Shayne Annan, owner of SunCity Plastering, fits a fibre cement sheet for a shower tray during the renovation of Sarah de la Haye's bathroom this week. Photo / Duncan Brown
Shayne Annan, owner of SunCity Plastering, fits a fibre cement sheet for a shower tray during the renovation of Sarah de la Haye's bathroom this week. Photo / Duncan Brown
As dust settled on the first day of work for her new bathroom, Sarah de la Haye couldn't help but smile.
On Tuesday a group of volunteer workman shook the dirt from their boots and began gutting the space - something she didn't expect to see after Mercy Renovators wentinto voluntary liquidation.
Sarah de la Haye
The Hastings woman with cerebral palsy moved in with fiance Craig Hansen and the couple put down a $4250 deposit to transform a difficult bathroom so she could shower without assistance and regain her independence.
She has spastic diplegia which affects all four limbs but mostly the lower half of her body, so she moves around in a wheelchair.
They paid by credit card which meant there was debt hanging over them and no way out - until an article in Hawke's Bay Today created a groundswell of community support with tradesmen offering labour and supplies to make the dream become a reality.
Partner Craig began the process of "stripping back" by pulling out the bath and some walls as he was unable to take time off work to contribute to the renovation.
"I'm over the moon and that's an understatement," Ms de la Haye said.
Shayne Annan, owner of Suncity Plastering and Wet-seal Hawke's Bay, was first to contact the paper saying he would donate his time to waterproof and gib stop the bathroom. He has since co-ordinated the effort and will be overseeing work this week and next.
"The plan is to get it waterproofed so it can dry over the weekend," he said.
Thanks to another generous offer, Ms de la Haye, her daughter and fiance Craig will be staying in an access room at Sylvan Lodge Motel next week until work is complete.
"Bob from the motel has been so lovely, I am just blown away by that," she added.
A Givealittle page was set up in desperation to help pay off the credit card debt which has reached $1850.
