Stevie’s Project

The Objective

We transformed Stevie’s back garden into a beautiful space that is future-proofed for when she needs a wheelchair, with new pathways, gentle steps, a cosy seating area and a vibrant wild garden!

Background

Teenager Stevie Taylor was diagnosed with Batten disease at the age of eight, after teachers noticed she was struggling to see in class.

Batten disease is a life-limiting degenerative condition that affects fewer than 200 children and young people in the UK. It causes the nervous system to deteriorate and can lead to seizures, blindness and childhood dementia. Stevie, who recently turned 16, has already succumbed to blindness and her condition is noticeably deteriorating, with her memory and speech affected. She is also now finding it difficult to swallow.

The next stage is likely to see her suffer fits, and her family feel this isn’t too far away, as Stevie has started to involuntarily shake/twitch. She and her sister are unaware of the outcome of her diagnosis, so her family are keen to ensure they can enjoy as much time together as possible.

Stevie’s father Paul, who was a gas fitter but has shifted his work to write gas certificates so he can look after Stevie, and mum Karen, who is an NHS support worker with new mums, sold everything (including their home) and remortgaged to buy a bungalow adapted for Stevie’s deteriorating health.

Paul started trying to create a home to meet his daughter’s long-term needs, but costs quickly spiralled as they uncovered unforeseen work that completely swallowed up their budget, leaving the family, including Stevie’s sister Jasmine, aged nine, with an unusable garden and a building site for a home.

Paul, who had previously volunteered and worked on a DIY SOS project, appealed for help from the construction community. In late 2023, volunteer tradespeople rallied around to make the property safer and more accessible.

But work remained to be done, so Paul applied for help from Band of Builders to finally finish their home and ensure Stevie – who loves the outdoors – could enjoy her favourite place.

The project

The finished garden features block paving walkways and raised borders so Stevie can navigate the garden using her cane.

There’s also a seating area so Stevie can enjoy sitting in her favourite place, as well as a raised area to future-proof it for when she needs a wheelchair, plus the potential creation of a wild garden with a seating area.

Mum Karen said: “This garden gives Stevie greater independence because she isn’t trapped indoors. She can now get out and fully explore all the features of the garden, including the raised flower and planted beds.”