Bond It supports kind-hearted garden makeover show

Bond It has lent its support to a charitable and kind-hearted TV show.

The business, which manufactures sealants, adhesives and building chemicals, donated its powdered cement dyes for use on Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh.

The products featured on the second episode in the new and fourth series of the popular garden makeover show which aired on July 5th at 8pm on ITV.

Set in Nottingham, the episode focused on transforming the garden of 8-year-old Tilly Sawford and her family.

Born a healthy and bonny baby, Tilly suffered a freak accident at 15 months old when she fell into a bath of boiling water caused by a faulty boiler. She suffered injuries including 86% burns and damage to her heart, bloodstream and respiratory system.

Tilly’s injuries were so severe they were expected to be fatal but, against all the odds and after enduring 12 hours of surgery, she survived.

She has continued fighting ever since and the last six years have seen her undergo hundreds of operations including skin grafts and the amputation of her right leg. She must also visit the burns unit at The Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham for a few days every week for regular and on-going treatment.

Inspired by Tilly’s continued bravery, staff at the burns unit staff called on Alan and his team to transform the Sawford family garden into a safe and considered space for the little girl to enjoy.

The demands of caring for Tilly and for four other children whilst working full-time and regularly fundraising for the Nottingham Hospitals Charity means her parents have little time for gardening.

To transform a relatively small plot into the perfect outdoor space for a large family with differing needs and aspirations, Alan and his team divided the Sawford garden into zones.

This included a boys’ zone for Tilly’s older brothers and an area with a trampoline and playhouse for Tilly and her sisters. The different zones were all located around a central family area complete with a summerhouse, a patio and a pergola. All zones were connected by paths enabling Tilly to get about safely in her wheelchair.

Bond It’s powdered cement dyes, which are available in colours including black, brown, red and yellow, were employed in a particularly innovative and interesting way.

They were combined by the family’s children with white cement as well as marbles, gemstones and shells to create their own unique and distinctive paving stones. The pavers were then used to connect a sandpit with a willow wigwam.

Made from high quality oxide pigments, Bond It’s powdered cement dyes are easy to use and chloride free. Each production batch offers uniform shades and the different colours can also be combined to create an even wider variety of hues and shade depths. The Bond It dyes are ideal for permanently colouring all types of mortar, cement, concrete and renderings.

Speaking of the company’s support, Kirstie Cooper, marketing manager at Bond It, said: “We’re delighted that Bond It’s powdered cement dyes were of benefit to the Love Your Garden team and especially given the nature of this particular project. Tilly is a truly courageous little girl and we hope our products will make their own inimitable contribution to a garden both she and her family can enjoy.”

The episode of Love Your Garden featuring Bond It’s powdered cement dyes can be viewed on the ITV hub until the 3rd of August. Visit www.itv.com/hub/love-your-garden/2a1173a0044