Congratulations to LFS alumnus Hamish Summers who won both a National Royal Television Society Award and an RTS West Award as Series Producer for BBC 1 programme: DIY SOS.
After 16 years on primetime BBC TV, DIY SOS produced their best special last year: DIY SOS Homes for Veterans.
Although each episode normally tackles a single home and story. In this extremely emotional and yet entertaining programme, the programme renovated 8 properties into 4 new Veterans homes and a Veterans support office in just 13 days, drawing on the help of hundreds of building volunteers from across the entire UK.
The TV special highlighted the plight of British veterans who deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and physical disabilities having left the forces with both Prince William and Prince Harry lending a hand and their support to this great cause.
The episode achieved a 34% share of audience and consolidate viewing figures of 9.6 million – the biggest in the series 16 year history.
Lucy Powell, an MP from Manchester said:
"This house congratulates BBC One’s DIY SOS for transforming an entire Manchester street of run-down and empty properties to provide homes for military veterans; recognises that this would not have been possible without the support of local businesses, charities and hundreds of members of the public, who provided millions of pounds worth of materials and 30,000 man hours over 14 days; celebrates that Princes William and Harry volunteered on the project; notes that the transformed street will include a Walking with the Wounded support centre to provide therapy for veterans and help other veterans find homes and jobs; acknowledges the vital involvement of Walking with the Wounded, Manchester City Council and Haig Housing; and recognises that this is the largest project ever undertaken by DIY SOS."