A thousand volunteer tradesmen applied to assist with the project
Isla (centre) with her mum, sister and DIY SOS host Nick Knowles(Image: DIY SOS)
A Leicester girl with a rare condition is getting a helping hand from the BBC’s DIY SOS team. More than 1,000 volunteer tradesmen applied to assist with the project to help Isla Screaton Kilpatrick live a better independent life – and the episode is now set to air on TV screens.
Led by Nick Knowles, the DIY SOS team came to Aylestone to help Isla, her mum Stacey and sister Paige gain bespoke accommodation that meets the youngster’s needs. The seven-year-old has Mandibuloacral Dysplasia with a unique mutation – a condition so rare she is the only person in the UK living with it. Her condition affects bone growth and causes premature aging of major organs.
The condition impacts her daily independence and so it fell to Nick and the DIY SOS team to help transform her semi-detached home to allow Isla to to have an easier and more comfortable life. A shout out for help from BBC bosses last year saw more than 1,000 volunteer applications made to help renovate Isla’s home, with the family asking if the team could lower switches and door handles and create a downstairs bathroom for Isla.
In the end, with the help of around 160 volunteers, the “life-changing” project has been completed. Joining them every step of the way were presenter Nick alongside designer Gaby Blackman, electrician Billy Byrne and plasterer Chris Frediani. Local construction “hero” Ian Hodgkinson also returned as DIY SOS’s on-screen project manager.
He said the project was not only a heart-warming story, at which Isla was at the centre, but it was also a celebration of the collaborative work of the construction trades. He said moments like this push the limits of what’s possible in just seven or eight days.
He said: “It’s gruelling, but it’s the best job in the world. None of it would be possible without the hundreds of trades, suppliers, and volunteers who give their time, skills, and hearts to transform people’s lives.”
The team have made sure to make Isla’s life more comfortable(Image: BBC)
This new series will once again shine a spotlight on the extraordinary teamwork of Britain’s builders, bricklayers, joiners, decorators, and countless volunteers – people who come together to create lasting change for families and communities. DIY SOS presenter, Nick Knowles said: “I’m so excited to have DIY SOS back on our screens – I think it will remind people how many good, generous people there are across the country willing to help out others in their time of need.”
Isla’s episode is billed as extremely emotional too, with show bosses teasing: “With limited space and a long list of bespoke adaptations, the team members face one of their biggest logistical and emotional challenges yet.”
DIY SOS airs tomorrow (Friday, October 3) at 8pm on BBC One. The episode will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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