Hi-Store supports biggest DIY project yet for Children in Need

Hi-Store were recently contacted by one of their distribution customers, Spartan Direct, with a request they couldn’t refuse - to assist in a major renovation project in Liverpool for the BBC’s DIY SOS as part of their 2011 Children in Need Appeal.

The project was centred on Norris Green Youth Centre in Liverpool. The Centre offers young people from the area opportunities to achieve and gain positive life experiences. A programme is run at the Centre which aims to broaden horizons, develop skills, competences, confidence and positive attitudes that will equip them for life and provide a pathway to further education, employment and active community citizenship.

Alongside 150 other tradesmen, the Hi-Store project team arrived on-site and, whilst rubbing shoulders with TV presenter Nick Knowles, work started to transform 1800 sq ft building.

Hi-Store’s part to play was to install a 60 sq m mezzanine to span the new music studio, and provide an area above that could be used as a practice area.

With everything going according to plan, the Hi-Store team accepted delivery of their steelwork and hire equipment, only to find that a last minute design change to shorten the columns supporting the structure by 50mm, had not been made. A quick call to manufacturers and welders were soon on their way to resolve to problem.

Much of the preparation work prior to the installation required manual labour to demolish several rooms that the mezzanine would occupy.  And with the help of managers and members of the Spartan Direct sales force, this was completed in good time and the team had all the necessary steelwork in place in under 4 hours - a major achievement.

The next hiccup was unforeseen - the theft of a compete set of tools from an installer’s van left in a hotel car park. Despite this, work continued and before long the team had fixed the decking boards down on the structure itself.

Jon Brabbs, Hi-Store’s on-site project engineer said, “The Children in Need project has been a great success. We have overcome quite a few hurdles, but we managed to deliver the floor in an amazing time. Everyone has worked really hard - a sterling effort all round.”

The project, which was the biggest ‘Big Build’ challenge so far, took nine days in total to finish. A project of this scale would normally take six to eight months to complete.

Of the renovation, Nick Knowles told reporters: “The local support has been fantastic. The build would have cost in the region of £1m, and we could not have done it without  the outstanding work, commitment and goodwill of the local tradesmen.”

Nick went on to say, “When we came to Liverpool to ask for help, all these working-class heroes came out in their droves to help. Hopefully we can show our 6m viewers why it is it important to support places like this Centre.”