Family received the ‘best Christmas present ever’ after the community rallied around to renovate their home
Chris Luckin, Katie Angell and their son Charlie, outside their new home, with members of the Great Dunmow Round Table. - Credit: Archant
The family of a two-year-old boy, who is unable to walk or speak, now have their “perfect home” for Christmas – thanks to an incredible response from the community.
Chris Luckin, 35, and his partner Katie Angell, 34, asked the Great Dunmow Round Table if they would be able to help furnish an empty two-bedroom bungalow, in Little Easton.
They had taken on the property from a housing association because they were struggling to live in a flat with their son Charlie, who suffers from global developmental delay.
After an e-mail was sent out by Round Table member Jon Worby, local businesses, tradesman and people within the community got behind the idea and provided materials including wooden flooring, carpets, tiles and a shower.
People also gave up their time to fit it all in the run up to Christmas so the family could move in on Saturday.
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Chris, who works in admin, said the generosity had been “life-changing.”
He added: “I still cannot put into words how much this means to us. I never expected a response like this. It is amazing.”
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The couple had been living in a flat in Great Dunmow but as Charlie is unable to walk without the use of a frame, it meant they had to carry him up and down the stairs.
“I did not want to keep carrying Charlie down the stairs in case I dropped him,” Katie said. “But living here will be so much better for him because he will be able to run around with his frame and make as much noise as he wants.
“This really is the best Christmas present we could have asked for – it has been a bit like DIY SOS without the cameras.”
All the work at the bungalow, on Warrick Close, has taken place over the last three weeks.
Round Table member Jon Worby said: “Traders, from outside of the Round Table, have come in to help a family. We got these busy people to do all this work, out of generosity, in the run up to Christmas, which is probably the most stupid thing we could ever do.
“But it is the season of goodwill and a lot of people are feeling that. Then the whole thing just snowballed. We got such a great response from local people and it just shows there are a lot of good people out there.”
