G&H Group on BBC DIY SOS: The Big Build Leeds as it supports Getaway Girls charity
Watch here: BBC iPlayer – DIY SOS – The Big Build for Children in Need
Last night’s BBC DIY SOS: The Big Build Leeds programme featured G&H Group after the MEP specialist played a key role creating a new centre for a local charity.
Getaway Girls supports vulnerable women and girls in the city and had a new centre built by the BBC DIY SOS team for a Children in Need special.
G&H Group joined an army of trades and volunteers to create the building in Seacroft in just nine days.
Nick Knowles, DIY SOS presenter, said it will make a “real difference” to the lives of those helped by the charity.
G&H Group designed heating, domestic water services, local heat recovery ventilation, small power and lighting before installing power, mechanical ventilation and plumbing.
Assistance was given to creating energy and sustainability statements and providing modelling so the facility meets Building Regulations.
And in conjunction with its supply chain, G&H Group sourced a wide variety of materials including pipework for drainage, domestic water and heating as well as valves, electric water heaters, containment systems, fire alarms, CCTV and data cabling.
Heat recovery units were also supplied and the extractor fan, ductwork, grilles, louvres and thermal insulation for pipework and ductwork was arranged too.
Managing Director of G&H Group, Graham Kelly, said: “The Big Build projects delivered by the BBC DIY SOS team are always incredibly impressive and this is another great example.
“We were really pleased to play a key role in what was a hugely ambitious scheme and are delighted that Getaway Girls now has a purpose-built centre that will allow it help even more girls and young women with greater facilities.
“Our involvement is the latest in a long line of CSR initiatives we deliver that are making a huge difference to the community and helping improve lives of local people.”
BBC DIY SOS’s Nick Knowles with G&H’s Joel Hesp
Flavia Docherty, Chief Executive of Getaway Girls, said: “We are thrilled to have been given this amazing opportunity and couldn’t be more excited for the future of the charity.
“Without Children in Need’s funding we wouldn’t have been able to continue our work for this long and have the impact that we have done for girls and young women in Leeds over the years.
“At Getaway Girls we have been helping girls and young women in Leeds to have happy, safe and fulfilled lives for the last 30 years. We help them to build confidence, create opportunities to try new activities, build friendships and, most importantly, have fun!
“We also want girls and young women who face barriers – such as bullying, mental health, identity, body image, relationship abuse and exploitation to name a few – to have someone to talk to about what’s going on in their lives and support them.
“That’s why we want a young women’s space in Leeds where they can feel safe, join in with creative, exciting activities, build confidence and enjoy themselves!”
Getaway Girls used to run from a converted terraced house in Harehills but demand grew so high they had to move out and operated from rented sites across the city.
A local homebuilder gifted Getaway Girls a piece of land in Seacroft and the headquarters now includes a multi-purpose activity space, creche, music/media studio, counselling rooms, office spaces and a full kitchen – as well as a garden area and parking.
It was such a big project that Radio 2 joined in for the first time to help recruit volunteers from its 15 million listeners.
Presenters Zoe Ball, Spoony, Trevor Nelson, Jo Whiley, Sara Cox, Scott Mills and Ryland also took part.
BBC’s flagship renovation programme has been going for more than 20 years and attracts up to five million viewers.
Each year, the BAFTA award-winning team fronted by Nick Knowles takes on a large construction challenge for BBC charity, Children in Need.
