Thursday, June 9, 2016 www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk
MAIN EDITION
73
Trades urged to join
SOS team in resort
Rob Stocks meets the man project managing a very big build...
FEATURE
The appeal went out and they
answered it in their dozens.
But the team behind Blackpool’s most ambitious charity building project are still
wanting more builders, joiners, plumbers, decorators and
othertradestojointheirteam.
BBC’s DIY SOS have chosen the resort for their biggest
challenge yet - transforming a
run downpropertyinto a state
of the art base for young carers.
The Big Build project for
Blackpool Carers is being run
in conjunction with Children
inNeedandwillcreateahaven
forupto500youngpeoplewho
use the service.
But with the Newton Drive
site show bosses know they
have their work cut out.
Thefirststageoftheproject
got underway with traders
from across the Fylde coast
invited to offer their services.
Mark Millar is in charge of
the build and knows only too
well the work ahead.
Hecan’tgiveawaytoomany
secrets,withBlackpoolCarers
volunteers excluded from the
site until the big reveal.
But Mark has been blown
away by the response.
He said: “It’s brilliant to be
involved in Blackpool, which I
think has been left out when
it comes to this kind of thing.
“It’s a massive project.
“If you compare it to one of
our normal builds, I’d say it’s
the same amount of work as
four of our regular projects.
“We’re talking about needing 250 people, maybe double
that on site.
“It’s not just inside the
house, it’s the grounds as well.
“We want to create something
inside and out which is special
for these young people.”
M a rk , wh o w i l l wo rk
alongside star of the show
Nick Knowles and design
G u r u L aw r e n c e L l e w e lyn-Bowen, is ready to creat e s o m e t h i n g s p e c i a l .
“Wewantsomewherethatwill
let these young people to get a
little of their childhood back.
“Somewhere they can
c o m e a n d p l ay a n d r e lax and be children.
“The plans are fantastic, we’ve
Build manager Mark Millar on location for DIY SOS at the Blackpool Carer’s Centre on Newton Drive. Below, Mark with his team and, below right, chief executive of the centre, Michelle Smith
just got to make it happen.
“It’s far more than just a
build. There’s security, a new
drive, a massive heating system – we need help with it all.
“Andwe’vegottogetitdone
in just 10 days.”
And Mark is delighted to
be breathing new life into the
building.
“It’s a massive Victorian
property,” he said.
“It’s,what,100-year-oldand
has been badly vandalised.
“The copper has been
pulledout,thewiring,thewindows are smashed.
“We’re not just creating
something for the carers,
we’re saving a beautiful building.”
Tradesmen were given the
chancetoseethepropertyand
theplansforthefirsttime yesterday.
And Nick is amazed at the
response.
He said: “We’ve got loads of
people, great people offering
their services.
“Butweneedmore.Andnot
just builders and suppliers
“Weneedcaterers,weneed
somewhere for all these people to park.
“We need somewhere for
them to go to the toilet – 250
people on site, that’s a lot of
loo roll.
“One thing we’re desperate for is a window supplier, if
anyone can help, please come
forward.”
Les Knowles, of LK Maintenance was among those to
have offered his skills.
“It’s for the community,” he
said.
“I’ll do anything they need
me to, painting, decorating,
bathrooms.
“I think it’s just fantastic,
I’ve seen the plans and it’s really exciting for Blackpool.”
One person who will have
to wait to see how the build
turns out is Michelle Smith,
chief executive of Blackpool
Carers.
“I want to look,” she told
The Gazette.
“But we’re not allowed
near, not until it’s all done.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of
this and it’s so exciting.”
If you can offer your services contact lucy.jones@bbc.
co.uk.
Buildingwork,over10days,
is due to begin on June 28.