Dolgarrog DIY SOS builders become permanent NWH members

Oct 20 2011 by Samantha Castle, North Wales Weekly News

BUILDERS who volunteered to help revamp a Dolgarrog home for a TV programme are celebrating becoming permanent members of North Wales Housing’s maintenance team.

Sebastian Hibbert and Colin Boyle recently helped an army of volunteers as part of the popular TV show DIY SOS: The Big Build to revamp eight-year-old Erica Williams’ home after her mum died and her dad David, 53, fell ill.

The pair had been living in a decrepit caravan beside their unfinished home in Dolgarrog, where temperatures plummeted to -18°C last winter before the TV show stepped in last month.

North Wales Housing (NWH) also announced recently the decision to make its in-house maintenance team a permanent move, whilst also expanding the gas division with two new recruits.

The initiative to take the maintenance services in-house was piloted soon after the company providing the existing service, Rok, was unexpectedly placed into administration leaving those based at NWH unemployed.

The organisation reacted quickly to re-employ most of the team under a six-month pilot, which has been a huge success.

Recently joining the permanent team are Sebastian and Colin, both of who have settled quickly into their new roles and were keen to join in with their colleagues, volunteering their services alongside other NWH staff, to help out at the DIY SOS Dolgarrog project.

Paul Diggory, chief executive of North Wales Housing, said: “We’re delighted to announce our decision to make our maintenance team a permanent fixture.

“We’ve managed to maintain and exceed the standard of work provided by Rok and the feedback from our tenants following the change has been fantastic.

“It’s also great to see the team growing already and I’m pleased to welcome both Colin and Sebastian.

“Their willingness to join in with the DIY SOS project and donate their own free time was brilliant and very much in line with the ethos we already have at North Wales Housing.”