Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Band of Builders (BoB) has delivered a milestone £1m worth of projects to help tradespeople battling illness or injury, making a life-changing difference to them and their families.
The organisation, founded in 2016, has a 50,000-strong community of volunteers and supporters. Its 27th project takes the equivalent cost of labour and materials in total to over £1m – with the estimated delivery value of an average project at more than £37,200.
Reaching the £1m milestone has involved 772 volunteers giving up their time for free on projects that took a total of 203 days and involved 18,087 hours of labour. Materials and support are provided by organisations and businesses across the sector who support the charity on individual projects or through ongoing partnerships.
BoB’s projects, which include renovations, adaptations or repairs to the homes of tradespeople affected by illness or injury, range in scale. The biggest to date was a complete reconfiguration of the ground floor of the home of plasterer Mark’s partner Cher Little in North Wales, who was left relying on a wheelchair after having her legs amputated. More than 75 volunteers answered the call for help over a 31-day period, with a delivery value of more than £102,000.
BoB CEO, Gavin Crane, said: “It’s a very proud moment for everyone connected to Band of Builders to have reached such a significant milestone in the history of a charity that only started six years ago.”
“Through the kindness and generosity of our community, who keep volunteering their time to work on projects, we have helped make a life-changing difference to 27 beneficiaries and their families across the UK.”
“It’s also important that we say thank you to all the businesses that continue to support the charity with the supply of materials free of charge, plant hire and anything else that we need for projects – such as portable toilets for each site.
“And then there are the unsung heroes of each project, such as local businesses that generously feed our volunteers and even give them free or much-reduced rates on accommodation.”
Crane added: “We have come such a long way in such a short space of time. We only became a registered charity in 2019. In that time, we have seen our community of supporters grow and thrive, and we have built relationships with a raft of businesses that have made us their chosen charity or become part of our programme of patrons.
“But, above all else, Band of Builders and those who support us have not only made a life-changing difference to 27 people and their families but will continue to complete practical projects to help members of the UK construction industry who are battling illness or injury.”
