A BOURNEMOUTH charity is lighter and brighter, thanks to a DIY SOS style makeover.

The Crumbs Project, which is based in Hibberd Way and offers work experience and opportunities for vulnerable people, including those with learning disabilities and stabilised addiction problems, benefited from the initiative by Marks and Spencer's.

The project was part of the retail giant's Community Engagement programme, where employees volunteer their time to ‘do something good’ in their local community. This was supported by a £500 donation to help fund the work.

The Bournemouth charity was selected as the chosen project and around a dozen M&S volunteers picked up their paintbrushes to decorate Crumbs’ training room. The team painted scenes of a growing oak tree around the room to symbolise Crumbs’ journey and acknowledge its later founder Anne Gardener, whose familiar saying was ‘from small acorns grow mighty oaks’.

Crumbs trainees contributed to the redecoration by making hand-markings on the wall to resemble oak leaves, while local signage company, Elite Signs created a series of wall decals depicting key points in the charities history.

The newly renovated training room will be officially reopened later this summer as the Anne Gardener Suite,. which will host a variety of events and workshops for the charity's staff and trainees, and is also available for hire, along with a variety of catering options.

Operations manager of The Crumbs Project, Leanne Miller said: “We were thrilled to have been chosen by our friends at Marks & Spencer and have the opportunity to benefit from this exciting initiative. The result has been wonderful, our training room is now a bright and airy space, ideal for welcoming our visitors and trainees.”