Parents of Selby boy in leukaemia remission thank Band of Builders volunteers for new roof to stop leaks and damp
The parents of an eight-year-old Selby boy – who is in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – have thanked a group of volunteers roofers from national construction charity Band of Builders (BoB) who installed a new roof in three days to stop the leaks and damp at their Victorian home.
After being diagnosed with the rare form of cancer in 2022, Ben Firth was initially unable to leave hospital and return to his home – which is being renovated by his dad, Richard – because the damp, mould and dust had the potential to cause complications.
Whilst Richard – who is self-taught in a number of trades – worked incredibly hard tackling issues such as large amounts of mould and damp, he admitted that he has been “too proud” to ask for help, as the new apex roof to make the house watertight is beyond his capabilities.
The stress of the renovation has impacted Richard’s mental health, and at the suggestion of their psychologist, he and wife Alison put out a plea for help to BoB – a registered charity that completes practical projects to help members of the UK construction industry and their families who are battling illness or injury.
Richard and Alison said they bought the house as a “forever” home with big plans to renovate it themselves – but the continual water damage caused by a leaking roof meant they faced a constant battle to achieve a sense of completion.
In a heartfelt thank you message to the charity, the couple said: “We are overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity you have shown. It’s been an emotional few days but the energy and enthusiasm you all brought gave us a lift we never really expected.
“It’s been a pleasure to watch experts at work who have a genuine love for their craft and to witness what can be achieved when real heroes come together and do something good.”
Richard added: “You’ve lifted the weight of the world from my shoulders. I’ve watched my son show staggering bravery to beat an awful disease for the past three years. I’ve lived in awe of him, trying to give him the safe home he deserves, but there were challenges I couldn’t overcome alone. You guys have stepped up and done what I couldn’t, so we can close this chapter of our lives and move on.”
The Firth family’s story
The Firth family moved into their home in 2021, and Richard set about renovating the house, which included tackling the damp and mould problems.
In 2022, Ben was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. It’s most common in children and young people, especially children aged four years old and under – and it usually develops quickly, so it needs to be treated straight away.
After four months of being in and out of Sheffield Children’s Hospital with Ben, Richard and Alison were informed that Ben couldn’t return to the family home until the house problems were resolved due to Ben’s fragile immune system.
Not only was Ben facing a serious disease at such a young age but now even his own home was a danger to him. Damp, mould and dust had the potential to cause deadly complications for him.
The family had to act – Alison was in and out of hospital with Ben whilst Richard began stripping the house back to bare brick. Every problem solved was replaced with something new. A full rewire, replumbing, structural repairs – the list grew longer as work progressed. The couple quickly used up all of their savings, as well as borrowed money, willing to do anything to reach a point where Ben could return.
Eventually, the worst of the dangers to Ben were dealt with and he was able to return home, but the house, and the work needed to complete it, was far from finished. The family were living out of one finished room for a long time, slowly making progress as they juggled Ben’s treatment, work and renovations.
After more than two years of daily treatment, Ben is finally in remission. eight-year-old Ben is full of life, but the emotional, physical and financial pressures of those few years have taken a toll on the family. Richard in particular faced difficulties with his mental and physical health after the first year. The family were provided with psychological support from Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and it was here that their psychologist suggested that Richard contact BoB for help.
It was clear that Richard was overwhelmed by the relentlessness of the renovation jobs in order to complete work on the house. He was forced to give up his work in the landscaping industry and take a job driving lorries. He was driven to continue the house renovations for his family, but the adrenaline-fuelled survival instinct that had kept him going during the early crisis quickly gave way to stress, depression and anxiety as Ben’s treatment came to an end.
BoB steps in to help
BoB responded to the family’s plea and called on its 50,000-strong community of volunteers, supporters and corporate supporters for help with the project, which was sponsored by SIG Roofing. A dozen specialist roofers answered the call and volunteered their time for free and completed the charity’s 44th project in just three days – instead of the estimated four days.
Lotty Pritchard, Marketing Director at SIG Roofing said that as well as sponsoring the project, SIG Roofing has supplied the materials for it: “This week was special as we worked with the Band of Builders on Ben’s project, and the result is just outstanding.” said Lotty. ”Our SIG Roofing branch in York delivered all the roofing materials to site, including anthracite roofing tiles, membranes, roofing battens and accessories so the volunteer roofers could get on with the job in hand. This delivery was followed up with five Solar panels and all fixing accessories to ensure that the new roof provides free energy to the Firth’s renovated family home. The tradespeople did an excellent job installing the new roof and solar panels, and we are delighted to have been part of a project that will make the Firths’ home life all the more enjoyable.”
BoB also thanked other suppliers including: Jewson for tool hire, Edmondson Electrical and Reconomy Trade.
For further information on Band of Builders (BoB) click here
