Volunteers combine trades skills to help Banbury amputee adapt his bathroom

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Volunteers from a construction charity have pledged to adapt the bathroom of a former Banbury powerlifter who lost his leg after a freak accident.

The trades people will use their skills to create a wheelchair-friendly wet room at the home of Mark Willerton who lost his leg while working as a plumber.

The volunteers are members of Band of Builders, a national charity that completes practical projects for members of the UK construction industry battling illness or injury.

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Mark expressed frustration that he could not do the job himself but recognised he cannot access the current en suite safely. He said: “I’m so grateful that Band of Builders will be able to help me and my family.

Mark Willerton's had to undergo an amputation meaning he needs an adapted bathroom which Band of Builders intends to provideMark Willerton's had to undergo an amputation meaning he needs an adapted bathroom which Band of Builders intends to provide
Mark Willerton's had to undergo an amputation meaning he needs an adapted bathroom which Band of Builders intends to provide

"As a plumber I know exactly what needs doing and am gutted I can’t do it myself – but when it is done, it will make a huge difference to the quality of my life,” he said.

Mark ran a very successful business converting bathrooms until 2019 when he ruptured the tendons in his right ankle after picking up a packet of screws from his van. He has not worked since. He has undergone three lots of surgery – all of which failed. The only option left was to remove the leg.

He then had a very painful fall on his stump when he fell in the small ensuite bathroom at his Banbury home. He realised the bathroom needed to be bigger – but is unable to do the work himself in such a confined space.

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Mark and wife Lynne put out a call for help to Band of Builders (BoB) – a registered charity that completes practical projects to help members of the UK construction industry and their families who are battling illness or injury – and volunteer tradespeople from across the UK will descend on Banbury to help ‘one of their own’ by giving their time free of charge to help convert Mark’s bathroom.

Mark Willerton and his wife LynneMark Willerton and his wife Lynne
Mark Willerton and his wife Lynne

The project is set to take place at the end of August. Half a dozen tradespeople from the BoB community have already volunteered to help on the week-long project.

Mark’s story

In December 2019 Mark was working on a job at a racecourse when he went to his van to get screws. He thought he’d just gone over on his ankle and wanted to finish the job before going home.

The issue persisted and he was initially diagnosed with a fractured ankle – but it was later confirmed he had ruptured the tendons in his ankle.

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Mark Willerton with his prosthetic leg on the beachMark Willerton with his prosthetic leg on the beach
Mark Willerton with his prosthetic leg on the beach

He had surgery to knit the tendons together, after which he was bed-bound for four months as his leg could not bear his 120 kg weight. Unfortunately, Mark is immune to opioids, meaning pain relief such as morphine has no effect.

Two further surgeries followed – a tendon transfer and fusion, with a third one to remove a screw. None was successful. The only option left was amputation.

Mark has had further surgery so he can use a prosthetic leg.

Band of Builders’ Operations Director Tony Steel said: “We’re gearing up for Mark’s project - the 50,000-strong members of the BoB community have done us proud and answered the call to help one of their own.”

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