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BBC’s DIY SOS to re-visit Manchester this autumn

Last year over nine million viewers tuned in to watch the Royal Television Society winning episodes of DIY SOS: Homes for Veterans as an entire street in East Manchester received a facelift and eight of the 25 empty homes on the street were refurbished for veterans by an amazing team of volunteers including Princes William and Harry.

This autumn Nick Knowles, the DIY SOS team and hundreds of volunteers are returning to Manchester’s Canada Street to turn the last empty house on the street into a family home within this now-established veterans' community - complete with access to support, education and training.

The BBC is looking for a veteran family to move into the final house. Families are now urged to apply for the final home and to be part of this exciting programme. The completed home will offer the opportunity for a veteran family to get on the housing ladder with options including shared equity, discount purchase and rent to buy. The DIY SOS team is also looking for volunteers to turn this run down building into a fitting home.

This bespoke final home is being delivered as part of this award winning development in east Manchester by the BBC’s DIY SOS team, Manchester City Council, charities Haig Housing Trust, Walking With The Wounded and key contractors Kier, Wates, Arcus, architects BTP plus hundreds of generous volunteer contractors and suppliers.

Since the programme aired last October on BBC One – receiving multiple broadcast (Winner: National and West of England, Royal Television Society Best Popular Factual and Features series) and building awards (Winner: UK Housing Awards - Outstanding Local Authority (MCC); Winner: Local Authority Building Awards NW (LABC) Best inclusive building; Winner: RICS NW Regeneration; Highly Commended: North West Regional Construction Awards - Integration and Collaborative Working category) - Haig Housing Trust, the UK’s largest provider of rental housing for veterans has been industrious renovating 15 derelict properties and filling them with veteran occupants, whilst Walking With The Wounded have supported not only the new residents but also other residents through their support hub, based right on the street.

The aim is to complete and integrate the veteran community within the existing community. The advice centre has a private space for therapy and counselling, run by Walking With The Wounded, and it also provides a space for the community. Training and employment opportunities are being developed for veterans and existing residents alike.

If you’re a military veteran family, with physical or psychological challenges, looking for quality housing in Manchester and would like to be part of the BBC’s DIY SOS Big Build for veterans this autumn please contact the BBC direct on 01179 742173 or diysosheroes@bbc.co.uk

If you’re a volunteer tradesman or a company that would like to get involved in the nine-day build, which starts Monday 31 October until Wednesday 9 November, then please contact the BBC asap on email: diysosmanchester@bbc.co.uk

And please keep an eye on the DIY SOS official twitter page www.twitter.com/diysos where a ‘call for trades’ will be broadcast closer to the build which starts Monday 31 October.

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