Leyland, the London-based decorating and DIY retailer, is preparing for the next stage of its flagship community campaign, Big School Makeover, which gives schools across the capital the chance to win a share of a £10,000 makeover prize fund.

Now in its fourth year, the annual competition will see three schools receive prizes to help transform their learning environments. The winning school will receive £5,000 to spend at Leyland, while two runners-up will each receive £2,500.

Following the close of nominations on 30 September, the campaign is moving towards its public vote, which is scheduled to open on Monday 19 October and close on Sunday 15 November. The school receiving the most votes will be crowned the 2026 winner.

For Leyland, the campaign is about more than decorating and improving school buildings. It provides an opportunity to support the communities surrounding its London stores and bring pupils, parents and local residents together behind their local schools.

Martin Hastings, CEO of Leyland, said: “Community engagement is a huge part of Leyland’s ethos. We’re proud to be part of communities across London, and the Big School Makeover gives us a brilliant opportunity to support local schools while bringing people together behind something that can have a genuine, lasting impact.

“We’ve seen first-hand how much these prizes can mean to schools, and we’re looking forward to seeing the creativity and community spirit behind this year’s nominations.”

Last year’s competition demonstrated the impact the initiative can have. Anson Primary School in Cricklewood was crowned the 2025 winner after receiving just under 3,000 votes, with more than 13,000 votes cast overall. The school received £5,000 worth of Leyland products to help address maintenance challenges associated with its ageing buildings, while supporting plans to develop sustainability-focused learning opportunities.

Headteacher Simon Pile described the competition as “a fantastic way of promoting the school and engaging with the community”, adding that the funding and support from Leyland helped the school focus its budget on teaching and learning.

South London’s La Retraite Roman Catholic School for Girls and North London’s Brunswick Park Primary School were also named runners-up, each receiving £2,500 to spend at Leyland.

With 36 stores across London, Leyland supplies decorating and DIY products to tradespeople, homeowners and community groups. Through initiatives such as the Big School Makeover, the company continues to invest in the people and places that make up the communities it serves.