Brierley Hill Family Celebrates Charity’s 500th Project with Life-Changing Garden for Disabled Sons
WellChild celebrates 500 garden makeover projects, supporting over 2,000 children thanks to over 7,000 volunteers from corporate partners.
Two brothers living with complex medical needs in Brierley Hill have had their garden completely transformed thanks to a joint effort from children’s charity WellChild and national electrical wholesaler City Electrical Factors.
Samuel Stanfield, 10, and his younger brother Benjamin, 9, saw their family garden overhauled in just two days by volunteers from CEF in a project led by WellChild, creating a safe, sensory and accessible outdoor space for them to enjoy this summer.
Both boys live with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. As a result, Samuel and Benjamin rely on electric wheelchairs for mobility. Despite the challenges they face, the brothers are known for their resilience and bravery as well as their shared love of football. Their mum, Abigail, applied to WellChild’s Helping Hands programme in the hope of creating a safer and more accessible outdoor environment for her sons. She commented on the project saying:
This garden will completely change our families lives. Our sons have never had access to an outdoor space independently, and that freedom is going to mean the world to them. The weight that's been lifted from us in the past 2 days is incredible. There aren't enough words for us to express how grateful we are and the difference this will make for us.
The project in Brierley Hill marks the 500th transformation delivered through WellChild’s Helping Hands programme, which has been running since 2007. The initiative partners teams of corporate volunteers with families across the UK to complete practical projects that make homes and gardens safer and more accessible for children with serious health needs. It also offers businesses a meaningful alternative to traditional team-building days by enabling staff to make a tangible difference within their local communities.
Kieran Cullen, Helping Hands Programme Manager at WellChild, said:
It’s really special to mark our 500th Helping Hands project here in Samuel and Benjamin’s garden alongside the incredible volunteers from CEF, who have supported many projects over the years.
“In the last 19 years we’ve had the pleasure of working with nearly 8,000 volunteers from companies across the UK, helping us create a real and lasting difference for the families of more than 2,000 children. It’s something everyone at WellChild is incredibly proud of.”
Ali Atkin, Internal Communications Manager at CEF, has taken part in several Helping Hands projects over recent years and was keen to get involved in Samuel and Benjamin’s transformation.
CEF’s Director of ESG, Sustainability, Health and Safety, Connor Dalton, remarked on the long-standing partnership with WellChild’s Helping Hands programme.
We’re proud to support WellChild and the incredible work they do for seriously ill children and their families across the UK. Giving back to our communities is part of who we are, and partnering with WellChild allows us to contribute to real and lasting impact.
WellChild is now seeking more partner businesses to support Helping Hands garden transformations across the UK this summer. Businesses that can contribute volunteers and funding to create real impact in their local community are encouraged to get in touch.
For more information, contact Kieran Cullen at [email protected]
