PPG’s Paint for a New Start Initiative Beautifies UK Primary School

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PPG announced that it has completed a transformative makeover at the St. Patrick's Primary Academy primary school in Birstall, UK through its global New Paint for a New Start initiative, part of the company’s COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® program. The project brought together more than 50 PPG employee volunteers along with volunteers from painting firm Bell Group, who together spent five days beautifying six classrooms and the school’s playground areas.

PPG provided 80 gallons (300 liters) of JOHNSTONE’S TRADE™ paint by PPG to support the redecoration, including Johnstone’s Trade Vinyl Matt Covaplus and Johnstone’s Trade Quick Dry Opaque Wood Finish. PPG also collaborated with the community arts group We Belong Here, commissioning a mural that captured the importance of student well-being, inspired by workshops with a student support group called the “Smile Squad.”

St. Patrick's Primary Academy provides education to children aged 3 to 11 and has been an integral part of the local community for over 145 years. The New Paint for a New Start project aimed to refurbish the school to create a colorful and beautiful space for its more than 270 students and educators with a palette of pastel tones chosen by PPG color experts. Volunteers also planted herbs and flowers in the school’s garden.

“We are grateful to PPG for its invaluable support through Colorful Communities. This partnership has enabled us to create enriching work and play spaces, fostering collaboration and learning among our students,” said Clare Moulding, Headteacher, St Patrick’s Primary Academy.

In the second year of New Paint for a New Start, PPG employees around the world are volunteering their time throughout the months of June, July and August to transform more than 25 schools. Using PPG paint products and color expertise, each project aims to create engaging spaces for students to learn and grow.

“We are thrilled to contribute to this collaborative project, which adds a touch of beauty to the classrooms and playground areas cherished by local students and teachers,” said Megan Esmond, PPG Marketing Director, Architectural Coatings, EMEA, UK & Ireland. “This project is a wonderful representation of PPG’s purpose to protect and beautify the world, breathing new life into the surroundings and providing an improved learning environment.”

The Colorful Communities program, PPG’s signature initiative for supporting communities, aims to protect and beautify the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world, including Birstall, where PPG’s Architectural Coatings business has a production facility. Since 2015, PPG has completed more than 470 Colorful Communities projects, impacting more than 8.2 million people in 50 countries.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested $16.2 million in 2022, supporting hundreds of organizations across more than 35 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today’s skilled workforce and develop tomorrow’s innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at communities.ppg.com.