BOB HELPS AMPUTEE FORMER POWERLIFTER START NEW CHAPTER WITH WET ROOM RENOVATION

Tradespeople from Band of Builders (BoB) have helped an amputee former powerlifter start a new chapter by creating a purpose-built wet room at his Banbury home that’s both safe and accessible for him to use.

Nine of our volunteers travelled from across the country to help complete the project for former powerlifter and plumber Mark Willerton, who injured his leg after a freak accident while picking up a packet of screws.

The accident in 2019 left Mark unable to work and ultimately led to his leg being amputated. His injury meant Mark needed a bigger bathroom at home so he could access it with his wheelchair, avoiding the risk of dangerous falls, but he could not complete the work himself in such a confined space.

He and wife Lynne put out a call for help to BoB – leading to a team of our volunteer tradespeople spending a week converting the bathroom at the couple’s home into a wheelchair-friendly wet room.

The new room was revealed to the couple in an emotional handover on Sunday 8th September, marking the start of a new chapter for the family.

“We feel very humbled and overwhelmed that Band of Builders would do this for us,” said Lynne. “It’s one room but will make a huge difference to Mark’s life.”

This is the 38th project we have completed, and along with tradespeople giving up their time, it was supported by companies including Jewson, City Plumbing, Howdens, Avon Timber, MKM, Multipanel, Reconomy and Lee Brothers.

Our volunteer Project Lead Matt O’Brien said: “It might only be one room, but turning the bathroom into a room Mark can actually use, with space to get around safely, avoiding any falls, will make a real difference for him. It’s a real privilege to have been able to do something to help one of our own, and we hope it helps Mark and Lynne move on with their lives after going through such a challenging time.”