Warrington VIP won whopping £10k on Absolute Radio competition

Warrington VIP Centre, based on Fairfield Street, scooped Absolute Radio’s grand price of £10,000 on their national competition, The Wickes Fix.

And the money as helped transform the centre into a ‘vibrant’ facility.

The charity runs as a centre for blind and visually impaired people and has been a lifeline for many residents in Warrington – providing a community, comfort and weekly entertainment for its members.

But the centre was in desperate need of a refurbishment to breathe some life back into it.

Luckily, the charity’s deputy CEO Vicky James spotted the competition online and immediately saw it as an opportunity to revitalise the centre, which hadn’t seen a fresh coat of paint in over four years.

The centre was tired-looking and had not been decorated in more than four years (Image: Supplied) Two weeks after submitting the entry, Vicky received an exciting call from Absolute Radio: the VIP Centre had been selected as one of four finalists.

"I was delighted but utterly terrified," she admitted, as the next stage required her to record a voiced clip of the centre’s story and take part in a live radio interview.

For help, she turned to Adrian, the charity’s transport manager, who not only has acting experience but also a fantastic voice.

Adrian enthusiastically stepped in, recording the ad script with flair and sending it to the Absolute Radio team to add their signature bells and whistles.

By Wednesday, Vicky had completed her interview and listened to the final version of the ad. "The Absolute team smashed it," she added. "It was the perfect mix of fun and getting our message across."

The money was put towards renovating the centre at the heart of the charity (Image: Supplied) Suspense reached its peak on Friday when Absolute Radio presenter Dave Berry announced the centre had won live on air.

"I was completely aghast and thrilled," Vicky shared. "This £10,000 will make a massive difference.

“Our VIPs are such a fantastic group—there’s so much laughter and joy here every week. They deserve the very best, and now we can give them just that.”

The transformation began almost immediately as Rachel from the Wains Home Group generously organised a volunteer day to help with the refurbishment.

Last Friday (November 15) the Wains’ maintenance manager, arrived with seven volunteers at 9am ready to work.

Generous volunteers from Wains Home Group helped to refurbish the centre (Image: Supplied) And by 3pm the tired and scuffed walls of the centre were unrecognisable.

The once yellow walls of the communal lunch area were replaced with a sleek grey and sapphire blue, while the toilets now feature a sky blue.

The entrance, which had suffered from damp, was sanded and sealed before being painted a fresh white.

The results have given the centre a vibrant new look, but Vicky and the team aren’t stopping there.

"There’s still plenty on the to-do list," Vicky said. "Next up is painting the office and doors, redesigning our limited storage space, and continuing to enhance the centre for both the VIPs and the wider community."

She continued: “A huge thank you to Absolute Radio, Wickes, and everyone who helped make this possible. This is just the beginning."

The finished look (Image: Supplied)