VOLUNTEER builders and landscapers from construction charity Band of Builders have completed a project for a 12-year-old girl with severe learning difficulties in Northern Ireland.

Aiva Barry will now be able to play safely in her back garden for the first time after volunteers came together to transform the family’s outdoor space, including erecting a new fence, as the finishing touch to a bigger project the family obtained funding to build a new ground-floor bedroom and bathroom for her.

Speaking at the handover of the project, Aiva, along with mum Catrina, dad Ciaran (who is a landscaper) and sisters Catlin and Orlaith, said: “It looks amazing and we can’t thank everyone involved enough for coming together as a team to create an area where Aiva can play safely. She’s looking forward to having a new bunny rabbit and a hot tub in her new garden.”

Aiva was just two and a half years old when she suddenly stopped breathing. This lasted 3–4 minutes before her parents were able to resuscitate her – and she was rushed to hospital.

Over the next 18 months, Aiva saw a number of doctors and underwent numerous tests where it was discovered that she had a rare form of epilepsy called electrical status epilepticus during sleep (ESES), which was causing the raised heart rate when she was sleeping, as her brain was having seizures. Aiva was later diagnosed as having 15q11.2 microdeletion – a rare chromosome abnormality in which a tiny piece of genetic material is missing.

Band of Builders Project

It was one of the kind-hearted builders who built the extension that signposted the Barry family to Band of Builders, as the funding for the home renovation didn’t cover the outside area, which needed to be safe and secure for Aiva.

The charity put out a call for help to the 50,000+ members of its community of supporters and well-wishers and enlisted support from businesses that support the charity.

Northern Irish builders merchants JP Corry was the headline sponsor for the project, which was also supported by the charity’s National Landscaping Partner, Talasey. The week-long project (which was hampered by the weather) involved creating a seating area, laying paving and installing outdoor lighting in the 70 sqm. area.

Project Manager Marcus McGee thanked the five volunteers, including Aiva’s dad, and said: “Band of Builders has done what it does best in helping our own in the construction industry and completing projects that will make a huge difference to the lives of tradespeople and their families,” he said.

“Having a safe outdoor space means the world to Aiva – and the smile on her face has made it all worthwhile.”

>> Read about more Band of Builders projects in the news

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