Management trainee Josh Jennings, led a project to provide pro-bono construction consultancy to local charities, including Disability Croydon and Mind.
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.
Disability Croydon
Originally, the project had intended to help local charity Disability Croydon with the refurbishment of the meeting spaces they offer to multiple diverse groups in the community. But on closer inspection the charity’s building was found to be in extremely poor condition, with structural issues and water ingress, presenting significant safety challenges.
Realising that the work required went beyond the charity’s financial means, Josh and the team shifted focus. Instead of walking away, they provided Disability Croydon with a comprehensive cost plan, building condition reports, and surveys to help them apply for funding. The aim was to offer long-term solutions to help these organisations apply for funding for crucial repairs and improvements. This effort was bolstered by contributions from supply chain partners like Osborne, Bancroft, and Spectra. The cost plan included fire strategy compliance, surveys, and a structural assessment, ensuring the charity had the necessary resources to pursue the grants necessary for extensive repairs.
To support these efforts, the team also raised £8,000 through fundraising to cover additional building surveys and to help Disability Croydon continue purchasing essential resources, such as laptops and gym equipment.
Mind
Josh’s Trainee Challenge also supported mental health charity Mind by providing pro-bono support to help reach their goal of becoming net zero by 2050. Working with environmental managers, the team shared aspects from Willmott Dixon’s industry leading approach to sustainability as a template. We helped Mind identify ways they could adapt and change their current operations, identifying overlaps in operational processes including the use of hired office spaces, choice of supply chain, waste awareness, habits of employees, tracking company performance and many more.
The team collaborated with Willmott Dixon’s environmental managers to provide practical, low-cost solutions. These included energy-saving checklists, reducing single-use plastics, and promoting sustainable commuting options.
This partnership not only helped Mind move towards their environmental goals, but also raised awareness of the mental health challenges within the construction industry. Through this engagement, the team learned the importance of addressing mental health issues with the same urgency as physical health and safety on construction sites.
The 2024 Trainee Challenge demonstrated how Willmott Dixon can support charities beyond just construction work. By offering consultancy and helping organisations apply for funding, the team enabled both Mind and Disability Croydon to continue making a meaningful difference in their communities.
Collectively, the trainees raised over £13,750 in surveys and services from supply chain partners and £8,000 in donations, spending over 500 hours on the project.
