Rolling up our sleeves: PLATFORM_ staff volunteers at Essendine Primary School

Last week, the PLATFORM_ head office team swapped laptops and spreadsheets for paintbrushes and rollers. As part of our Nurturing Neighbourhoods initiative, 23 members of staff from across the business took part in the Marble Arch BID Community Programme to help refresh Essendine Primary School in Westminster.

Housed in a beautiful Victorian building, the school faces the challenge of maintaining its large site due to limited government funding. Our volunteers rolled up their sleeves to give the corridors, assembly halls, and toilet blocks a much-needed facelift – sanding, repainting, and brightening the walls and skirting boards to create a more welcoming space for students and teachers returning from half-term. What were once tired corridors had become clean, bright, and inviting spaces.

At PLATFORM_, we believe that creating a desirable and healthy place to live means supporting not only our residents but also the wider neighbourhood. This day at Essendine Primary is one example of how we put that belief into action.

Jean-Marc Vandevivere, CEO at PLATFORM_, says, "Our staff’s dedication to projects like Essendine Primary School shows that our Nurturing Neighbourhoods initiative isn’t just words, it’s action. The team’s willingness to get hands-on and make a tangible difference highlights the values that drive PLATFORM every day._"

The Essendine Primary School volunteering day is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our Nurturing Neighbourhoods initiatives. Across our developments, on-site teams regularly engage residents and local communities through a year-round calendar of events and activities.

Earlier in the month, our on-site teams in Cardiff, Sheffield and Glasgow hosted fundraising events supporting local branches of Mind in Sheffield and Cardiff and Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), their Scottish counterpart in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Cardiff residents joined a Halloween Pub Quiz fundraiser, while Sheffield residents enjoyed a social evening of games, food, and connection – all raising funds to support Mind’s important work in increasing mental health awareness in their local areas.

To mark World Mental Health Day in Glasgow, PLATFORM_ hosted a special series of events. Residents enjoyed a morning meditation, accessed helpful wellbeing resources, and took part in a raffle to raise funds for SAMH.

Nurturing Neighbourhoods is at the heart of how PLATFORM_ brings communities together. By partnering with organisations such as Marble Arch BID, Sheffield Mind, Cardiff Mind and SAMH, we’re creating opportunities for staff and residents to give back, get involved, and feel a stronger sense of connection. Moving forward, we’ll keep supporting local partners and charities, hosting community events, and raising funds for causes that truly make a difference.