Staff from Barclays Bank headquarters in Canary Wharf have been busy helping spring clean the famous Half Moon theatre in London’s East End.

They volunteered to spend a day to clean the seating and paint the floor at the theatre in Limehouse, following the end of the winter season.

The work was part of an East London Business Alliance project aimed at bringing “positive change” in Docklands and the East End by connecting the public with commercial business and voluntary sectors.

“Worthwile projects for community groups in east London often lack the resources to undertake revamp projects,” the Business Alliance’s Emrana Akthar said. “So it’s great to work with companies in Canary Wharf to support them.”

Members of the bank volunteering team were glad to get stuck into the project for the theatre they said has done so much for the people of the East End.

Team-member Alun Jones said: “It was a great project to be involved with this grand, historic building being restored. It hosts a theatre that supports the community.”

Half Moon’s director Chris Elwell was over the moon with the volunteers. He said: “The team gave up a day in the office to undertake this essential work.”

The partnership with the bank, he added, would never have come about without the Business Alliance.