‘I finally sleep through the night’: Paralysed man wins back dignity thanks to volunteer builders

A paralysed man from Surrey who spent three years sleeping in his dining room has described how a team of volunteer builders gave him his best night’s sleep in years – by building a home extension for free.

Paul Kitterman, from Addlestone, was left paralysed from the waist down in 2021 following a sudden spinal abscess. With no accessible facilities in his home, Paul had been sleeping in the dining room behind a curtain, without access to a toilet or shower.

Now, thanks to more than 25 volunteer tradespeople from the charity Band of Builders, Paul has a custom-built ground-floor bedroom and bathroom – and says he finally feels like himself again.

Paul's story

Paul’s ordeal began suddenly in October 2021, when what felt like a bad back turned into a medical emergency.

He collapsed in A&E and was later diagnosed with a spinal abscess, pneumonia, and sepsis. Doctors placed him in a coma, and although his life was saved, the damage left him paralysed from the waist down.

He spent six months in hospital and rehabilitation, and returned home to a house that wasn’t equipped for his new needs and he and his wife could not afford the cost of a new extension.

While Paul showed remarkable determination, even returning to work, he had no private space or accessible bathroom at home.

Paul and his wife Sasha reached out to Band of Builders (BoB), a national construction charity that supports tradespeople and their families through practical projects when illness or injury strikes.

The builders and businesses who stepped up

Once planning permission for the extension was approved, more than two dozen tradespeople from across the UK travelled to Surrey to complete the project in just three weeks.

Materials were donated by companies including Jewson, Ibstock, Forterra, Ideal Bathrooms and SIG Roofing, with DEWALT coming on board as the headline sponsor.

Tim Winstanley, Senior Brand Manager at DEWALT UK, said: “When we heard about Paul’s story, we knew we had to get involved. Projects like this show how powerful the trade community can be when it pulls together.”

One of the project leads, Andrew Pell, added: “This wasn’t just about bricks and mortar – it was about giving Paul the comfort, dignity, and independence he hadn’t had since 2021.”

The new extension includes a wheelchair-accessible wet room and a spacious bedroom, giving Paul a level of comfort and normality he’d been missing for years.

Paul says he's been 'given a chance to live with dignity again'

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Paul and his wife Sasha expressed deep gratitude to the Band of Builders volunteers and the many companies that donated materials to make the project possible.

For Paul, the impact has been immediate as he stated: “I’ve had a great night’s sleep every night since the build.

“This project has changed our lives. This extension gives me my dignity and privacy back, as I now have shower and toilet facilities, as well as my own bed."