This month I had the exciting opportunity of photographing the BBC’s TV programme 'DIY SOS The Big Build'.
For those of you who haven’t seen the show then you’re missing out!. It’s a one-hour programme in which the team enlists the help of local tradesmen, suppliers and the larger community to help deserving families.
In addition to photographing the build progress and the finished house, I also helped out on site, which was a great experience. Never before have I seen so many people working in one house. It looked a bit chaotic at first but once everyone settled in to their ‘role’ it all ran like clockwork. Whether you were an electrician stripping out the electrics, a plumber removing the bathroom or someone like me without a trade (who was in a human chain passing the innards of Jo & Will’s house to each other and then in to the skip!), everyone’s help was needed and appreciated.
DIY SOS Bromsgrove was a scorching hot nine day build, but there was a constant flow of refreshments being delivered to the tea tent and handed out around the site. From hot & cold drinks, to cakes, to ice lollies there was plenty of treats available to keep you going. Hunger was not an issue as the BBC provided all volunteers with breakfast, a two course lunch and a two course dinner all served from the catering vans and eaten in a marquee – and very delicious it was too. You had to work hard just to work off the calories you were being fed!
The lovely family whose house was being transformed was overwhelmed with the life changing result and at how many people had been involved. It was wonderful to meet so many kind-hearted people willing to give their time to help someone in their community. Well done to all the fabulous folk who helped out, you should be very proud of yourselves!
If a DIY SOS Big Build comes up in your area then I would strongly recommend you volunteer. Whether it’s baking cakes for the workers, manning the tea tent, gardening, donating products for the house or providing your skills/trade you will thoroughly enjoy the feel-good experience and meeting new people. Most importantly these builds can't happen without donations of materials, products and volunteers so any offer of help is welcomed.
I can’t share the photographs of the finished house with you yet as the show hasn’t aired, (as soon as it has I will), but here are some of the amazing people who got involved.
