Comedian and TV and radio presenter Rhod Gilbert will present BBC One’s flagship property renovation show, DIY SOS: The Big Build, when it heads to Hull for a BBC Children in Need Special in September.
Rhod will join the programme’s team of Mark, Chris, Jules and Billy, alongside playground engineer John O’Driscoll and local tradesmen and volunteers, to embark on a build that will improve the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people in Hull and the surrounding areas.
Rhod says: “It’s a great honour to step in to Nick’s enormous steel toe-capped boots and be involved in Children in Need. I’m looking forward to joining the infamous DIY SOS team, and rallying an enormous group of local volunteers on a wonderfully ambitious and important project. After having tried my hand at over 30 jobs on my Work Experience TV programme, I’m hoping I may even be of some use around the site. My vis is high and my hat is hard, so bring it on.”
Paolo Proto, Executive Producer on DIY SOS, adds: “We are delighted to have Rhod join the team for this incredibly special build in Hull for St Michael’s Youth Project. We can’t wait to see him get his hands dirty, and we’ll need his humour and empathy as we transform an empty field into an adventure camping site that will benefit children and young people across Hull, for the Big Build BBC Children in Need Special.”
The DIY SOS team, with the help of trade volunteers, have big plans to transform an empty two-and-a-half-acre field into a purpose-built ‘adventure camping site’ for St Michael’s Youth Project in Hull. For over 30 years, St Michael’s (St Mike’s) have been working with children and young people in Hull and surrounding areas to deliver a variety of activities that improve children and young people’s emotional and physical health and wellbeing whilst supporting them to build their confidence and self-esteem and raising their aspirations for the future, encouraging them to reach their potential.
The team will create:
- A field kitchen to teach cooking and to cook
- A landscaped campfire
- A pizza oven
- An exterior covered classroom
- A circular mountain bike course, duel-skill level about one kilometre
- A bird watching tower
- A low walk rope
- An adventure playground
- A toilet/shower block ( maybe from donated containers)
- A storage unit for 20 tents / 20 bikes
DIY SOS charitable builds are hugely ambitious and rely on the generosity of trade volunteers and company donations and so is appealing for landscapers, gardeners and tradespeople to offer support with the transformation in September.
The team would be immensely grateful for the following donations: timber, aggregates, steel containers, septic tank or treatment plant, solar panels, wind turbines, mountain bikes, tents, rope, outdoor furniture, play equipment and internal fit out of shower block and field kitchen.
Those interested in volunteering as a professional trade or donating product to this ambitious charitable build should email [email protected]
There will be a Trades Day on Tuesday 17 August, those interested in attending must email the address above before attending.
The two-week build will take place from Wednesday 8 - Thursday 16 September 2021. The programme will be broadcast in November 2021.
