areas were revitalised, and neglected corners of the grounds were transformed into welcoming environments for pupils and staff.
The project also demonstrates the value that professional skills can bring to schools. By applying expertise in landscaping, maintenance, decorating and teamwork, the volunteers delivered improvements that would otherwise have represented a significant cost to the school.
Building Stronger Communities
School volunteering is just one example of how AWE colleagues are using their volunteering entitlement to support local organisations and create positive social impact.
Whether improving outdoor learning spaces, maintaining community facilities or supporting educational initiatives, these projects demonstrate the difference that can be achieved when colleagues come together with a shared purpose.
Through the collective efforts of AWE volunteers, schools across the region are benefiting from safer, more attractive and more engaging environments, helping young people to thrive while strengthening the relationship between AWE and the communities it serves.
Volunteering by the Numbers
- 10 primary schools supported
- 81 AWE volunteers involved
- 474 volunteer hours contributed
- £14,000 estimated value delivered to local schools
- 13 volunteers involved in the Tadley Primary School transformation project
The programme continues to showcase the power of volunteering, proving that a few days of dedicated effort can create benefits that will be enjoyed by pupils for years to come.
