DIY SOS has teamed up with Walking With The Wounded and Haig Housing on an exciting new project to create a Manchester-based veterans’ community with access to support, education and training.
The BBC show, which is hosted by Nick Knowles, will work with Manchester City Council and Adactus Housing to refurbish 25 empty homes in Newton Heath, upgrade street landscaping to provide disabled access and improve the environment.
Veterans often have difficulty finding suitable accommodation – especially if they require adapted housing – as well as access to support networks and training opportunities.
The DIY SOS team will refurbish eight properties to create:
- three larger adapted residential homes for veterans and their families
- one multi-occupancy house to provide accommodation for veterans on a construction course at a Manchester college
- office space for Walking With The Wounded
The remaining 17 empty properties will be refurbished by Haig Housing.
Chief executive of Haig Housing, James Richardson, said: “We are delighted to be involved with this project.
“As the leading provider of housing to ex-Service community and with our experience in providing specially designed and adapted accommodation for both Service and ex-Service personnel who have been severely wounded and traumatically disabled, we are well placed to deliver homes which meet the needs of our applicants and tenants.”
Edward Parker, CEO and co-founder of Walking With The Wounded, added: “One of our core philosophies at Walking With The Wounded is for our veterans to gain their independence outside the military, and two of the key factors for this to succeed is a home and a job. This project will provide both.”
The programme aims to achieve the refurbishments and works through donations of materials, equipment and on-site labour. Skills will be donated by contractors and local businesses many of which are already committed including the local Army Reserve (75th Engineer Regiment) which has offered workforce and equipment.
Would you like to be involved?
For more information, call 020 8685 5777 and select option 0 (ask for housing options and quote “Manchester”) or email enquiries@haighousing.org.uk adding “Manchester project” in the subject line.
Applicants may be asked to appear on TV but this is not an application requirement.
Visit www.haighousing.org.uk and www.coming-home.org.uk to find out more on the two charities involved.