Where the Story Began
Keith Ellick was Addam's employee - and friend. In early 2016 Keith broke the news that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer that had spread from his oesophagus to his liver and blood. He had been given just 12 months to live.
When Addam offered to help, Keith said all he needed doing was a fence putting up at his home in Lincoln. But when his boss shared his heartbreak about his friend's plight on Facebook, he was inundated with offers of help from people up and down the country to chip in.
As plumbers, builders, gardeners, tilers, plasterers and landscapers offered their services for free, he came up with the idea to completely renovate Keith’s house so he knew his family would have a safe, comfortable home even when he was gone. They even raised enough money to pack Keith and his family off on holiday nearby, leaving Addam and a 50-strong team of volunteers to transform the two-bedroom home.
50
50 volunteers helped form a formidable team to transform Keith's home.
Watch Keith's Story
The Project
Addam raised enough money to pack the family off on holiday nearby, leaving him and a 50-strong team of volunteers to transform the two-bedroom home.
In five days they:
- Fitted a new kitchen
- Fitted a new bathroom
- Decorated the house from top to bottom
- Fitted new flooring
- Landscaped the back garden
Many of the materials used in the project were donated by local companies while tradesmen travelled from locations including South Wales, Essex, Oxfordshire and the Midlands.
They were fed throughout the week by well wishers bringing cakes, pasties and bacon butties and the story of their act of kindness went on to hit the national press, as well as seeing them dubbed the ‘Band of Builders’.
'Band of Builders' was Born
At the time Keith, who sadly died in March 2017, said he had been left humbled by the show of support from complete strangers.
His situation remained the focus of Band of Builders in its early stages, with fundraising going towards buying his council-owned home as well as Trust funds for his children.
