The home of a Solihull dad-of-four left paralysed after a fall at home is set to be transformed thanks to a national construction charity.
Rob Lamb, 58, suffered a severe spinal cord injury when he fainted due to low blood pressure at home in October, leaving him paralysed from the chest down.
The quantity surveyor has been recovering at a rehabilitation centre in Oswestry but his home in Solihull needs specialist adaptations so he can live there safely.
After hearing about his situation, Band of Builders stepped in and volunteers have descended on the family’s home, where Rob lives with his three sons, to make a range of adaptations that will allow him to return home.
A team of 60 volunteer tradespeople from across the country is spending nine days carrying out changes to ensure the house is safe and comfortable for the dad of four, including creating a downstairs bedroom and wet room complete with specialist equipment for his condition.
Rob, who was widowed when wife Julie died suddenly in 2017, lives with sons Callum, Gavin and Mackenzie, who plays for West Bromwich Albion’s youth team.
Gavin said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received and still can’t quite believe this is all happening. When dad first got injured, we knew we’d need to make huge changes to the house for him to come home, so we started fundraising for those and for the care that he’ll need. Then Band of Builders stepped in and it’s taken a huge weight off.
“Not only does it mean the money we raised can focus on dad’s care, but it means we’ve got experts making sure everything is done right so the house is as safe and comfortable for dad as possible.”
Band of Builders is a registered charity that helps members of the UK construction industry battling illness or injury through the completion of practical projects.
Volunteers give up their time for free to work on projects, while materials are donated by companies across the construction industry. Rob’s Project is sponsored by Tarmac Blue Circle and is led by BoB volunteers Tim Winch and Craig Cashmore.
Craig said: “This is probably one of the biggest projects Band of Builders has undertaken to date, but after months of planning we’re ready to get going and make a real difference to Rob and his family. It’s so important that the home he comes back to isn’t just safe, but is somewhere he can live comfortably and happily and the changes we’ve planned will definitely make that happen.
“The current situation doesn’t make it easy, but careful planning means we’ll have all the right measures in place to make sure we can do the work that’s needed and keep everyone safe, making sure Rob can get home to his family as soon as possible.”
