Band of Builders travel to Scotland to finish renovation of home of plumber who lost his battle with cancer

A group of kind-hearted tradesmen and women are travelling to Scotland to help the family of a plumber left living in an unfinished home after he lost a battle to cancer.

Steve Dunphy had started work on his home in Lennoxtown, Glasgow, but was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, at the age of 59. He lost his battle in December 2018, leaving wife Elaine and the couple’s four children in an unfinished home.

A group of volunteers from Band of Builders, the charity that carries out projects and adaptations to help tradespeople and their families, are travelling to Scotland this month to finish the work that Steve started and help make life easier for his grieving family.

Around 50 volunteer tradespeople will gather at Elaine’s home from Saturday, September 21 to carry out work including practical renovations to the kitchen, lounge, bathrooms, three bedrooms, staircases and communal spaces.
Elaine, 51 said: “Steve worked in plumbing and central heating. He really was very good at what he did. He was diagnosed in 2017 at 59 and told he would only have a few months to two years.

“It felt like a lot went wrong in a very short space of time. My eldest son was diagnosed with Leukaemia, Steve’s mum died, then later his sister died. It was just one thing after the other.

“Steve loved music but he ended up not even being able to play the guitar, let alone finish the work he had started on the house. I know he would have hated to know that he didn’t manage to make it the home he wanted to, which makes it even more special that Band of Builders are coming to finish what he started.

“We’d all give anything to have Steve back – and I’d take that over having the house finished any day – but that’s not going to happen, so I’ll settle for knowing that he can rest easy knowing that the house he dreamed of is finally going to become a reality.”

Work at Elaine’s house will include: joinery, sheeting, plastering, flooring, carpeting, bricklaying, kitchen fitting, tiling, electrics and decoration, with experts in the various areas all making up the team of volunteers.

Richard Patchesa, chairman at Band of Builders, said: “Doing what we do, we see firsthand how cruel life can be. Steve’s family have lost so much and there’s nothing we can do to take their pain away. But what we can do is finish what Steve started and give Elaine and the children the home that Steve dreamed of.

“Every single person involved with BoB is a volunteer and for this project everyone will be travelling hundreds of miles from their family to help another family in need. Like every project, we really want to get the whole community involved. Not only does that help the volunteers, but also demonstrates how it only takes one act of kindness to inspire so many more.”

ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Media are invited to attend the first day of the project at Elaine’s home in Lennoxtown, Glasgow. The project will take place from Saturday, September 21 for a week. For more details or to arrange interviews, either on site or over the phone, please contact Ellen Manning from Band of Builders on 07515 717173 ellenmanning@bandofbuilders.com
2. Attached is an image for media use of Elaine, Steve and their son Fife.

ABOUT BAND OF BUILDERS
Band of Builders was formed in 2016 after landscaper Addam Smith asked for help to renovate the garden of his friend and employee Keith Ellick, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Keith lost his battle with cancer in 2017 but Band of Builders continued with the aim of helping other members of the UK construction industry battling illness or injury. Band of Builders was declared a registered charity (Charity Number 1182283) on March 1, 2019.

Previous projects have included:
– Installing a specialised bathroom for Pippa Atkinson, an electrician’s daughter suffering from a rare skin condition
– Landscaping a garden for builder Jamie Thompson, who is suffering from Motor Neurone Disease, so he can safely watch his children play, as well as installing a new kitchen.
– Creating a bedroom for plasterer’s daughter Sadie Jenkins, who had spent the first half of her life in hospital and needed machines to breathe, as well as installing a downstairs bathroom for her carers.
– Installing a summer-house and landscaping the garden for carpenter Dan McIntosh, who was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, so he could spend precious time with his family.

For more information on how to become a member or how to apply for help from Band of Builders, visit www.bandofbuilders.org