Matthew Cooper: Celebration for volunteers who helped with DIY SOS Big Build in Telford

Back in March, hundreds of kind-hearted builders, suppliers and helpers rolled up their sleeves to take part in the DIY SOS Big Build at Matthew 's home.

The television team had just nine days to transform his home in Springfield Road, Trench, with a team of 90 kind-hearted volunteers on site each day, giving up their services for free.

The 12 year old had been cared for at Birmingham Children’s Hospital since August 2015 after he was diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer.

After more than a year in hospital, at the end of last year, he finished his chemotherapy and had been living in a rented house until the family home was made suitable for his needs.

In June, people were able to see the results, with an emotional broadcast of the programme on the BBC.

And now, Telford & Wrekin Council is organising an event to say thank you to those hundreds who supported the project.

Invitations have been sent out from council leader Shaun Davies and Mayor of Telford & Wrekin, Councillor Stephen Reynolds, inviting people to a special reception to thank them for their part in the work.

It will be held in September at Oakengates Theatre. Matthew’s former school, Wrockwardine Wood Juniors, and the wider community managed to raise more than £52,000 towards renovating Matthew’s home before they got the nod that the television programme would be able to help.

DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles said that the show had not touched a penny of the funds and the money will now be kept for Matthew’s ongoing care.

At the time, presenter Nick described the build as a “colossal job” but they were helped with hundreds of volunteers from across Telford and Shropshire.

Many said they wanted to do something to “give back”, offering time and supplies for free to get the house done.

The house was stripped and cleared on day one, including the garden, which was made wheelchair friendly.

The garden team were forced to strip it by hand, as there was no access for a mechanical digger for much of the time, having to lift it in by crane on day three.

An old extension was demolished and larger new foundations were put down slightly ahead of the build to give the team more space to work with, extending it around the side and back.

On day two, the major work was done downstairs, starting to make the house inhabitable, building the rooms of the house.

Building a soak away in the clay soil garden on day four put the build behind by two days.

And the team worked so efficiently they ran out of bricks as they worked to put the extension up.

Throughout most of the build, they battled through rain to keep things on schedule.

The team built a new bedroom, wet room and spare room for friends to stay when they visit.

As well, the builders added an upstairs office where Matthew’s medicine could be stored, as well as fitted the house with a fully integrated alarm system and hoists to help his parents move Matthew around.

The team also added some Doctor Who-inspired touches to the interior decoration, in honour of Matthew’s love of the show, with help from a comic book artist and a signed picture from current doctor Peter Capaldi.

Since the filming, Matthew has been making good strides, improving his mobility and communication.

Matthew’s father Leigh, said he hoped that the family would be able to attend the event and thank those who helped the family in person.

He said: "It will nice to see everyone and thank them all together.

"It was an amazing thing and it will be nice for all those people to get recognition. We're settling in at the moment."

He said Matthew himself is doing well.

Leigh added: "He's doing very well, the physio we have brought in seem to be bringing him on and we've seen some more movement on his right side, which is encouraging.

"Just to be home and have his friends round has been quite important to help with his motivation.