DIY SOS: The Yorkshire businesses which helped create life-changing home for Getaway Girls

Nick Knowles and his DIY SOS team were in Leeds for the renovation of the property to help out Getaway Girls, which a charity that supports and empowers young girls and women, as part of a Children in Need challenge.

As well as crew members from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, businesses such as kitchen company Moores and garden centre Moss & Moor all chipped in to help create the new home for the charity. Brighouse's PolyBound owner Liam Richards and colleagues Michael Cummins, Chris Wojarski, Lewis Walker and Ashton Rowntree rolled up their sleeves and worked for three days installing new pathways and a vibrant garden in the colours of the Leeds-based charity.

Moores provided the DIY SOS team with a brand new kitchen, while Moss & Moor helped create a restorative outdoor space by the donation of large specimen plants and trees to the specification of the team’s design.

The founder of Getaway Girls, Flavia Docherty, said: “We help the girls 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 the support they need to navigate their way through these issues.

"That’s why we have built a young women’s space in Leeds where they can feel safe, join in with creative, exciting activities, build confidence, and enjoy themselves.”

Mike Miller, from Moss and Moor, said: “The whole team at Moss & Moor were really excited to have contributed to one of the largest DIY SOS projects for Children in Need. The atmosphere on site was incredibly emotional. People had been there for several weeks straight, with engineers, builders, plumbers, electricians and decorators all working extremely long hours.

"These huge projects not only change recipients’ lives but also touch and transform every individual who contributes. It was inspirational to see what can be achieved in such a short time when so many companies pull together from all over Yorkshire.”

Mr Richards, of Polybound, said: “When we heard that DIY SOS was visiting Leeds to build a new headquarters for Getaway Girls, our team were keen to be involved with the project. Spending active time outdoors is something many of us take for granted, and providing a safe, inclusive outdoor space for the young women to use – whatever the weather – was a truly rewarding experience for our whole team.

“It was a very busy few days, but to see the finished results thanks to all the hard work and generosity of the tradespeople and DIY SOS team, made it all worthwhile. It’s an experience we will never forget – and the knowledge that we’ve helped, in some small way, to change these young women’s lives for the better is absolutely amazing.”

Moores CEO Mike Barrett added: “We are passionate about supporting our local communities and charities. The Getaway Girls project was a fantastic initiative to be a part of, and we are thrilled to support a charity that supports young women in the region.”

Getaway Girls is a Children in Need-funded charity and has been supporting young women across Leeds for 35 years. The show will see singer-songwriter Emeli Sande coaching the Getaway Girls through their nerves as they prepare a song to perform in front of volunteers as a thank you on reveal day.

The new building in Seacroft provides a vital safe sanctuary with facilities including a music and media studio, counselling and activity room, a creche, offices and a garden.

Executive producer of the show, Jo Bishop, said: “Leeds has really come together to support this year’s DIY SOS Big Build for BBC Children in Need. We’ve been amazed by the hundreds of volunteers that have turned out to help us.