TV presenter Nick Knowles issues DIY SOS appeal for help with Northumberland home makeover

Nick Knowles took to Twitter to put out an urgent appeal for plasterers to help out with their Big Build in Longframlington.

“Urgent Urgent Urgent!!!!,” he wrote. “We have a plastering crisis!

“If you can help on our job in Longframlington please email [email protected]

“We need people this afternoon, tomorrow & over the weekend.

“Or all through.

“We thought we had them but left at 3.

“Thanku!”

It is the second day in a row he has appealed for help. Yesterday he was on the hunt for tilers.

The team have been transforming the Owen family’s home in the village since Tuesday.

The Big Build was originally due to take place in spring 2020 but got postponed due to coronavirus.

Bobbie (18) is a young person of 5’10’’, with a mental age of a toddler and complex medical and mental health issues.

Her mother, Mary, had a stroke in her cerebellum in 2013, after being bitten by a tick and now has balance problems and ongoing difficulties so cannot handle Bobbie on her own.

Inspiringly, Bobbie’s older sister Ellie (20) and Bobbie’s twin brother, Gus (18) step in and help as best they can as young carers to both sister and mother.

The concern is that the house is unsafe and unsuitable for Bobbie due to her unpredictable nature and the threat of going into care is a reality.

Mary’s Mam, Carol (72) took early retirement in 2004 and moved in to help out. During the pandemic Carol shielded with her mother Doreen (92) in a rental property away from the family home. She now cares full time for her mother.

The house does not meet the needs of the family, so this volunteer led build is to bring a family of four generations together so that they can look after and support each other; to bring Carol and Doreen back home, to support Gus and Ellie as admired young carers and to ensure that Bobbie remains at home with her family.

The award winning show takes on extremely Big Builds in limited time and rely on the generosity of the local community of tradespeople and suppliers to help transform the lives, of truly deserving families.