The recently completed refurbishment of the Pennymoor Community Centre in Tamworth, Staffordshire – a vibrant home to a thriving preschool nursery and vital community venue – showcases how a local business like Scolmore Group is ambitious to make a lasting positive impact on local communities.
Two local businesses, one shared vision
In partnership with another local business, Ventol, life safety systems and building services specialists, Scolmore Group played a key role in the project by supplying high-performance products from across its trusted brands. This included electrical wiring accessories from Click, consumer unit and protective devices from Elucian, advanced LED and emergency lighting from Ovia, fire protection solutions from ESP and cable accessories from Unicrimp - collectively enhancing the building’s safety, efficiency, and overall performance.
Ventol led the complete delivery of on-site works, managing everything from mechanical and electrical installations to structural upgrades and interior decoration. Their expertise ensured the centre was not only modernised but also brought fully in line with current building and safety regulations. Through close collaboration with Scolmore Group’s products, the project achieved a seamless integration of design, functionality, and compliance.
Lighting Upgrades Powered by Ovia
Lighting was a key focus of the refurbishment, with a full upgrade of the centre’s outdated systems to modern, energy-efficient solutions. A total of 29 advanced LED fittings from Ovia were installed, including the Evo Orb Bulkhead and E-Lite Linear Batten products - providing high-performance, low-energy illumination throughout the facility.
“Ovia lighting solutions provided the centre with safe, efficient, and reliable illumination, creating a space for everyone to enjoy” said Russ McLoughlin, the Contracts Manager for Ventol who was responsible for installing the products.
To enhance safety and ensure emergency readiness, the upgrade also featured Ovia’s emergency lighting solutions. The product selected was the LED box exit signs, guaranteeing clearly lit escape routes and full compliance with safety regulations.
Together, these modern LED and emergency lighting systems deliver reliable, long-lasting performance while significantly improving the centre’s energy efficiency and safety standards.
Electrical Infrastructure Built to Last from Click and Elucian
To modernise the centre’s electrical infrastructure, Click’s Elucian Three Phase distribution board was installed - customised to meet the site's specific power and safety requirements.
Continued Russ: “The Elucian three phase boards offer robust construction, versatile configuration, and full compliance, ensuring ease of installation and enhanced safety for commercial and industrial applications like the Pennymoor Centre”
As part of a comprehensive secondary fix, Ventol utilised wiring accessories from Scolmore Group’s Click Mode range throughout the entire facility. The Click Mode moulded white accessories range is Scolmore’s best-selling range. It features certified antiviral and antibacterial properties, making it ideal for environments used by young children. The upgrade also included the use of Click’s robust, weatherproof Aquip66 range for outdoor areas.
These enhancements not only improved the functionality and safety of the electrical system but also supported the efficient integration of the newly installed equipment throughout the centre.
Fire Safety Complete by ESP
Fire safety was a critical priority throughout the project. Ventol installed a new L1 fire alarm system built around ESP’s MAGDUO range. MAGDUO is a two-wire fire alarm system that reduces installation costs and complexity by allowing both fire detectors and sounders to run on the same pair of wires. It is specifically designed for small to medium-sized premises requiring robust and comprehensive protection. The system provides full-site coverage and advanced alert capabilities, ensuring maximum safety for everyone using the centre.
“The MAGDUO Fire System from ESP was perfect for this project. It’s cost effective, easy to install, and each zone can house multiple devices, offering flexibility throughout the project” concluded Russ McLoughlin.
The installation included a fire alarm control panel, 13 optical smoke detectors, manual call points with protective covers, heat detectors with integrated sounder bases, sounder beacon bases, remote indicators, and a wall-mounted sounder - delivering a reliable, fully integrated solution.
This reliable fire alarm system offers peace of mind for staff, parents, and the wider community, reinforcing the centre’s commitment to safety.
Cable Care from Unicrimp’s Q-Fire and Q-Crimp Ranges
Unicrimp provides an extensive selection of cable accessories designed to maintain the integrity of wiring while enhancing the overall performance and efficiency of electrical systems. For this project, Unicrimp supplied essential components from its trusted Q-Fire and Q-Crimp ranges – including conduit accessories, cable glands, fire safety cable clips, stainless steel cable ties and more – delivering reliable results.
Ventol’s Expertise: Building with Purpose
Ventol successfully delivered the entire scope of on-site works, supported by a highly skilled and experienced in-house team. With expertise spanning four key divisions - Mechanical & Electrical, Fire & Security, Passive Fire Protection, and Building Fabric – Ventol provided a cohesive solution that balanced design, functionality, and regulatory compliance. This included:
Installing a new L1 ESP fire alarm system, ensuring full compliance with the latest safety standards.
Upgrading electrical systems, including a new distribution board and energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the building.
Mechanical improvements such as lowering sinks in the children’s WCs for improved accessibility, integrating new washing appliances, and upgrading toilets in the girls' and baby changing facilities.
Fabric works including new preschool flooring, a suspended ceiling in the office, and internal wall alterations to improve space utilisation.
The project was completed with a full decorative overhaul, adopting a modern, clean colour scheme, followed by a comprehensive builder’s clean ensuring the centre was ready for immediate use.
Community Collaboration
The refurbishment of the Pennymoor Community Centre would not have been possible without the invaluable support of Tamworth’s local community and businesses. A moment of appreciation is due for the generous contributions that made this transformation possible.
In addition to providing high-quality electrical products, Scolmore Group generously donated essential non-electrical items, carefully selected to enrich the daily experience of both preschool children and community members.
In time for opening day, as children and teachers returned after their six-week break, Ventol welcomed them with vibrant balloons and decorations. To make the community centre feel even more special, Scolmore Group’s design team created a brand-new logo and custom signage, adding a fresh, uplifting touch to the space.
Special recognition goes to Martin, owner of M&S Office Interiors, also located in Tamworth, for donating office chairs, desks, and filing cabinets, and to Ventol’s dedicated team of volunteers for their hard work and commitment.
Delivering Real Impact Through Local Partnership
The Pennymoor refurbishment is more than a facilities upgrade - it’s a shining example of how local businesses can come together to deliver high-impact community investment. By combining Ventol’s hands-on project delivery with Scolmore’s trusted product solutions, the project demonstrates how commercial professionalism can serve a community-first mission.
Kara Clarke, the nursery manager, expressed her gratitude, saying: “I’d like to thank Ventol Group and Scolmore Group for the fantastic job they have done on the refurbishment of our building. It’s been transformed into a warm, safe, fresh, modern environment for all the children and the local community. We can’t thank them enough for all their hard work.”
The refurbished Pennymoor Community Centre is now open and fully operational - ready to welcome the next generation of learners and community groups through its doors.
