Families set to receive essential household appliances thanks to our construction partner
Local families will receive essential household appliances thanks to a donation by our construction partner at Chester Bridge in Ash.
White goods, including fridge freezers and microwaves, were donated by VolkerFitzpatrick. The appliances were used in site cabins during development of the bridge, and will now find a new home with local families.
Cllr Carla Morson, Lead Councillor for Community Services, says:
"This fantastic donation by VolkerFitzpatrick will help local families who may struggle to afford these essential household items. We're grateful to the team for working with us to support those residents who are particularly impacted by the cost of living."
Our Community Wellbeing Team will distribute the donated white goods to individuals and families referred to them for support.
The donation of white goods is part of the social value contribution VolkerFitzpatrick has made to residents in Ash and the wider borough.
Chioma Fanawopo, Social Value and Stakeholder Manager at VolkerFitzpatrick, explains:
"As the Social Value Manager for the Chester Bridge project, I'm proud to share the significant contributions we've made to the Ash community over the past 18 months. Collectively, these efforts have amounted to a social value contribution of £13million - just over £5million of this went to the local community. We're delighted to have made a positive impact and legacy to the residents of Ash."
In addition to the donation of white goods, the VolkerFitzpatrick team and their partners:
organised Christmas toy drives, provided Christmas trees, made Easter donations and contributed to fundraising for a local scout hut
participated in career fairs to inspire young people to consider careers in construction and engineering
hosted three students for work experience placements on the build site
joined local charity SATRO to sponsor Construction Fest for schoolchildren
volunteered a total of 198 hours of student engagement
contributed £15,000 to fund a youth worker for a year, supporting the reopening of the local youth club and providing young people with a safe space
employed a local workforce and collaborated with small and medium sized businesses in Guildford and the wider Surrey area
invited residents and schoolchildren to the bridge site to learn more about the project
involved residents in naming the bridge, resulting in the selection of Chester Bridge
provided Ash and District Local History Museum Society with a historical record of the project, including aerial photography
kept local councillors and residents informed through monthly newsletters and forums.
Cllr Tom Hunt, Deputy Leader and Lead Councillor for Regeneration, says:
"Thanks to the hard work of VolkerFitzpatrick and our other construction partners, Chester Bridge is now open to all traffic, and we have completed Phase 5 of this important infrastructure project for Ash."
You can find out more information our Community Wellbeing Team.
You can also read more about the Chester Bridge project.
Published on 25 April 2025.