A popular community centre for military families at RNAS Culdrose has had a makeover thanks to funding from VIVO Defence Services and volunteers giving it a paint job.
The Culdrose Community Centre, which is next to housing at the Cornish base, provides a much-loved space for hundreds of families a month for a range of fun activities and playgroups.
But it had become a bit tired through wear and tear over the years and needed a bit of TLC – and a good lick of paint.
VIVO Defence Services Repairs Liaison Officer Sam Wimsett talked to the Royal Navy Family Personal Support (RNFPS) officers who run the centre near Helston then made a bid for funding to her company’s social value fund.
VIVO was happy to donate the money and Sam set about organising a volunteering day to get the job done – attended by VIVO workers, workers from partner organisation Pinnacle, the RFNPS and military families.
A video of how the day went was filmed showing how everyone mucked in together to spruce up the centre.
Sam, who is one of six Repairs Liaison Officers for VIVO across southern England, works with families to help them when they have repair issues with their Service Family Accommodation (SFA).
In addition, Sam, whose husband is in the navy and based at HMS Drake, at Devonport, near Plymouth, is also tasked with building links with local communities and helping out with activities – something she relishes.
She said: “As a military spouse, I live within the community and it is great to be able to do this job to help military families.
“Whether it is helping as they have maintenance issues with their Service Family Accommodation homes, which VIVO look after, or arranging great events like this one in Culdrose, it is really satisfying to help.
“The naval community centre is one of three I have arranged for funding to spruce up across Devon and Cornwall, and everyone fully enjoyed the day. It was lovely to see the children’s faces when they saw the transformation to their centre where they have so many play time sessions.”
Cathy Sherlock, a Royal Navy Family Personal Support officers who works at the centre, added: “VIVO has been absolutely brilliant, they have come in and they’ve engaged with the community. They’ve got to know the community members, but also our staff teams so they’ve actually made it so they’re really approachable here. The Vivo team have a great relationship within the centre with the RN FPS team.”
VIVO Defence services first started looking after military family homes – known as Service Family Accommodation – in 2022, taking on the southwest and southeast regions of England on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, which is part of the Ministry of Defence.
Since then, they have invested heavily in resources and people on the ground to bring about improvement to the service in place and, while they know there is more to do, they are committed to this.
The Repairs Liaison Officers were introduced to the service by VIVO and military families living in SFA can contact them about housing repair issues or tun up to speak to them at the monthly local drop-in clinics they hold, including at Culdrose. They also work on reaching out to the community to support them.
Jerry Moloney, Managing Director of VIVO Defence Services, said: “It looks like everyone had a great day volunteering to spruce up Culdrose Community Centre.
“We are committed to work with local military families where we provide maintenance services to their Service Family Accommodation homes.
“Introducing Repair Liaison Officers to the service was an important step as it brings in a named individual that families can relate to on a local level, and it is part of our ongoing intention to invest in and bring improvements to the accommodation service since we took it over.”
