Norwich man given freedom back after charity makeover
A man from Norwich who suffers from a neurological disorder was left housebound until help came from a national charity.
Last updated 20th Oct 2020
Chris Joy, who's 42 and a father of four, was left struggling to get in and out of his home without help after he was diagnosed with a rare degenerative neurological condition called Cerebeller Ataxia.
The condition, which only affects around 10,000 people in the UK, means Chris suffers from symptoms including loss of coordination, double vision, balance issues, speech issues and tinnitus - he has to spend 50% of his time in a wheelchair.
As well as having to give up work, Chris it more and more difficult to get out of his home in Cringleford because the driveway and pathway were too uneven for his mobility scooter.
A team of volunteers from charity the Band of Builders descended on his home to try and help.
The work was planned for earlier this year but had to be postponed due to the pandemic.
In just eight days the volunteers, who gave up their time and materials for free, revamped the driveway, landscaped the paths to the side of the house, and installed a new lowered entrance door to allow wheelchair access to the property.
The makeover was then unveiled to Chris and his family on Sunday 18th October.
Chris said: "We're still in shock really.
"We were here while the project was underway and the atmosphere was amazing, but seeing it complete for the handover and everyone who had been involved just blew us away.
"It might not seem like much to some people, but these changes will give me so much of my independence back, they'll make a real difference.
"Band of Builders really is an amazing charity. The volunteers travelled from across the country just to help us, giving up their time and, for many, their earnings just to do something for a complete stranger. It's amazing, we feel so lucky."
The project was sponsored by Jewson and landscaping supplier Talasey - they, along with other suppliers from the construction sector, contributed around £10,000 of materials to help with the project.
A total of 25 volunteers helped out on the project and were kept fed and watered by the local community, with local groups including ANON and FABB providing hot meals for the team throughout the project.
Band of Builders volunteer Tony Everett, who was the project lead for Chris' project said: "It's been an amazing week and seeing the help this will give to Chris and his family is why we do what we do.
"The changes we've made will transform their lives and make everything that little bit easier.
"We've been waiting to start this project since earlier this year, so despite the delay it's been brilliant to actually be able to crack on and get it done. A huge thanks to everyone who has supported us, from big companies who donated materials to the groups who fed us everyday."