Joshua Charles, now Assistant Building Manager, wanted to enhance mental health support at The Netherhall School in Cambridge by creating a dedicated, calm space where students and staff could unwind. Inspired by the success of the ‘ShedSpace for Headspace’ project, delivered last year by Willmott Dixon management trainees at the Grange Academy in Bedford, Joshua created an enclosed outdoor cabin within the school grounds designed as a retreat for both students and staff.
The project was part of the Willmott Dixon Trainee Challenge, where trainees receive £500 seed funding to lead a community project aligned with the company’s Now or Never sustainability strategy.
“Mental health is paramount in today’s society,” said Joshua. “All organisations, big or small, should have a place where individuals can take a break.”
Choosing The Netherhall School, where Willmott Dixon completed two teaching blocks 14 years ago, provided a reconnection with the school and a meaningful continuation of our legacy. The result is a new well-being cabin provides a peaceful environment within the school grounds, offering a safe space for both students and staff to recharge. The cabin overlooks fields designated as being of scientific importance, rich with local wildlife such as muntjaks and owls. The serene view was incorporated to create a calming atmosphere where students and staff can relax and take a break from the stresses of the day.
To make it happen, Joshua secured donations of materials and labour from key supply chain partners, and enlisted the help of 16 volunteers from Willmott Dixon, coming together over five days to build, paint, and furnish the cabin.
“This was a great way to bond our team, all working towards the same goal of completing the project for the school,” Joshua reflects.
“The students and staff of The Netherhall School will benefit greatly from my project as it was created to allow a calming environment within the school grounds. The project has left a big impression on the school and I’m hoping that the ‘ShedSpace for HeadSpace’ can continue onto many more projects in the future.”
The completed calm 'shedspace' at The Netherhall School in Cambridge.
