Volunteers breathe new life into Pallion church

A community church in Sunderland has been upgraded to better support local residents following a volunteer-led refurbishment.

St Luke’s Church in Pallion has benefited from improvements to its kitchen and public toilet, carried out by a team from PHS Solutions, who donated time and materials to enhance the facilities.

The works have made the space more accessible and functional, helping the church continue to host activities including youth sessions, events and social gatherings.

Lian Maltas, centre manager, said: “I would like to say a massive thank you to PHS. 

“Our facilities have been given a fresh look with important upgrades that will help people of all ages in our community. 

“Our venue is a lifeline for elderly persons in the Pallion area and these new facilities will assist us in providing a safe and accessible space for all. 

“We run a Men's group, a lunch club, exercise classes, yoga and more. 

“These activities help the community to become happier and healthier in themselves. 

“We are very grateful to Lisa, Aidan, Alex, and Declan for their dedication and hard work to help St Luke’s; thank you again!”

Delivered as part of PHS Solutions’ social value commitments, the project aligns with its ongoing contract with housing provider Gentoo, where it is undertaking refurbishment works in homes across Sunderland.

The company partnered with Sunderland Voluntary Sector Alliance (SVSA) to identify organisations in need of support, with St Luke’s selected due to its role in the local community.

Upgrades included redecorating the kitchen, installing a new hob and fittings, and refurbishing the downstairs toilet with new fixtures and flooring.

Lisa Coverdale, head of customer experience at PHS Solutions, added: “When we found out that St. Luke’s needed some refurbishment works undertaken, we didn’t hesitate to get involved.

“We are currently working in Sunderland with client Gentoo and recognise that our responsibility goes beyond compliance and contract delivery.

“We are committed to investing in the local communities where we operate and volunteering is a way of giving back. 

“It also provides our employees opportunities to apply their technical skills but working together with the church and the local community, it created a strong sense of shared purpose. 

“Spending time within a local community gave our teams a deeper insight into the people and organisations that sit at the heart of Gentoo neighbourhoods. 

“We are pleased to have been able to support such a worthwhile community project.”

Marie Wisson, community and corporate volunteering coordinator at SVSA, added: “We are delighted to have been able to match and introduce PHS Solutions and St. Lukes. 

“Pallion is an area where support is not merely beneficial but vital. 

“Seemingly small, targeted interventions such as this are capable of significantly improving community resilience, quality of life and long‑term options for residents. 

“It has also taken away a big and stressful problem for the venue manager – time that she would have spent on fixing problems, researching options and applying for funding for the improvements, can now be spent on other valuable areas of work that support the building and its beneficiaries. 

“It shows how much difference a company like PHS can make through their corporate social responsibility programme.”

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