'I volunteered on DIY SOS - now they've helped me'
BBCA group of tradespeople from BBC's DIY SOS programme have come to the aid of one of their own.
Vicky Maddox was midway through building an extension to her home in Burnley when she had to give up work to become a full-time carer for her mum, who has Alzheimer's.
Vicky's appeal for help to complete the work was answered by a dozen volunteers from the national construction charity Band of Builders. They travelled from around the country to complete the renovations in just 13 days.
"It's amazing, an absolute transformation," said Vicky. "What they've done in that short space of time - they've worked their tripe out and have been here to stupid o'clock at night. I cannot thank them enough."
Vicky said that, as a volunteer, "you don't always see the impact" your work has on families whose homes have been transformed.
She had moved in with her mum Keren to care for her, which left her 19-year-old son living in the house alone.
Vicky said she had been desperate for the work to be completed so they could all live together.
Her mum's diagnosis meant she had to give up her role within the civil service when it became clear Keren could no longer live safely on her own.
Vicky's house extension - which would ideally be a bedroom with an en-suite for Keren - had exposed joists, wires hanging from the ceiling, bare blockwork walls and unfinished plumbing and electrics.
Outside, the ground levels were uneven with loose stone, open drains and general debris, making the whole area unsafe.
The kitchen had no worktops and the appliances were unusable.
The front room had an unfinished ceiling and was stacked full of items, with barely any space to move.
Vicky said the state of the house, combined with with caring for her mum, had become overwhelming.
She asked Band of Builders - which has now completed more than 50 projects - for help.
The team fitted a new kitchen for the main house, as well as a connecting studio annexe for Keren to live in, complete with kitchen and bathroom.
Operations director Tony Steel said: "Vicky is a well-known and liked member of the construction community of volunteers and we as a charity are delighted to help someone who has previously dedicated herself to helping others."
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