Disabled pensioner gets a new life with a big lift

A disabled and vulnerable pensioner who was hounded out of his house by vandals has a safe place to live with a little help from the lifting team at Hird Group.

Gordon Ross had the chance of a new home in a static caravan in his nephew’s garden in Hull, East Yorkshire. The stumbling block was getting the five-tonne caravan into the garden.

That was where Hird came in. Working with colleagues at Top Lifting, Hird uses its 100-tonne Grove GMK4100/L mobile crane to lift the static caravan 20 metres into the garden.

That allowed Gordon to move in and start a new life, safely away from the vandals who had wrecked his home and shattered his life.

Hird Technical Manager Jason Timmins, the Appointed Person for the lift, said: “Phil Hird, our Managing Director, heard about Gordon’s problems through the local media and knew straight away we could help.

“Thankfully, the lift was relatively straight forward. But the only way the to get the caravan into the garden was to lift it in with the kind of expertise and equipment we have.”

Gordon, aged 65, who has learning difficulties, was made homeless when his home was attacked in May. He went to live with his nephew, Darren Buttery, aged 47, and his wife, Carol Anson-Buttery, who acts as Gordon’s carer.

A long-term solution was arranged when Hull City Council agreed that a static caravan could be placed in Darren and Carol’s garden, giving a place for Gordon to live.

Hird crane operator James Shirt, used the Grove mobile crane to lift the static caravan, which was 11-metres long, 3-metres wide, and 2.5-metres high, from a hard-standing area next to residential garages behind the garden.

Top Lifting, one of Hird’s partner suppliers, sourced specialist lifting beams, selected and configured by one of its Lifting Engineers, Liam Stanley. All work done by Hird and Top Lifting was carried out free of charge.

Phil Hird said: “What happened to Gordon was very sad. All he needed was a safe place to live an independent life, and where better than as close as possible to the people who cared for him most. We were glad to help.”