Hatherleigh-based community organisation Made-Well and St Austell dance club Studio 4 Dance have been voted as winners of RGB Building Supplies’ Surprise Supplies initiative and now have £1,000 each to spend at their local RGB branches.

RGB invited organisations from across the region that had supported people in their community throughout the pandemic to get in touch and explain how a donation of materials would help.

Made-Well is a not-for-profit organisation that provides a range of purposeful and positive day opportunities for people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health issues. Throughout the pandemic, Made-Well continued to provide its services to ensure those it supports did not suffer, and also expanded its offering by delivering meals to those in the local area who were isolating.

The organisation is currently creating a new woodwork area where those it supports will be able to learn skills and make items, and the £1,000 will be used to purchase building supplies for this area.

Laura Feaver from Made-Well, commented:

“We’re thrilled to have been voted as a Surprise Supplies winner. We are always looking at ways we can enhance our facilities for the benefit of our users, so thank you to RGB for the fantastic donation – it will really help us to develop our new woodworking area. Also, a massive thank you to everyone in the community who supported us by voting; we are extremely grateful.”

Studio 4 Dance works with over 100 children and families in St Austell to provide dance lessons and youth support. Throughout the pandemic the group moved their provision to online and increased the amount of lessons so members could still enjoy dancing. In addition, the dance group enhanced its offering by providing health and well-being sessions, working with a dedicated youth worker to help young people who were struggling with their mental health, and putting on family fun sessions with virtual pub quizzes and murder mystery puzzles.

The dance group is currently renovating three former retail units in St Austell town centre which will become its new base and enable it to offer dance and well-being sessions to more young people. By offering the space out to other local groups, Studio 4 Dance hopes it will become a hub for community activities and also help to increase footfall into the town centre.

The group will be using the £1,000 to help with the renovation.

Alice Walker, Creative Director and Founder of Studio 4 Dance, said:

“This new creative space will create so many further accessible opportunities for young people and families in our community. It will be a place to call home, a safe space for young people and our community and a place for us to dream. With our own space the opportunities are endless. We are very grateful for the Support we have had so far and looking forward to the journey ahead.”

Paul Lethbridge, Branch Manager at RGB Hatherleigh, visited Made-Well to learn more about their plans and Peter Derry from RGB Bodmin met members from Studio 4 Dance.

Paul commented:

“These are exactly the types of projects that we want to help with Surprise Supplies. Made-Well does so much to support people in the area and it was great to visit to find out more about their plans. We look forward to helping with materials and ensuring their £1,000 goes as far as possible. I can’t wait to return to see what they create.”

Peter added:

“Studio 4 Dance already does so much to support their members, but with the new hub so many more people in St Austell will be able to benefit. Congratulations to both winners and we wish them good luck with both projects.”