Latest news with #BandOfBuilders
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Herculean effort underway by 150 volunteers to transform Norfolk family's home
They say it takes a village, and that's exactly what happened when 150 volunteers rose to the challenge of helping a family in need. Toby Fletcher is 16 years old and lives with his mum, Sarah, and siblings in Foulden, between Swaffham and Brandon. He has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and dystonia, requiring round-the-clock care and support. And to make everyday life a little easier for him and his family, a major home renovation is underway – including the addition of a specially adapted downstairs bedroom and wet room. Tony Everett, volunteer, and Sarah Fletcher (Image: Band of Builders) Toby's dad Shaun had been completing the renovation while working at his day job as an electrical engineer. The father-of-six, who also had two grandchildren, tragically died by suicide on Christmas Eve 2024, which meant the work was unfinished. As a result, carers have only been able visit during the day and Toby's mum has had to carry him to bed and care for him alone during the night. A family friend put Sarah in contact with Band of Builders in February, who jumped on board to help the family. Completing Toby's wet room, his bedroom and updating the house will have a massive positive impact on family life, Sarah explained. Tony Everett, volunteer, and Sarah Fletcher (Image: Band of Builders) Tony Everett is one of the 150 volunteers that has signed up to get stuck into the project. He is a bricklayer and has been given the job of looking after the health and wellbeing of the volunteers. He said it's one of several projects that he has been involved with, and he loves giving back to the community. The work is set to start on July 5 and is expected to take 12 days to complete. Band of Builders began in 2016 and provides practical, financial and wellbeing support to those in need. It helps those who work in the construction industry and their families cope with life-changing circumstances. Visit for more information, to volunteer or to donate.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Mum thanks builders completing her husband's Norfolk home project
A mother-of-six whose husband died while renovating their home to help their disabled son said she was "so thankful" to volunteers who will complete the Fletcher, 46, who lives in Foulden, Norfolk, said her husband Shaun kept his mental health issues hidden before he took his own life on Christmas charity Band of Builders, based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, will finish the downstairs bedroom and wet room for her 16-year-old son Toby, who has cerebral palsy."I'm so thankful to them and I feel like it is Shaun's legacy. I want to finish what he started. I know that is what he would want for all of us and especially for Toby," she said. If you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Fletcher was an electrician and worked seven days a week to provide for his six children and two was renovating the family home in his spare time and was "stressed and very busy", his wife said. But there were no real signs of how much he was struggling, she added, and they had been Christmas shopping the night before."He seemed happy and normal. I had no idea that would happen. "I would really like to raise awareness of male suicide and encourage people to open up, don't hold it in, because I don't want any other family to go through this," she said. Her friend told her about Band of Builders, which supports construction workers and their charity, which also offers mental health support to construction workers, agreed to take on the work, as its 45th building had a record-breaking response to an appeal for volunteers, with 150 tradesmen and women coming forward to work on the house next month. Retired bricklayer Tony Everett will volunteer on the build, which is the 12th project he has helped with. He said the family's story had touched people's hearts."It means a lot knowing I can help in some way and change people's lives." Mrs Fletcher said the work would make a huge difference to her family."Toby has been sharing a room with me and I have to carry him upstairs so it will be brilliant for him to have his own downstairs room and it means I can have overnight carers," she said."The amount of people who want to help and the support is overwhelming really. It is truly amazing." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- 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.
