CRICKLEWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL WINS £5,000 LEYLAND MAKEOVER AFTER COMMUNITY VOTE

The initiative, now going into its fourth year, invites schools across London to nominate themselves for a chance to improve their facilities. The 2025 competition attracted hundreds of nominations and more than 13,000 votes.  Anson Primary School received the highest number of votes – just under 3,000 – highlighting the strong support it enjoys from its community.

Two additional schools were also recognised in the competition: South London’s La Retraite Roman Catholic School for Girls and North London’s Brunswick Park Primary School were named runners-up, each receiving £2,500 to spend on Leyland products to support improvements to their learning environments.

Leyland has long been part of the fabric of London’s neighbourhoods, helping generations of tradespeople, homeowners and community groups keep the capital’s homes, schools and local spaces looking their best. With 36 stores across the city, the company supplies decorating materials to professionals and DIY customers alike, while supporting local initiatives that bring communities together – including its annual charitable Big School Makeover competition.

CEO of Leyland, Martin Hastings,said the company takes particular pride in supporting the communities in which it operates and working with local schools; “Community engagement is a huge part of Leyland's ethos.  We operate throughout London and like to think of ourselves as a pillar of every community, so nothing pleases me more than getting involved with local schools and making sure we're doing what we can to give young people the best opportunities in life.”

He added that the company hopes the project will help give the school a refreshed environment for its pupils, helping create inspired spaces for learning and “providing the best facilities for the next generation coming through.”

Anson Primary School first discovered the competition through social media and quickly recognised the opportunity it presented to connect with the wider community. Headteacher Simon Pile said entering felt like a natural way to both promote the school and bring people together.