Jim Gallacher could not complete the project he started after breaking his back and neck in a fall from 8m high scaffolding at work.

The roofer had started building work at the front of his Bellshill home, but in April 2023, he fell 8m from scaffolding and landed on an Armco barrier in a freak accident at a retail park in Bristol.

Although the 53-year-old has confounded medical experts with his recovery, he has been told he will never be able to lift anything heavy or work at height again – and any slip or trip could result in him being in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. As a result, he has had to close his roofing business.

With the front of his house left like a building site, Gallacher and his wife Debbie called on the national construction charity Band of Builders (BoB) for help.

Gallacher had dug out the foundations, installed the drainage and got the brick and block work to waist height – but the project had been left in limbo. The entrance to the front door was via a sloping catwalk board to an unfinished porch floor with a low gazebo above it, forcing anyone entering the house to duck.

The volunteers finished the porch – including rendering, plastering and outdoor lights. They also landscaped the garden over three weekends.

Marvelling at the finished work, an overwhelmed Debbie Gallacher said she can’t thank all the volunteers from Band of Builders enough.

“Being able to walk safely through your front door may not mean much to most people – but to us, it’s life-changing,” she said. “We used to live with the constant worry that Jim may slip or trip outside – which meant he didn’t get out of the house much. But that’s all changing as he can get around safely.

“What has been most amazing has been the amount of people who don’t know us but volunteered their time to help us. We are so, so grateful.”

Jim Gallacher had built a small, prosperous roofing business over a number of years and secured contracts with national retailers – and other projects for all industrial roof types.

He was working with his team on a project in Bristol in April 2023 when the pocket of his trousers snagged on a safety clip as he went down a ladder. He missed the ladder's first rung, fell and landed on an Armco barrier on the floor.

He had broken his back and neck. He had also broken his collarbone and three ribs. He was in intensive care for six days and had surgery on his spine, with two rods inserted.