AkzoNobel has unveiled the vibrant transformation delivered through its Dulux Let’s Colour initiative in partnership with Viva Slough and Slough Borough Council that will see a number of Slough’s underused community centres revitalised through the power of paint and colour.
The Langley project was fully funded by Dulux, including donations of all paint and equipment, with additional support from AkzoNobel’s corporate volunteer programme as part of its wider social commitments. Slough was chosen due to AkzoNobel’s longstanding connection to the town, as the birthplace of one of the UK’s most trusted brands, with Dulux’s launch in 1931 and home to the company’s UK headquarters.
Transforming communities through colour
The first of these projects is Langley Pavilion Community Centre, with the new and improved centre being unveiled this week on December 9, 2025. This marks the first milestone in the new long-term partnership.
This partnership is the latest to form part of Dulux’s Let’s Colour initiative, which continues the brand’s mission to bring communities together through paint by working closely with partner organisations across the globe. Viva Slough is a community hub supporting the mental, physical and economic wellbeing of residents in Slough. Together, they share the same vision of positively impacting communities.
Spaces such as Langley Pavilion sit at the heart of many communities and represent a safe place to come together, learn, and connect. In fact, nearly half of young people say access to recreational and leisure activities would improve their day-today lives, with a quarter wanting to see more community events[1]. Despite this, spending on community centres has seen a 39% cut over recent years since 2010-11[2], leading to closures including more than two thirds of council-run youth centres in the same period[3]. That’s why projects such as these are so important to provide much needed support during times of low funding, making centres a place of local pride that are welcoming and fit for purpose.
With Langley Pavilion now complete, the partnership will turn its focus to the remaining community centres across Slough. By introducing brighter and more uplifting environments, Dulux and Viva Slough aim to boost social engagement, support the continuation and development of local activity programmes, and secure the long-term future of these centres as vital hubs for residents of all ages.
Tan Dhesi, MP for Slough comments: “It is fantastic to see local company Dulux working closely with local organisation, Viva Slough, and the council. Community centres such as Langley Pavilion are vital to their surrounding residents and, by breathing new life into the space, they now perfectly represent Slough’s values. AkzoNobel and Dulux continue to lead the way as a responsible business, and I look forward to seeing the next transformations undertaken.”
Over 50 Dulux, Viva Slough members, and local resident volunteers joined forces to transform the Langley Pavilion. Using vibrant colours and geometric designs that bring new energy to the entrance, corridors and halls, the team delivered a much-needed, full refresh to the space that will improve navigation and give each area a fresh, modern feel – creating a brighter, more welcoming and accessible hub for the community.
Vineet Vijh, Director of Viva Slough, comments: “Slough’s community centres are one of the town’s greatest untapped assets. By filling them with colour, art, and life, we are creating places where people feel proud to visit – spaces that uplift wellbeing, bring neighbours together, and strengthen the social fabric of our town.”
What’s more, a bespoke community mural was created by artist Johana Plazas (Jho – please tag her handle) featuring a young Slough girl, a swirling rainbow, a cosmic planet and the iconic Dulux dog. This celebrates local identity and supports Viva Slough’s mission to provide inspiring, inclusive spaces that foster both community pride and wellbeing, whilst reflecting Slough’s history as home to the world’s first Dulux plant.
Jho said on the day: “There’s so much history around our town and we need to embrace what makes it unique by continuing to work for our community and feel proud of it. The mural encapsulates what Langley Pavilion represents: belonging, imagination, development and the future – and lots of colour!”
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-youth-strategy-research-project/national-youth-strategy-research-project-young-persons-report
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/29/how-a-decade-of-austerity-has-squeezed-council-budgets-in-england
[3] https://www.unison.org.uk/news/2024/06/closure-of-more-than-a-thousand-youth-centres-could-have-lasting-impact-on-society
