Students build a house in a week

The timber framed house will be finished in a week

A team of students and staff from the University of the West of England (UWE) has travelled to Hungary to build a house for a homeless family.

The 12-strong team is due to return on Sunday after completing the house in one week with local help.

Each team member raised nearly £1,000 to fund the project as well as paying for their air fares.

The house is being built in Hajdubszormeny, a town of about 32,000 in the east of Hungary.

The trip has been organised by the housing charity Habitat for Humanity (HfH).

I felt that I wanted to use the skills I had learnt at UWE to help other people Luke Sonnex

Housing conditions in Hajdubszormeny are poor and many of the buildings from the communist era are in disrepair.

Fiona Burrows, a building surveying lecturer at UWE, has had previous experience working for HfH.

Before leaving for the project she said: "The timber framed house has been designed by a local architect.

"The shell will be in place when we arrive and we will complete the fit-out with local tradespeople, the family who will occupy the house and their friends and relations.

"We expect to be tacking plasterboard, plastering and undertaking second fix carpentry.

"We are doing this project because we want to make a difference to somebody else's life."

Luke Sonnex, a final year student, who is leading the student team said: "After my placement with a big construction firm, I felt that I wanted to use the skills I had learnt at UWE to help other people.

"I wanted to use my knowledge of construction and project management skills and make a contribution to the lives of others. "