DIY SOS Children in Need special reveals new home for charity in Swansea
Thanks to the help of hundreds of volunteers, DIY SOS completes one of its biggest challenges to date; the show will air on BBC One during BBC Children in Need Appeal week in November.
Today, Sunday 17th September 2017, DIY SOS revealed a spectacular new purpose-built property, to The Roots Foundation Wales, a charity which offers support to children and young people in care or leaving care. The building, which will become the charity’s new home, proved one of the biggest challenges ever for the DIY SOS team. Built from the ground-up, the property covers a huge 320 square metres and most impressively was built in just 11 days – thanks to the generous support of volunteers, suppliers, the local community, Wales and beyond. The build will be documented in the upcoming show, DIY SOS: The Big Build BBC Children in Need Special (working title) and will air on BBC One this November during BBC Children in Need Appeal week.
The reveal of the brand new building follows the demolition of The Roots Foundation Wales’ previous facility, ‘The Hut’, which was run-down and gradually falling into disrepair. The construction of a new purpose-built support centre complete with attached temporary accommodation, will go on to help many young people in care and making the transition from the care system into adult life. As the sawing, drilling, plastering and landscaping came to an end, interior designer Sophie Robinson was on hand to add the finishing touches to the marvellous new property before it was revealed to Emma Lewis, Chair of The Roots Foundation Wales, her team and the children and young people they support – as the build’s contributing volunteers and suppliers watched on.
The TV special will not only document the trials and tribulations of the ambitious build and its grand reveal, but will also share the stories of many of the children and young people in care and leaving care, who are currently supported by The Roots Foundation Wales.
The Roots Foundation Wales, established in August 2011, is an inspiring charity which offers wide-ranging support to children and young people in care or leaving care, those in kinship care and their carers based in Swansea and South Wales. The Roots Foundation Wales offers advice and guidance on topics such as finance, cooking, health and employment with the aim of helping to prepare children and young people in care and leaving care for adult life. The charity also provides intensive support through initiatives such as the C.A.R.E Project which is funded by BBC Children in Need which delivers help to children and young people in care or leaving care who are at risk of exploitation.
Nick Knowles, presenter of BBC One’s DIY SOSThe last 11 days have been no mean feat; this build was epic, big-scale and really tested us. We saw difficult weather which flooded the building site as well as many other challenges but with the help of the hundreds of volunteers and suppliers we’ve created something truly special which will go on to benefit so many of Wales’ children and young people who need it most!”
“Seeing the faces of The Roots Foundation Wales team and the children and young people they support when they laid eyes on the new building has been so wonderful. And it’s not only The Roots Foundation Wales who has benefitted from the last two weeks. Looking around it’s clear to see the impact this build has made on all of the volunteers and suppliers who have helped out in some way and have returned today to see the finished product of their hard work. Thank you to everyone who got involved, we couldn’t have done it without you.”
“We hope everyone is encouraged to watch the show when it airs on BBC One during BBC Children in Need week in November and to donate during the show so BBC Children in Need can continue to fund organisations, like The Roots Foundation Wales, which are working with disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.”
Emma Lewis, Chairperson at The Roots Foundation Wales, added: “Words cannot describe how overjoyed we are about the incredible transformation that DIY SOS: The Big Build BBC Children in Need Special has turned around, from The Hut to this wonderful property, there’s no comparison.”
“Our new home will go on to help so many children and young people in care and leaving care now and in many years to come. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered time or materials, it means the world to The Roots Foundation Wales and the children and young people we support. It’s so heart-warming to know the local community, Wales and beyond came together to create our new home. We will cherish it.”
