As the daylight hours have increased, so too have the adaptation projects which Sullivan’s Heroes is supporting. We’re delighted to have welcomed many new applicants – three of the most recent being Dominic, Eleni and Olive.
‘Dominic’s New Bedroom and Bathroom’ project requires £30,000 to be raised above the Disabled Facilities Grant awarded, to extend and restructure the existing family home to provide Dominic with an accessible bedroom and private bathroom, with a specialist bath he so greatly needs, to meet his medical and care requirements.
Dominic’s Mum explains:
“Dominic is now 14 years old and desperately needs privacy first and foremost, but also a bigger bedroom where two carers can see to him from both sides of the bed, and where there is room for all his equipment, medicines, feeds and nappies; plus access to his own private bathroom with a height adjustable bath, integrated changing mat and shower attachment, and fully accessible with ceiling track hoist and space for his wheelchair. I never imagined I would have to fund raise to give Dominic the privacy, dignity and space he so desperately needs, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Meanwhile ‘Eleni’s little big build’ requires £20,000 above the council funding awarded, to ensure a single storey extension can be built to provide 2-year-old Eleni with a downstairs bedroom, bathroom, storage space and a bath to meet her needs.
Eleni’s parents explain:
“Currently Eleni's equipment is scattered around the house with no assigned area for it all, her medication and medical supplies are stored in the downstairs toilet, we have to carry her up the stairs to bed and to bath her, and with this there is always a risk of her seizing and us losing our grip on her whilst on the stairs. Fairly soon Eleni will be too heavy and long to lift alone so will need a hoist to transfer her from room to room and from her seating to laying down. Eleni brings our family so much joy and makes us appreciate every single day. We want to make Eleni’s life the most enjoyable and the best quality it can be.”
Over at Olive’s house, the fundraising for ‘Olive's Accessible House’ is already over 10% of their £50,000 target to meet the shortfall awarded for 4-year-old Olive’s adaptations. The project will extend and adapt the family home – adding a side extension with an additional bedroom and specialist adapted wetroom; plus installing a through-floor lift and making the entire downstairs wheelchair accessible, with front ramped access and rear level access created to the garden.
Olive’s parents explain:
“Sadly, most of the house is inaccessible to Olive. We want to extend and adapt our home to suit her needs – for now and in the future. We are installing adaptations such as hoists in her bedroom and bathroom to lift her into the bed/shower; a through floor lift that will go directly from the hall to her bedroom (so no more carrying her up and down the stairs – which is currently not safe for her or us); sliding doors she can open and close; opening up the downstairs space to make it completely wheelchair accessible, with an accessible kitchen – so she can finally help us make and bake! In Olive's own words “I want to do what you're doing!” – and we want to be able to make that happen. These specialist adaptations will mean she can be a part of the everyday family activities that other people take for granted. It will be life-changing for all of us.”
Over the past weeks, Sullivan’s Heroes has seen donations gratefully received for some of the projects now underway, to help meet their costs to complete the works. ‘Ruby’s Big Build’ was kindly supported by Hospitality Action, in association with The Black & White Foundation – Ruby herself has been lending a hand to the works too, driving the digger!
Legal and General generously donated further funds – Match Funding their employees fundraising activities – towards ‘A Space 4 Jakey’; whilst a ‘Downstairs bedroom and wet room for Rez’ received a substantial boost from AJ’s Legacy.
The project for ‘Building Thomas a Future in Bromley Cross’ is taking shape well – whilst benefitting from City Plumbing's support, in the form of donated electrical items. Thomas’ family also saw a lift to their fundraising after a feature about Thomas’ adaptations project aired recently on ITV News Granada.
‘Keira’s BIG Build’ has also been in the news – with an article about Exxonmobil’s generous support for the works for 14-year-old Keira; whilst also receiving funds from the National Benevolent Charity.
‘Mylo’s new downstairs bedroom’ target was boosted by Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s support, whilst Sullivan’s Heroes received funds towards ongoing grants from both Savills and G I Woodruff & Sons Ltd, together with Facebook Fundraiser Gordon Borer.
We sign-off with news of our most recently completed project – for ‘Ana-Lily’s Home Adaptations’ – which are now finished and in use by the 11-year-old.
Ana-Lily’s Dad explains:
“Ana-Lily’s home was in need of major adaptations in order to meet her needs in a more manageable way. She needed a new bedroom, wet room, hoist, through floor lift, more living space and lots of storage for her equipment and medical supplies! Each piece of equipment for her sitting, standing and other positional needs gets bigger too. The family home had run out of space!”
Costs of the project required Ana-Lily’s family to raise £50,000 above the Disabled Facilities Grant awarded for the works – to undertake major adaptations to Ana-Lily’s home to enable her medical and care needs to be met.
Undaunted by the significant target required, the family raised the necessary funds with Sullivan’s Heroes' help along with that of supporting organisations and donors, and now tell us:
“The ceiling hoists in the sitting room and her bedroom make transferring her from her chairs/equipment to her changing bed and bed in her bedroom much easier and safer. The additional space and wheelchair access have made our home much more appropriate for Ana-Lily – who now has her own ‘space’ and we have storage space for the many medical supplies that used to take up our kitchen! Our home is now a much happier home for everyone.”
We’re delighted with the differences the new space has made – and we look forward to bringing further news of progress with the other projects we’re supporting.
Please do get in touch if you have any fundraising events, activities and ideas you’d like to share with us; or if you would like to apply for a grant or to fundraise through Sullivan’s Heroes.
Thank you for your ongoing support, it is greatly appreciated.
