Schools benefit from AXA move

AXA Insurance is set to move 450 staff from two offices in Nelson Square and Bradshawgate to new, purpose-built office accommodation at Parklands near Middlebrook, over the Easter weekend.

The new office complex comes complete with brand new office furniture and hi-tech equipment.

But thanks to AXA's membership of the Adopt a School scheme, a large percentage of the old furniture and office supplies will find a new home at Westhoughton High School and Smithills school.

The scheme, which was pioneered by the Bolton and Bury Education and Business Partnership, brings education and business together by partnering schools and firms.

Staff do community work with the schools, and pupils get to experience the corporate world and how it works.

Gary Cuthbertson, AXA's training and development officer, said: "We joined the scheme about four years ago, and we were initially partnered with Westhoughton High, and since then we have done numerous projects such as work experience placements, mock interview techniques with their pupils, as well as doing their garden.

"There are things here like desks, chairs, overhead projectors, stationery, shelving and other supplies.

"Because we are having new furniture, we have to dispose of the majority of the stuff here. Some will go to our other offices, but we wanted to avoid putting too much into a skip, which is where it would have ended up.

"This ties in perfectly with the Adopt a School scheme, as well as sticking with AXA's global philosophy of being environmentally responsible."

Staff from the two schools were invited to a tour' of the offices, where they could take their pick of the equipment on offer.

Mr Cuthbertson added: "We are going to relaunch our Adopt a School scheme internally in May, because we have taken on a lot of new staff and we are always looking for new people to get involved.

"It has been very successful so far, and we hope it continues for a long time to come."