Latest news with #BandOfBuilders
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Selby family 'humbled' as Band of Builders fixes roof to help Ben
The family of a young boy with a serious illness have thanked the volunteers who carried out crucial repairs to their home in their hour of and Alison's son Ben was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia in 2022 when he was just who was trying to renovate the family's "forever home" in Selby, North Yorkshire, became overwhelmed by the prospect of trying to fix the property's leaky roof, which posed a serious health risk to with the help of the charity Band of Builders, 12 roofers from across the country rode to the rescue and completed the job for no fee in just three days. The organisation offers help and support to tradespeople across the UK, including carrying out home adaptations and building gardener Richard said trying to fix the roof himself as he juggled caring for Ben, who was undergoing daily chemotherapy in Sheffield, and work had become an "impossible battle" that was "soul-destroying".Doctors warned the family that damp and mould in the house would be dangerous for Ben who, three years on from his diagnosis, is now in remission. Speaking to BBC Look North, Richard said: "In the early days when Ben was diagnosed, we were in survival mode and we had this strength to keep going. We were inspired by Ben and all his resilience to go through this treatment at just five years old."It was only when things started to stabilise and Ben started to get better that the house started to take over, and that became the big demon that we had to fight."The family bought their home in 2021, with Richard initially happy to get stuck into carrying out repairs and as the toll on him grew, Sheffield Children's Hospital pointed the family towards Band of Builders, who Richard described as "unbelievable"."Before we knew it, they were here with a huge team of volunteers who had given up their time and materials to come here, to complete strangers, and put a new roof on the house," he said. "It's humbling. I didn't think this kind of thing happened to normal people. It's something you see on TV. I'm overwhelmed by their generosity and kindness."Now in better health, Ben said he was looking forward to spending more time with his dad."I'm excited about playing games with him and him being around, and now he doesn't have to hammer things in the room," Ben said."He can now just sit on the sofa and relax." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Charity gets 'record-breaking' support to help boy
A charity that supports construction workers and their families is about to embark on its next project to help a disabled boy, with a record amount of tradespeople offering to help. Band of Builders, based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, will be helping Norfolk teenager Toby, 15, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and dystonia. Renovation work to make Toby's home more suitable for his needs were started by his father, but he died on Christmas Eve. Dozens of trades have since put their names forward to help finish the work. Charity operations director Tony Steel praised the support being offered. "The more people we've got, the more we can guarantee to get this over the line," he said. The charity was started by Addam Smith in 2016 after one of his workers was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Since then it has helped many people with practical assistance such as providing home adaptations, financial grants and wellbeing support. In its latest endeavour, the charity called for tradespeople to help with "Toby's project" in Foulden, near Swaffham. It said the boy's father, Shaun Fletcher - an electrician - was doing renovations on his home that included building a wet room, so the 15-year-old did not have to be carried up and down the stairs. Mr Steel added: "Unfortunately things became a little bit too much for him and he took his own life on Christmas Eve." He said the group's intention was to complete the work that was started. If you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. The charity regularly uses social media to call for tradespeople to help with its builds, but the response to Toby's Project had been "absolutely incredible" and "record-breaking" with about 150 applicants, Mr Steel said. "The people in Norfolk have just been absolutely stunning, really, and within two days we had something like 130 volunteers apply to come and give us a hand to make this project work. "Without them we wouldn't be able to do these sorts of things." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Builders finish extension for man who had aneurysm Over 70 builders come together for double amputee Man keen for 'dignity and privacy' in new bedroom Band of Builders
BBC News
21-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Charity gets 'record-breaking' support to help Norfolk boy
A charity that supports construction workers and their families is about to embark on its next project to help a disabled boy, with a record amount of tradespeople offering to of Builders, based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, will be helping Norfolk teenager Toby, 15, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and dystonia. Renovation work to make Toby's home more suitable for his needs were started by his father, but he died on Christmas Eve. Dozens of trades have since put their names forward to help finish the operations director Tony Steel praised the support being offered. "The more people we've got, the more we can guarantee to get this over the line," he said. The charity was started by Addam Smith in 2016 after one of his workers was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Since then it has helped many people with practical assistance such as providing home adaptations, financial grants and wellbeing support. In its latest endeavour, the charity called for tradespeople to help with "Toby's project" in Foulden, near said the boy's father, Shaun Fletcher - an electrician - was doing renovations on his home that included building a wet room, so the 15-year-old did not have to be carried up and down the stairs. Mr Steel added: "Unfortunately things became a little bit too much for him and he took his own life on Christmas Eve." He said the group's intention was to complete the work that was you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. The charity regularly uses social media to call for tradespeople to help with its builds, but the response to Toby's Project had been "absolutely incredible" and "record-breaking" with about 150 applicants, Mr Steel said."The people in Norfolk have just been absolutely stunning, really, and within two days we had something like 130 volunteers apply to come and give us a hand to make this project work."Without them we wouldn't be able to do these sorts of things." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
