Shropshire firm helps adapt home of paralysed rugby star Paul Curtis

Paul, who played for Harlequins and represented England B, was involved in a serious mountain bike accident in September 2016 which resulted in catastrophic, life-changing injuries.

He has not been able to return home since, spending time in hospital and then a care home near to his family in Penclawd on the Gower Peninsula in Wales.

A charity campaign set up to raise funds for his house in Wales to be remodelled into accommodate his wheelchair and specialist nursing facilities was led by rugby friends including England legends Mickey Skinner, Peter Winterbottom and John Olver.

The owner of the Besblock concrete block company, Andrew Huxley, said he was touched by Paul’s story and wanted to help.

“Rugby is very close to my heart which is why Besblock sponsors Newport (Salop) Rugby Club, so when I heard about Paul’s accident and subsequent appeal I was keen to get involved to see what we could do.

“When we heard about his house needing to be adapted we offered to supply all the blocks for the build and we’re delighted things are now nearing completion and Paul will be able to spend some time at home in the near future.

Rhian Curtis, Paul’s wife, said she was lost for words at the generosity of people all over the UK – many of whom she had never met – who’d donated money and materials to support their fundraising.

“Every morning you look at the news and it can be quite depressing, yet I could write a book with the amount of amazing people we’ve encountered since Paul’s accident who have gone above and beyond to help,” Rhian explained.

“It has been an incredibly humbling experience. Nobody has ever said ‘no’, not one person has told us to go away, everyone we’ve met has only ever said ‘what can we do to help?’. It’s a real testament to Paul and the man he is. As a result of their generosity he will get to go home.”

But with the building work entering a critical phase, there are still things the family needs in order to finish the revamp which will finally enable Paul to spend some time at home after nearly three years in hospital and care homes.

The appeal is still looking for loft insulation, plaster board and plaster, internal doors, skirting and architrave, waterproof wall panels for Paul’s wet room and some timber for the perimeter stud walls.

“There are things that come out of darkness and the rugby fraternity in general has been the light at the end of the tunnel,” Rhian said.

"The village here has raised a tonne of money. They have kept us together as a family and we would all be in a very different place mentally and physically if it wasn’t for their help.”

An appeal to raise funds to help the conversation can be donated to at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/PaulCurtis59