When hundreds of people, 100+ suppliers and a whole community come together, a house can become much more than a building. It can become a symbol of hope.
At Panda, we believe that doing the job well is only part of the story. It’s about doing the right thing, too, and sometimes that means playing a small part in something much bigger than our day-to-day work.
That’s exactly what happened this summer when the DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland team, led by Baz Ashmawy, arrived in Bray, County Wicklow, for a ten-day transformation that would bring an incredible community together.
From 14 to 23 July 2026, we supplied Panda bins and skips to support this build and to transform the home of Hannah Leonard, making her return home possible.
More than a house
For Hannah and her family, this was never simply about renovating a house.
Hannah suffered a severe brain injury after being struck by a car while training in Sicily. Following months in hospital and rehabilitation, returning home safely meant that her family home needed to be transformed around her needs.
The DIY SOS team set out to make that happen, creating a custom, precision-engineered timber-frame extension and adapting the existing home to accommodate wheelchair access, specialist equipment and the practical needs of everyday life.
But a transformation of this scale takes more than a brilliant team and a big idea.
It takes people.
And plenty of bins to help support the clean-up.
Keeping the build moving, one helping hand at a time
With a project of this scale comes a lot of activity, and, naturally, a lot of waste.
Panda stepped in to help manage the waste generated throughout the build, helping keep the site clear, organised and ready for the next team to get to work.
It might not be the most visible part of a big build, but it’s certainly an important one.
Because when you have hundreds of people working against the clock, every part of the process needs to keep moving. While one team was building walls, another was fitting kitchens, another was working on access, and another was helping make the space feel like home.
Our role was to help take care of what was left behind, so the focus could stay on what was being built.
And in a project all about creating something new, we were reminded that managing what’s left behind matters too.
There was more than one kind of transformation.
The physical transformation of Hannah’s home was incredible to watch, but that wasn’t the only thing changing in Bray.
There was a sense of community taking shape, too.
A neighbour lending a hand. A tradesperson giving their time. A supplier stepping in with what was needed. Volunteers showing up day after day.
Piece by piece, contribution by contribution, something much bigger than a house was being built.
That feels very familiar to us at Panda.
Our work is rooted in the idea that what we have today doesn’t simply have to become waste tomorrow. We’re always looking at what can be recovered, reused, recycled or given another purpose, keeping resources moving and finding what comes next.
And perhaps that’s why this build felt so fitting.
A very small part of a very big story
We’re incredibly proud to have played our part in the Bray Big Build.
Our waste services may have been behind the scenes, but they were there alongside an extraordinary group of people who gave their time, energy and expertise to help Hannah and her family take an important step towards home.
Because sometimes, doing the right thing isn’t about being at the centre of the story.
It’s about being there when you’re needed.
And this was one story we were very happy to be part of.
The finished DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland episode is scheduled to air on RTÉ One in October 2026.
Until then, we’ll be cheering on Hannah, her family and everyone who helped make this incredible homecoming possible.
