The Million Pound Build for Children in Need DIY SOS

We all want our children to have a carefree childhood.

Growing up happy, protected and supported

is something most of us take for granted.

But today the number of children in care in the UK is 90,000

and it's rising.

Many have had tough childhoods and can feel isolated and alone.

People do give up on you and it's hard

because I keep thinking that I'm just going to get dropped again.

Teenagers have to leave care when they reach adulthood

and can find themselves totally unprepared for the outside world.

I was pretty much homeless.

I had to start my life again.

With around a third of care leavers experiencing homelessness

within the first two years of leaving,

this is a problem of national importance.

It's about going into the big wide world and some of those people

aren't ready for that.

Which is why we've teamed up with Children In Need in Swansea

to build them a lifeline here,

a place offering support

and the chance to learn the skills to get on.

Our job is to be the constant, the family that they long for.

But we've got a mountain to climb.

In fact, it's the biggest single building we've ever attempted,

with a community centre and studio apartments for care leavers,

and this time we've got 11 days to do it.

It's going to be epic.

Timber!

With over 800 volunteers...

It's like Piccadilly Circus here this morning.

We'll be battling the elements...

The building has flooded right through every floor.

..but with a whole lot of love on site...

Oh, this is something special.

..no matter how tough it gets...

Oh!

..it's worth every minute.

There isn't enough out there for these young people,

so for you to come in and do this is absolutely amazing.

Just a massive thank you.

Because this one is so ambitious,

we have 11 days to do the build,

but we are going to need a huge Welsh army to help us out.

Pudsey, have you got any friends around here? Wow!

This is DIY SOS: The Big Build for Children In Need!

Kyle lives in Swansea

and like most 17-year-olds he's making plans for his future.

I want to travel a lot.

Yeah, that's my ultimate goal, going backpacking

and finding my own way around the world,

like trains and stuff, that would be pretty cool.

But unlike most teenagers, Kyle spent his childhood in care,

going from placement to placement.

I've been in around ten to 15 different homes.

Saying it doesn't really seem that much

but being in different houses and living with different families,

it is a lot.

I remember being quite scared with my first placement.

My childhood was very disturbed

because I never really had a chance to settle properly somewhere

before I got moved.

Like many children who have been in care,

the lack of a constant family home has affected Kyle deeply.

I struggle to connect with people on an emotional level

because I keep thinking that I'm just going to get dropped again.

For 21-year-old Ellen,

being in care meant spending her teenage years in a children's home.

The hardest part about being in care

is when no-one recognises you're there.

If I could change what had happened,

not to go into care, I would.

Spending time in care can leave young people feeling cut off

and worthless, without the skills needed to move on when they leave.

Working with children in care for the past five years

through her charity, the Roots Foundation Wales,

is Emma Lewis.

She's seen stories like Kyle's and Ellen's all too often.

The process of leaving care is quite a traumatic one

for many young people, and it's often the time that young people

fall into crisis because the support networks stop around them.

For young people who have had tough enough lives already,

it's a difficult and critical time.

A third of care leavers end up homeless.

It was kind of difficult to live with family members

and I stayed in a tent for a while

because there was nowhere else to stay.

From the time I was 17 to the age of 20, I was pretty much homeless.

I had to, you know, I had to start my life again,

and that's when Emma came into place and she got me this place

within a week.

She got me the property so I can call something home.

Emma set up Roots Foundation charity five years ago

from the back of her car to help young people in care.

It's now a thriving drop-in centre for children in care

and care leavers, thanks in part to funding by Children In Need.

Our job is to be the constant, the family that they long for,

to offer that support,

and it is a bit controversial but we actually love our clients,

and I think they need to know that,

that we absolutely love them and that we care for them.

I like being here because it's so fun.

I feel like one big family.

Emma and her team offer counselling, support and workshops

to teach the children the life skills they'll need

as they grow up.

Now Emma has an idea that could help those leaving care.

It's always been our wish to have the opportunity

to have accommodation for immediate care leavers,

to offer that one-to-one support,

that journey along their independent living, would be amazing.

But that's just the dream as Roots HQ is currently a tumbledown hut,

that can only offer important but limited help.

We are limited by numbers in regards to how many we can get in here.

It can feel quite cramped and so given the opportunity

to have bigger space, we could have more staff,

we could have more young people accessing it in different areas.

All we want is somewhere where we can teach young people

they can leave care quite confidently, that they can budget,

pay their electricity bills and that they can cook meals from scratch.

The kitchen is so small and inadequate

that we can't even teach cooking skills.

We haven't even got a cooker.

It could be so much better.

We're here to make that happen but we're going to need

something of a miracle and a much bigger hut.

All right, shall we begin the countdown and get the digger going?

-Yes.

-Great, hold on. You sure?

-Yes!

-Two, one!

Oh, yes, we're going to have to rip this down and start again.

Well, we've got no choice now.

Just a month before the build,

we demolished the old hut in Swansea and prepared the ground

for the foundations, thanks to lots of lovely volunteers.

We levelled the ground and had to bore 70-metre test holes

in preparation for 100 cubic metres of concrete for the base,

all to get ready for the 11-day build.

I brought Emma down for the start of day one,

to see the enormous effort so far.

Oh, my goodness.

Pretty big, isn't it?

It's ridiculous already.

At the moment all we've got is a concrete base,

but what you can see from here is the size of the thing.

-It's huge.

-Yeah.

-It's going to be beautiful.

-Yeah, and do you know what?

Our children need something beautiful.

They need somewhere where they can play and they can be safe

and, you know, they've had the most horrendous childhoods,

a lot of our children, and they deserve to laugh

and I think a building such as this is going to be amazing.

Well, we're going to build you something that will give you

the tools you need to be able to carry on your amazing work.

-That would be amazing.

-Would you like to meet some of the people

-that have...

-I would love to meet some of the people.

And here they come! Hundreds of volunteers

donating supplies and skills from Swansea and all over the UK.

I want to look you all in the eye and say thank you very, very much, everyone.

Yes, they're ready to get the job done in breakneck time.

This is the biggest building we have ever attempted.

Just to be clear, between the community centre and studio flats,

two parts to this, it will have 20 separate rooms.

It's ridiculous! It's huge!

It's like Piccadilly Circus here this morning.

And day one is all about getting the timber frame up,

with 5,200 metres of wood to create these walls,

a job that normally takes eight days,

and we need it done in just one.

So having said hello to everyone, I've gone off to use the site loo,

turned around and they've already started putting panels up

and the building's started on the far side there. Amazing.

Shall we talk about the size of this?

Yeah! Yeah, it's good, isn't it?

It goes on forever. It's vast.

-It's massive.

-It's over 300 square metres.

-Is it really?

-Which is basically the size of a tennis court.

We're hoping by the end of tomorrow

we will actually have all the roof on and it will be watertight

because we're expecting wain... rain at the weekend.

And Wayne. Are you expecting Wayne to come down with the rain?

-Wayne is bringing some wain with him.

-Is he? Good.

Until we get the roof on, we need it to stay dry,

but this being Wales, there's not much hope of that.

We'll have this up, though, won't we?

-It will be all right?

-We'll be done by dinner time.

Us Welsh boys can do that. Easy, it's easy.

But as there isn't actually a building there yet,

not everyone has a job to do.

I've seen you run the cables for everybody,

but there's nothing you can do for the next couple of days, is there?

I can make tea, but...

-Well...

-..above all that, I went away and done my digger licence,

three days away and now I can drive a digger.

So you know how this thing works?

I can't even open the door.

I was just looking at that. It's not a great start, is it, to be fair?

No, it's not the best start.

I look forward to seeing this.

No problem. I'm looking forward to doing it.

From the hopeless to the hopeful,

as we get the vibrant and colourful Sophie Robinson

taking on the challenge of designing this epic centre.

You're going in there, are you?

And there's a lot to think about.

I've had a look at the spec for this building and it's amazing.

We've really upscaled on this, haven't we?

Yeah. And yet I don't want it to feel like an institution.

I don't want it to feel like your average community centre.

I want it to feel like a home,

so that they feel really loved

and really appreciated and that we want them to be there

and we want them to feel good about being there,

so the design has to be really special.

And this design really is special.

After demolishing the old small hut,

we'll put up a brand-new building, emerging from the ground

on a plot of land that's three times the size.

At the front, a courtyard will lead into the reception.

There's a large office and a long sunlit corridor

will lead through to the large multi-space area for kids to enjoy.

There will be a state of the art kitchen for lessons in cooking

and a cosy counselling room, and it's not just the centre.

We're also going to build four studio flats

for those young people leaving care

to start to learn to live independently.

Finally, a decking area will work as a fire escape from the flats

all the way down to a patio at the back,

which overlooks a rockery and beautiful garden,

topped off by a soundproof music room for the teenagers.

It's amazing but hugely ambitious, but if we pull it off,

it will be something that Swansea can be really proud of.

This is 350 square metres of awesomeness.

It's really important that when the guys turn up and arrive here,

they might be feeling nervous,

there will be a lot of trepidation

and I want it to feel really welcoming.

There's not a detail that hasn't been thought about.

Well, at this stage, with so much work having been done,

only you can mess it up now, can't you?

That's my usual coaching tip at that stage.

OK, so if I wasn't feeling quite anxious and nervous as it is,

you're just going to turn the knife.

I think motivational speeches are important at this stage.

And as there's no building to plaster yet,

we have roped Chris in to help Jules out in the garden.

Back in my life again.

Like being back at school!

They were best buddies at school and now they have a chance to work

together again after all this time. All this time.

Excited? How come your helmet's black?

How come his helmet is black and how come yours and mine is blue?

You're the apprentice.

Black is management, this is trade and that's a visiting apprentice.

-Wait.

-You're having me on.

-Have a look, look.

They are all apprentices.

That's a real cheek, isn't it?

Luckily, we have someone here who is definitely not

an apprentice taking charge,

with veteran garden designer Laurence here to turn this marsh

into a magical space.

This is a challenge, isn't it?

It is. Yeah. We've got water build-up issues.

There's the steepness of the embankment,

access for the young adults to get into the garden

and then the actual ground conditions themselves,

but, yeah, within 11 days, it'll all come true.

And you've got Julian and Chris working with you.

That's an experience in itself.

Having worked with Julian before, but, yeah, Chris is a lovely guy.

There is also word Billy has passed his tractor driving licence.

He won't be allowed on this site.

Harsh but fair, but you can't blame him.

It's all hands on deck, clearing access to the garden.

I'm here to help.

New territory to me, this.

Outside, clean air.

But leaving Chris in charge of clearing the tree line

might not have been such a good idea.

Timber!

I thought they was just going to cut the fence line out.

Popped away for five minutes and they've cut all the trees down.

It is rather concerning.

I'll keep reins on him. I know he can get a bit carried away.

He's quite excited, actually, because he's been let out.

But I'll hold him back.

Right, Laurence. What's next? Done that.

Yeah, I didn't want the trees cut.

I got that big one earlier.

Yes, the timber frame walls are flying up so quickly

that Billy left the generator for five minutes

and they went and built a room round it.

I wonder who'd do a thing like that?

The trades on site know who we are building for

and why this building will be so important.

You think a lot of these people in care, once they get to 18,

they're just pushed out into the world.

A lot of them have no life skills.

Things we take for granted, they don't know about.

-Yeah.

-They've been in care for most of their life

and then there's nothing out there, so it's good to see that

-they've got something when they leave.

-Yeah, and you're building it.

-Yeah, yeah.

-That's kind of cool, isn't it?

Yes. It is a worthy cause.

Emma has built her charity from scratch over five years,

creating a family for the young people that need it most.

She wants to help young people in care

as it's something she can relate to herself

after her own tough childhood.

My mum had alcohol addiction, as did my stepfather.

I think it's fair to say that I was neglected.

I think it's fair to say that there wasn't a meal on the table.

Emma went into care at the age of nine

and spent nearly nine years in foster care.

After she left, like many, Emma felt unprepared to live on her own.

But when she moved to a flat in Pembrokeshire,

Emma found a support network in the village where she lived,

who helped her.

I was really, really fortunate to have such...

In such a small village,

to have so many people looking out for me and I believe

that they had genuine affection for me and my well-being.

Her experience of the care system and the support that she received

afterwards inspired here to set up Roots, to help children like her.

Emma has given me more love

than I've ever felt in my life.

But even though my mum loves me,

Emma just gives me that extra love that I needed.

She made me the person I am today, really.

I've come to meet Emma, to find out more about her

and why this project is so important.

My greatest wish was to have never been in care.

You know, I lived with my mum and that's where

I would have wanted to be, ideally, of course it is.

-Yeah.

-But then, Roots wouldn't have happened, you know,

it all happened because I'd been in care and because I could

empathise and sympathise with people going through the same things

and understand about the loss of identity and belonging

and wanting to be part of a family.

That's literally what Roots is about, you know.

We love our clients. We genuinely do.

We find great joy when they show us their baby scan photos

or they're telling us that they're getting married

and they give us an invitation.

That will make me cry.

-Why?

-Because...

Because they treat us as family.

It's really important. Family is really important for everyone

and like I said, and it doesn't have to be blood.

It doesn't have to be blood.

How much of a difference can it make to a young person's life

around the age of 16, 17,

if people take an interest and just put a bit of care and attention

into them at that stage?

It will make a huge difference.

I think for these young people to know that people

actually care about them, that they are worthy enough,

to know that they're loved and they are needed within this world,

to have that time and care taken upon them,

for the interest for their futures.

The people who are building this, that's what they're building it for.

It's going to change people's lives,

who probably feel a little bit like me, unworthy,

unloved, and to show young people in care that your past

doesn't have to determine your future.

It's clear to me that Emma has created a different important kind

of family that all the builders on site want to support

and Sophie's come up with a plan to show that in the design.

My idea is to take a little portrait of every single person

who's on site today and I'm going to put them

on this enormous tree mural, almost like building up

the family tree of the Roots foundation

and everybody who's helped, everyone who Emma has helped,

can be added to this tree.

It just means that the guys who are in the charity office

will just always be reminded of the people you support

and the people that they've helped.

The atmosphere on site is incredible.

Everyone has pulled out all the stops to achieve the impossible.

Just look at what can be achieved in just one day.

I am stood in a brand-new building which is simply enormous.

This is one side and that's the apartment side over there,

which is looking pretty magnificent.

Bearing in mind, we started at 9.30 this morning,

I mean, that's less than, like, ten hours.

It's ridiculous that we can actually do so much

so I think it couldn't have gone any better.

Let's go and get some dinner and make you happy.

Do you want to bring Chris or not?

Leave him. He's happy sawing.

-Is he? All right.

-Yeah. That's all he's done all day.

LAUGHTER

Hang on. Is this one of yours?

It's a cracker.

That's cheered him up no end.

There's nothing like somebody else's pain to cheer you up.

Good morning. It's day two of the Children In Need build

and I thought I'd give you a bird's eye view of the site.

As you fly over the top, you can see the size of this build.

It's absolutely amazing.

People down there look like ants working all over it.

You can see the garden,

the people working out there, clearing the boggy water.

It's epic.

But today, there's a massive race to get the roof boarded and sealed

before a storm arrives.

So no wonder Mark is looking stressed.

-What's wrong with your face this morning?

-I woke up, and it was stuck

-to my head.

-That must be a constant disappointment.

-It is.

That's why there's no mirrors in my house.

-Myrrhs?

-No mirrors in the house.

-Myrrhs?

-Mirrors, none.

-As in gold, frankincense and myrrh?

-No, no, no. Mirrors.

-Mirrors that you look and shave in.

-Is that what you think

what they meant when the baby Jesus was brought by the Three Wise Men -

-gold, frankincense and a mirror?

-Yeah.

As if we hadn't got enough water on site already,

since clearing the tree line, the garden has turned into a swamp,

for some reason.

We looked on the old OS maps and found

that there was a drainage ditch that ran all the way down there,

which basically had just fallen into misuse.

Nearly all of this water is emanating from a spring in the side

of the hill and that's why it's come up today,

despite the fact that yesterday, we didn't have any rain.

This is a massive problem and if we've got any chance of finishing

the garden at all, we're going to have to dig the ditch back out -

hopefully, that will do the trick.

Helping out in the garden is 21-year-old Nick.

He would really have benefitted from a centre like this,

as he lost his first home when he left care, due to lack of support.

I got put into my first flat and I lost it in six months.

-Yeah?

-I didn't really know how to pay my bills,

give up with all electricity, gas, water.

So you had to start again?

-Yeah.

-Right.

-And now, after starting again, I've never been better now.

I know what I'm doing now, thanks to my brother.

Yeah. So would you agree, if something like this was about

-when you were going through the system...?

-Well, from day one,

I would have been a bit more secure in my flat.

I wouldn't have lost my flat as quick as I did.

And, you know, what they're building here is amazing.

I wish I had it when I was getting ready for independence.

That's what I could have done with. And they make new friends here

as well, so when they go out in the real world, they'll have friends

-as well to support each other as well.

-Yeah.

That's going to be great. I can't wait to see it finished.

But looking at the state of the garden,

the finish line is looking further than ever away.

The forecast is it's not going to get any better,

which is a bit of a worry, but you've managed before

-in tough conditions, haven't you?

-I've dealt with worse.

So long as it doesn't snow.

-Don't...

-Cos we can't plant if it snows.

After 14 years in care and 15 different places to live,

Kyle tried to leave but because he just wasn't ready,

things fell apart and he ended up homeless and sleeping in a tent.

Emma helped him find somewhere to live,

but being in many homes during his young life has taken its toll.

What is it like to go through that system

and to not know where you're living and what you're doing?

I think after the second or third placement,

that's when it started to get difficult to make relationships

and connect with people, because I just kind of had the impression

that it's not going to be long and I'm leaving.

So I didn't try as much and now it's become a difficulty

when I really want to make a connection with someone.

But you have made a connection with Emma?

Yeah. Emma's kind of like gained my trust in a way,

because she's proven to me that she's there and always has been for

the past six, seven years and she's never let me down, so...

She's a pretty amazing person.

-Yeah.

-What is it that makes her so special, do you think?

She never gives up. Never.

When I was taking my GCSEs and I was staying in my friend's tent, she

rang me up straightaway and she was like, "There's a new house opening."

-And within that week, I was living there.

-Is it good to have someone

on your side that's fighting that hard for you?

Yeah. And she understands as well,

cos Emma's been through similar herself.

Do you think the training side of what we're building in there,

so that people can learn those life skills is going to be important?

Absolutely, yeah. When I first went into the house

that I'm living in now, I wouldn't know where to start.

How to open up a bank account or, well, what kind of dial I need

to put the washing machine on and I know quite a lot of them things now.

-Do you cook?

-Not the best but...

Would you like to learn some more cooking skills?

-I'd love to.

-So all of these things are things that we could...

we can build into the centre here.

I think it's important, because I know that I'm going to be able to do

other things independently

that I probably wouldn't have been able to do.

What is it that people get wrong about young people in care?

People do have different opinions on people in care, kind of assume

that it's their fault and think the worst of them.

What do you make of the fact that there are 350 builders up there

giving their time to build this facility

-for people coming out of the care system?

-It just kind of proves

that people are out there and want to help.

It doesn't seem like you're like invisible any more.

That's cool, isn't it? Yeah, it's pretty cool.

When you meet a young man like Kyle, you realise that all he wants

is a bit of a helping hand to get started in life

and there are tens of thousands of children in care across the country

who all have to come out and find their way in the world.

Children In Need support them

and you can help Children In Need with their work.

I know times are tough,

but if you can, you'll be helping

a lot of people who really need it.

# Don't let the rain come down

# Ah, ah!

# Oh, no, don't let the rain come down

# Ah, ah... #

No! Make it stop! THUNDER RUMBLES

# My roof's got a hole in it and I might drown... #

We didn't get the roof finished last night

and the building is absolutely soaked.

It's flooded right through every floor.

It's not just the water on the floor that's the problem.

The insulation is soaking and will have to be replaced.

Look at the state of the place.

The walls are soaked through and any of the work on the inside

of the building has had to stop.

Let's hope they get the roof on before the next downpour.

This has just set us back so much.

It's just been like...

It's completely tripped us up.

Completely tripped us up.

At the front, Jules has found a ray of sunshine.

That young lady just offered me a haircut but...

Send Nick Knowles over.

We'll cut his hair.

No, you don't want to cut his hair.

It's all greasy and horrible.

He could do with a cut!

I'm here, listening in the room!

But this is serious.

We've had to draft in some extra help.

-We're flooded.

-Oh, no!

-Oh, no! We're flooded.

-Where's Billy?

-Oh, never mind him.

-He's my favourite.

We haven't got the roof quite finished yet,

so we just need to get out what's in there now.

-Yeah, we'll have a look at it.

-Oh, my God! Thank you so much.

Above and beyond, that goes for everyone on site -

from the guys laying the roof to the team serving the tea to the group

tirelessly lifting and shifting all the materials into the garden,

where the centrepiece of the design is flying up,

a soundproofed music room for the teenagers.

This is the third one you've done for us.

The last one we did for you was a couple of years ago,

so I've made a couple of quid since then, give a bit back.

Is that right? Is that how it works?

The building has been saved.

The fire brigade pumped out all the water...

Thank you, thank you.

..and we're ready to go again.

Thank you very much indeed. Isn't it amazing? You get up out of bed

in the morning and all you do is just save the world?

SIREN WAILS

He means the firemen. And that's what every single person on

this building is doing too. Up on the roof, we are now sealing it up,

so that the rain can rain all it likes.

Well, you know, within reason.

-Flippin' heck, it's lovely!

-It's come out really good.

-Would you do it again?

-Yeah, why not? With you, I'll do anything.

-Aw!

-Within reason.

-Within reason!

Yeah, important qualification, that!

Everyone working together, new friends and old, like Jules,

who's been so happy, having the time of his life with his old mate Chris

down in the garden.

Almost brings a tear to my eye.

-I've got some heart-wrenching news for you.

-What's that?

I actually need you to go back inside and start the plastering.

Only have to tell me once, I'm gone!

And, erm, not, like, immediately,

but, like, say goodbye to all your mates and stuff.

Nothing quite like the feeling of being dropped by your mates

when they get a better offer, but, you know,

he's only got eyes for plastering, really.

And with over 500 sheets of plasterboard

coming in the building today, he's going to need to focus.

Have you ever worked with this many plasterers in one place before?

No, not all getting on as well!

Oh, is it? So, why did you all decide to come and join in?

I was in foster care myself for a bit when I was a kid.

-Were you?

-For about a year.

Centre like this will make a big difference.

That's why hundreds of volunteers are giving everything they can

to make this project happen

and it makes it all worthwhile when you remember just who it's for.

Children, look what we've found!

EXCITED CHATTER

Emma and the team at Roots are teaching the younger kids to cook,

to give them a head start

in learning the skills they'll need when they leave care.

Because they don't have their own kitchen,

they've had to come to a local restaurant to do it.

-What have you been making?

-A Pudsey pizza.

Pudsey pizza.

Have a look at the pizza!

It's amazing!

It's important to teach them the skills,

because sometimes they don't have a positive support network.

We're lucky here today, that we have carers here who do that.

But a lot of our older young people don't have that positive role model

in their life to show them how to cook, to show them how to budget,

to have positive relationships, and how to integrate

-in the community positively. I'm a mum.

-Yeah.

-I'm not sure that my son is capable, probably at...

-18.

-..18,

straightaway, to move out and to be able to do all those things...

-Not at all.

-..without much of a support network.

So, they're going into the big wide world with nothing.

-Blind, really, aren't they?

-Yeah.

On what sort of scale are we looking at children that need care?

There is approximately 70,000 young people in care at the moment.

-70,000.

-70,000 young people in care at the moment.

And they're being supported really well in a lot of circumstances,

but we need to help them and look after them.

-Yeah.

-And make sure that they're OK and that they get the support

that they long for, and do it for as long as needs be.

As a father, I don't know how it's got to this scale.

No, I feel very...

I mean, look at these little mites here, look -

smiling, bouncy, happy.

They're so... They're just trusting that whoever's looking after them

is going to do the best by them.

And luckily, there's places like Roots around that do.

Children In Need support thousands of projects like this

all over Great Britain.

That's what Children In Need's all about.

Morning, morning, morning!

We're halfway, and the supplies are flying in from all over the country.

What part of Cornwall are you from, then?

I'm from Perth, Scotland.

Four-and-a-half kilometres of Siberian larch cladding has arrived

for the outside of the building,

and with so much going on at the same time,

it's a mission just to keep everything moving.

-He's a bit of a...

-What's he doing?

-Oi, oi! What are you doing?

-I'm only reversing it out the way!

Watch out, look... Watch out at the back here.

Oi, stop! Stop!

You pilchard! Stop!

-Oops!

-Don't touch anything!

It's all right, we'll build another one.

Oh, as if we haven't got enough to do!

Did you...? Did you let him do this?

No! I didn't even know he was on it!

Bill, you've destroyed the neighbour's shed.

-What are we going to do?

-Well, you're going to go and tell

the neighbour that you've just knocked their shed over.

If you do it gently, that might just marry up again...

..or maybe it won't.

It's not, has it?

I... Oh, it's lunch!

I don't know what to say.

Right, might as well just finish the job.

Inside, over 500 plasterboards have gone up,

and the army of plasterers have nearly finished the walls,

using up 100 bags of plaster in just two days.

I know, it's amazing, right?

Sophie wants her photo mural to represent all of the Roots family,

so today, to surprise Emma, she's invited not just the builders,

but the volunteers, staff members and kids from Roots,

to get their picture taken.

Girls, have you thought about what you're going to draw for Emma?

-I know.

-You know?

-Yeah, Sophie.

Oh, brilliant.

Josh and Alex are two members of the team that work with Emma

to look after all these youngsters.

So, can you tell me a bit more about the kids that Roots help,

and some of the challenges that they faced?

The stories are all vastly different.

There might be stories of abuse, and that includes neglect, obviously,

bereavement, parents who've got substance misuse issues.

The stories are always quite heart-wrenching, aren't they?

But, erm, they always speak to us of the child's resilience.

I think what Emma's identified is some of the gaps that young people

fall through in provisions, for various different reasons,

and if we're there to pick up, and, you know,

help people through these little gaps and stuff like that,

I don't think we can go far wrong.

This is a pioneering project, right?

We've achieved so much in such a short space of time

with the building that we did have.

Now we've got this complete new building,

there's so many more ideas that we've already had

that just can be pushed through and developed further.

It will somehow reinforce the message

that we're constantly giving young people,

that the community's come together to make a special space for them,

you know, that they really do deserve all of this,

and they deserve opportunities

and they deserve to feel loved, safe, all of that.

It's amazing to think that this building is going to be so much more

than just a centre. It's going to give these kids a place to belong.

And all thanks to these great guys.

We've got just three days left, and we're still going strong.

Inside, the plaster's dried just in time for the cavalry to arrive.

The painters, decorators, chippies and kitchen fitters

are all rolling in to make this place look amazing.

-Morning.

-You've, erm...

..just got a little bit of paint on your cheek.

That's it!

In apartments one, two, three and four,

they're doing all the shower rooms, and the kitchens.

We've got to have it ready for tomorrow morning,

cos the flooring's going in here tomorrow.

Don't do that!

Oooh! Oh, I love the colour!

I'm surprised they didn't do one of them in pink!

-It would have been nice.

-How did that slip through the net?

Don't encourage her, really!

With the colours flying up on the walls,

we're starting to see what it's going to look like,

and how the studio flats are going to work.

These apartments are amazing, aren't they?

-Sorry, guys.

-Yes, exactly.

This is a self-contained apartment.

So, you've got everything in here - bathroom, kitchen, bedroom,

living space, all in this little compact studio.

Which is good, cos they can have their own independence,

but they've got all the support they need.

Yeah, absolutely, and they don't need masses of space.

I think it's about getting the essentials.

They're going to have their own boiler and bills to pay,

so it's introducing them to taking on those sorts of responsibilities.

And then from a design point of view,

I have made each of the apartments look quite different.

What I didn't want to do was create a kind of hotel feel,

where you're sort of checking in, and it's a bit of a generic room.

So, I have gone to quite a lot of effort to personalise the space

without making it personal to a specific individual.

-People are going to pass through here.

-Yeah.

-It's going to be great.

It's going to feel like... I wanted it to feel a little bit like home

-when you walked in here.

-Yeah.

Sometimes when you think of the little ones

and looking after the little ones,

but what I love about this is, we're looking after the biggies, too.

These flats are going to give Emma the chance to support vulnerable

young people leaving care, the way her village looked after her.

When she left care, alone in her first flat,

one of the people who helped her was John,

who with his wife Jill were like family to Emma.

So, did you kind of mentor her a bit when she was younger, then?

Yeah. We've known her for a long, long time.

She's a lovely person. Amazing woman.

I think because she's been on the other side of the fence,

-as it may well be...

-Yeah.

That now she's in a position where she's passionate

-about trying to help youngsters.

-Yeah.

-And she does a fantastic job.

That isn't a local accent, though, is it?

I was born in Hertfordshire.

In fact, coincidence, you've got one of the people working on your team,

-Billy...

-Yes?

-..who I was in school with.

-In Welwyn?

-Yeah. In Welwyn Garden City, yeah.

-You were not?!

-I'm amazed, yeah.

-In school?

-Yeah, junior school.

Bill!

-Billy!

-What's up? What's gone wrong?

Come and say hello. Take a very long look at this man.

I've got a picture of you here.

-You've got a picture.

-Oh, my gosh.

Were you actually in class with him?

Same football team.

-Oh, look!

-Yourself...

Billy Burn! Johnnie Gilroy!

-Dave Elliot.

-Myself - John Gwilt.

-You went to grammar school, John!

-I know I did, yeah!

Oh, my God! God, city boy!

-Yeah.

-John...

God! Oh, this is...

This is something special, this is.

Oh, little Billy with his little face on that picture.

It's amazing how you get ugly as you get old, isn't it, really?

I know it's not about the looks, don't worry.

We're not superficial.

So, we're going to raise money for Children In Need

in the most ridiculous way possible. And don't try this at home!

We need you to make bets, please, maybe put a pound in the bucket -

who will get their stocking off first?

But only by pulling from the top. Are you all up for that?

-ALL:

-Yes!

Lovely.

SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Are we ready?

-Ready to go.

-Three, two, one...

..go!

SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

I told you it hurt!

I thought my lip was going to go over the top of my head!

So, who was first off?

-Billy.

-Billy.

-Me!

-Billy was first off?!

So, that was all for Children In Need.

Give yourselves a round of applause!

I really wouldn't recommend doing that at home.

But you can do any number of things to raise money for Children In Need,

including picking up the phone right now.

Children In Need support many projects around the country.

-Thank you very much!

-Thank you!

It's the last day of the build,

and even though we're basically a day behind,

everyone on site is projecting that cool and collected attitude

needed to get it done.

I'm floating along calmly on the top of the water...

..looking beautiful with my plumage,

feeling serene and gorgeous,

then underground, I'm like an Irish dancer.

He's bonkers, isn't he? We really don't have any time for any more

hold-ups, which is ironic, because with just hours to go,

the wallpaper for Sophie's family tree won't stay on the wall.

It's just peeling off.

It's just not sticking to the wall.

And if this does...

If this primer doesn't stick to the wall,

then we can't get the wallpaper to stick to the plaster.

This is the wall that's going to have all the photos that we took

of the builders, the kids, of the guys from Roots foundation.

This is like the whole hero of my design.

And at this hour, it's looking like it's not going to work.

If you don't mind me saying so, you seem to have got very personally...

I mean, we all get very personally involved with these things,

but this one seems to have touched you particularly?

Yeah, this one has, um...

..this one has touched me quite a bit, yeah.

Me and my husband are in the adoption process right now.

Now, when you adopt, quite typically it's for children nought to three.

Because actually, there's more chance of the adoption

-being successful when they're really young.

-Yeah.

And this has just shone a real light for me, because it's

all the children who didn't get that break nought to three

and have been in long-term care or fostering.

You know, I'm trying to do a little bit to help in my little way,

but someone like Emma is scooping up with her enormous arms

all these other kids, who haven't had... Didn't get a great break,

didn't get a good hand of cards in life.

So, I've seen... Yeah.

It's been a bit emotional.

The flats we're building are going to provide a stepping stone

for care leavers who aren't ready to strike out completely on their own,

like 17-year-old Angel, who spent her childhood

in foster care before moving to her current home

when she was 12. Angel is happy and settled,

but as this is a children's home, she'll have to leave when she's 18,

and moving to Roots could be perfect for her.

I've lived here for five years.

It's the longest placement that I've been in.

When I first came here,

I was like running round loads and I was really happy.

Before that, I didn't really feel much love.

Now, not knowing exactly where she'll be living next

has been stressful.

I felt very anxious about leaving,

cos, like, I didn't know where I was going to go.

But obviously I know it's something that's got to happen.

I think the day I leave, I'll feel really sad,

cos of all the, like, relationships I've built up.

Angel's house manager, Anthony,

has been a father figure and mentor to her for the past five years.

How critical is that change at 18 for those young people

-in terms of the rest of their life?

-Really critical,

because there isn't enough out there for these young people.

It makes me feel at ease knowing that Angel could possibly

have something, and that will bring her anxiety straight down.

We need more of these places.

So, for you to come in and do this is absolutely amazing.

Do you think people understand how hard it can be?

Some people do I think, yeah.

What is the toughest thing about being in here?

Well, for me, the toughest thing about being in care is, like,

not being with my family all the time.

And obviously, building relationships,

and then those carers leaving,

so then you've got to have new carers.

And obviously me leaving is going to be a hard thing as well.

We're building this place, which you know about, but of course,

it's another move, isn't it? And it's a move away from here...

-Yeah.

-..which has been your home for five years.

I felt very anxious about leaving.

-Really?

-I was chatting to Anthony the other day,

and we were saying that knowing where I'm going to be going

is not so much of a worry and things.

They just support you with like showing you how to budget

-and things like that.

-So, it takes away some of the worry?

-Yeah.

-But it's still going to be

-quite a big, emotional wrench to move?

-Yeah.

We have to get this place done right,

so that youngsters like Angel can feel safe and supported

whilst they find their feet.

I think the garden's going to go pretty much right up to the wire.

I think we're going to struggle with the garden to get it done.

As you can see, it's bedlam down here.

We've got major problems with getting materials down here

because of all the mud. We've got 60 tonne of topsoil to come in,

and they're bringing that down with wheelbarrows.

We're bringing the hard-core down with the dumpers.

But I've got a good gang of people.

If the weather stays as it is, we'll be fine.

With a backlog of jobs piling up, at least someone has some good news.

I am so happy. Basically, we came up with a solution,

we've sealed the plaster with He-Man strength wallpaper paste,

and it appears to be working. I'm thrilled.

Mark needs everyone to stay until the bitter end to get this done.

Have you got any other skills apart from plumbing?

Sweeping up, barrowing.

-OK.

-We're here till the end.

-OK.

-And a cwtch.

And a cwtch.

-You can't beat a good cwtch in Wales.

-Good man.

For everyone else, a cwtch is a cuddle.

And it looks delirium has finally set in!

Well, we've got to the end of what would be a normal working day, and

basically it's going to be a late one going right through the night.

We've got to pray we get finished,

cos we've got to give this back first thing in the morning.

Right from the start, this build has been absolutely epic.

But if anyone can get it done, this lot can.

When we first met Emma and the team at the Roots foundation,

they were doing their best to support young people in care,

to arm them with life skills.

But the old hut wasn't up to the job so there was only one thing for it.

Two, one!

So in just 11 days, over 800 volunteers attempted the impossible,

by undertaking the biggest single build we've ever done.

And we've only gone and done it!

An epic feat of engineering and design that will give the potential

to help thousands of children over the coming years.

At the front of the building, you're welcomed in

by a bright and secure gateway that leads into a courtyard.

A bright and colourful corridor leads through to the main space.

There's a large office for the team,

adorned with Sophie's mural on the magnetic wall

that makes up all the Roots family, new and old.

There's a free food store that will be generously supplied

by a local supermarket for the next year for anyone who needs it.

In the main room, we've created a homely, multiuse space for games,

workshops, or movie nights.

And the modern kitchen has all the facilities you'd have at home,

so that the kids can learn how to use the washing machine,

and prepare and cook meals.

And there's even a secluded counselling room

for one-to-one support.

The apartment block has its own separate entrance,

leading into four beautiful studio flats,

all with their own electric and gas meters, so that the young people

living here can learn how to manage their own bills.

There's a walkway leading around the outside of the building,

to a stunning non-boggy garden

that gives the youngsters a safe place to play outside

and soundproofed music room

for teenagers like Kyle and Angel to hang out in.

Finally, the building is ready to hand over to Emma.

-It's amazing.

-Your new home, to do what you need to do.

Oh, my gosh. It's more than I ever thought it would be.

-Ready to come and look inside?

-Yes, please.

-OK.

My gosh!

It feels crazy. It doesn't feel like the same space.

-It's really weird.

-Well, it isn't.

It's an entirely new building that wasn't here 11 days ago.

And it's light and it's colourful and it's friendly,

which is really important.

-You started that.

-Yeah, I know.

I can't get over it.

Do you love the light that is pouring down from the skylights?

-It's beautiful.

-This whole corridor,

rather than just being an entrance hall and corridor,

has to be like an extra area to hang out and chat.

-It's really important.

-Well, it's bright and colourful and joyful

-and that's kind of what we wanted to have just as you walked in.

-It is.

It is. I just can't get over it.

-Ready to see the next bit?

-Yes.

This way.

Oh, my gosh!

They're going to absolutely love it.

-The kids are going to love it.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

It's more than you can ever wish for.

Table tennis table that turns into a snooker table.

There is a pull-down screen, projector,

everybody can watch a movie in here in the evening.

Gosh. The guys will love that.

Thank you.

It is so amazing. I can't wait for them to come in.

Can you see on the other side of the room over there?

-It's a beautiful kitchen.

-Shall we go and have a look?

-Yes, please.

-It's amazing.

-It's beautiful.

It doesn't look like an industrial kitchen or a kitchen for a centre.

No, it doesn't, does it?

It's so homely.

-Important for you, this?

-Yeah.

We didn't really have a kitchen before and we made do.

We'd have a toaster and we'd have to heat things up in a microwave and

it's not always great

and we would make do but we don't have to make do any more.

It's great.

SHE GIGGLES

Oh, my God!

When did you do all this?

We've been busy.

Family tree, because of course, family is the key and as we found

out, a family isn't necessarily just who you're related to.

No. Oh, my gosh.

-That's amazing.

-So you recognise all these people?

-I do.

-And then on the other side of the family is your new family,

some of the people that have actually taken part in building the

whole thing. All little messages. Do you want to have a look?

All I can say, look how much your family's grown.

My gosh, and there's so much room for others, isn't there?

EXCITED CHATTER

Communal area.

-Pretty, isn't it?

-It's amazing.

-It's incredible.

-Speechless.

-Why is it so emotional?

People have shown that they care.

It's quite warming for everyone here.

Quite dizzy just thinking about it.

-Oh, my God! It's beautiful.

-It's completely different.

I just expected another building but this is huge and it's lovely.

This is our office.

Do you like it?

Everyone seems to be really happy already.

I don't think anyone's going home.

I don't think I'll be going home myself, to be honest.

A lot of people going to get help there, do you think?

Yes. Definitely.

I think people will benefit from this.

You won't be feeling invisible here.

-Definitely not.

-Excited about it?

Can't wait. Can't wait!

What's your overriding emotions at the moment?

-Overwhelmed.

-Blown away. It's amazing.

Emotional and overwhelmed.

And just incredible, all those people doing all this work.

-Yeah.

-It's really emotional.

Do you want a moment, or are you all right?

You always make me cry. Stop making me cry.

-I'm not saying anything.

-I know but it's weird,

just thinking that this has been achieved, you know?

This is two buildings and you've seen about two thirds of it.

We have four apartments.

Oh, my gosh!

I can't get over it.

Gosh, I would want to live somewhere like here.

And that's important, because I didn't have anything like this

when I left care but to have this, what a start to give people.

-A lot of love gone into this.

-Mmm.

So each of these apartments has their own boiler,

which is independently metered

so that they learn to keep an eye on their bills.

And again, that independence.

It's amazing.

It goes above and beyond my expectations.

This is the one that's going to be for Angel.

They're so elegant. It's like a little boutique hotel, isn't it?

It's really exciting for us,

because we are really committed to looking after her.

I think because she's having to come from a residential home,

for Angel to have that support next door, she will love it.

Oh, my God!

My God, it's beautiful. It's stunning.

It's awesome.

Have a look, babe. I think it's a lot to take in, isn't it?

I weren't expecting it to look this amazing, like.

-Do you like the colours?

-Yeah, love them.

When I spoke to you before, you said you were very nervous about

moving on from where you are, cos it's been your home for five years.

Now that you've seen this, do you think this will help?

-Yeah.

-Do you still feel nervous about it?

A little bit but not as much now.

A bit emotional?

I think it's a bit too much for you to take in at the moment, isn't it?

You've got a lovely place where you are now but this,

to give you the start in life is incredible.

Some of the other people that have been through the care system

have said they kind of feel invisible, like nobody...

..nobody cares. What about today?

-It's different today.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-This is just the start you need, babe.

Then let's get you back with the rest of the group

and show you the rest of the building, shall we? Come on.

-Amazing.

-That's the garden!

-Shall we go down and have a look at the bottom?

-Yes, please.

That is beautiful. I can't believe what you've managed to do.

-It's huge.

-Yeah.

It was just a bit of boggy land that we tried our best with.

Yes.

Several hundred tonnes of rock and hard-core have gone into this.

-OK.

-Some serious engineering, some massive steels -

to make this garden happen has been a small miracle.

It's stunning. It's beautiful that she's got her own

little mini community as well here, to support her 24 hours a day,

as well as her own independence.

Thanks to all those people up there, it's incredible.

Just a massive thank you.

What can you do now for the young people leaving care

in the Swansea area?

We can offer a really family-orientated atmosphere

for them, for young people who are lost, a little bit vulnerable,

a little bit unsure about what's going to happen to them next,

we've got that opportunity to be their family

and to be their support network in such a beautiful and bespoke place.

I don't know anywhere like it, so to give them an identity,

and give them family, and to give them hope.

It's really cool.

-Do you want to come out and meet the builders?

-Definitely.

CROWD APPLAUDS

Oh, my God!

I was going to say I was going to look at each and every one of you

in the eye but I can't.

There's too many of you!

We're so overwhelmed with your kindness,

I am so touched and on behalf of the team,

we want to tell you that you are going to make

a huge difference to people's lives.

It is the scariest and the most traumatic time in someone's life

and they need a family, they need people around them.

You have made such a huge statement to every care leaver

that comes through our door's lives.

You have told them that they are worthy, that they're not useless

and that they are worth investing in and that's what you've done.

We will tell them all about you and we will tell them

that you believed in them and you believed in the team.

You're part of our family and we can't thank you enough

and I'm really, really grateful, so thank you, everyone.

I'm slightly baffled by the fact that young people who end up in care

through no fault of their own are stigmatised often in our society

as difficult and troublemakers.

Surely we should be giving more care and support to those young people,

not less. That's why these people have turned out to build a facility

where Emma can continue her amazing work and who knows how many hundreds

or thousands of young people's lives she'll be able to turn around.

Children In Need support projects like this all over the country

and I am going to ask you to donate,

because you can change people's lives.

The numbers to donate are about to come up on screen.

Your donation will make a difference.