B&Q mark the launch of 2025 Community Days programme with biggest project yet

To mark the launch of its third annual Community Days Programme, B&Q has partnered with housing charity, Fledge, in one of its biggest colleague volunteering projects yet to fully transform a home for three young adults who have experienced homelessness.

The B&Q Community Days programme is an annual, nationwide volunteering initiative where store colleagues provide DIY support to local charities by transforming spaces for people in need. Now in its third year, the programme has helped more than 585,739 people, with 3350 B&Q colleagues having completed 486 Community Days projects in aid of charities that are local to B&Q stores (in 2023-2024). The latest project will take this a step further and fully leverage the immense potential of B&Q’s resources and the expertise of its colleagues.

This year, to mark the launch of the programme, over 50 colleagues from B&Q’s head office took part in the home renovation to transform a home for three young adults who have experienced homelessness. The entire project was funded by B&Q and covered everything from a brand-new kitchen and bathroom to fresh paint, plants, and garden supplies.

Fledge provides wrap-around assistance for 18–35-year-olds – from teaching daily living skills to supporting residents with mental health needs and providing a mentorship programme. The transformation of this space will ensure a safe and welcoming place to live for its new residents.

While B&Q supports communities all through the year with fundraising and product donations, it gives an extra push in September through its Community Days programme, donating 23,450 hours in total to give nearly 586,000 people a better space (2023 and 2024). Previous projects have included donating and refreshing the outdoor areas of a palliative care hospital and a women’s shelter, and redecorating care and wellbeing centres in Locks Heath and New Milton.

Commenting on the project, Jo Curtis, Community Manager at B&Q said: “Our Community Days programme is an important one for B&Q in supporting local communities and giving colleagues across our business the opportunity to help improve a space for a charity local to their store.

It’s been great to launch this year’s programme of activity, which will involve colleagues across over 300 stores and at our head office supporting a charity local to them, by starting with this huge project to support Fledge – a charity local to our head office. Our colleagues have loved getting involved and have brought their expertise, alongside product donations, to make a big and lasting impact on a group of young people’s lives.”

Nerissa Dean, CEO of Fledge said: “We are delighted by the support from B&Q, which has enabled us to refurbish a new home for the young adults we serve. This project has not only completed the refurbishment work themselves, but also ensured the property is fully equipped with everything our residents might need. This new space will provide safety, stability and most importantly, a place for the residents to truly call their own. For many of the young people we support, it will be the first time they have experienced such security.

Thanks to this generous and practical support, we can now provide another home for more young adults, sooner. It also frees up valuable time and resources for our staff to focus on what matters most: helping each young person take meaningful steps towards independence, confidence and fulfilling lives.”