The “wonderful people” of Beverley have been praised as a DIY SOS ‘Big Build’ saw a new youth centre created in just eight days.
The cast of the BBC show were in the town on Thursday as work on the project at the Cherry Tree Community Centre was completed.
In just over a week, a new youth hub has been delivered at the centre after hundreds of volunteers from in and around Beverley gave up their time to help with the project and make a difference to the community.
Fiona Rainforth, from Cherry Tree, told LDRS: “I can’t believe after all this time we’ve finally got a youth club and that they’ve built it for us in just eight days!
“For our young people it means they’ve got the thing we always wanted, a safe space. We’ve been working out of a gazebo and out of my car and in the winter it’s just dire.”
The new building, off Burton Road, which will be fully revealed in an episode of DIY SOS to be broadcast later in the year, gives local young people a safe place to have fun and is kitted out with games consoles and board games as well as having an outdoor gym area.
DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles told LDRS how impressed he had been with the efforts and support of the local community in Beverley. He said: “Look at the people who turned out, look at the people who believed in this, look at the people who wanted to build something for the kids here, and look at what’s been built.
“We always think that, when we come to build something, it’s like a health check for a community – how healthy is your community? What’s the community spirit like? Well look at it, eight days – you shouldn’t be able to do that in eight days.
“People were here from six o’clock to midnight and it wasn’t to be on telly, none of them were interested in that. They just wanted to get this built and we couldn’t make them go home. It’s amazing, it’s been a real honour to be amongst the community.”
Councillor Tony Henderson, who represents the Minster and Woodmansey ward on East Riding of Yorkshire Council, expressed his delight at the unveiling of the new youth hub. He said: “It’s just amazing, really overwhelming.”
He added: “This centre is purposely built for children in this area and it will change lives, what we can do with this building is create a safe space for young people. I’ve been in there and it feels like a home.”
DIY SOS interior designer Gabrielle Blackman said: “Eight days ago we gathered as strangers and now we’ve made amazing friends and we’ve built a building.
“We’ve had loads of people from Hull, loads of people from Beverley. This community have got together and done something incredible for their own kids. It’s been amazing. I’m so proud to have worked with everyone, they are wonderful people.
“It’s this community that has done this, we just arrive as a catalyst.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
