Community builds man a house

A LOCAL community has rallied round to build a new wooden house for an unemployed man living in an old mobile home.

Worried about the dilapidated state of his accommodation, associations and local tradespeople in Saint-Martin-des-Fontaines, Vendée got together to give “Fred”, a decent roof over his head, said Le Monde.

The 47-year-old, originally from Picardy, had moved to the area to be close to his three children and their mother, from whom he is divorced.

The Association des Bassins Versants de la Grande Fontaine, started the scheme when it stumped up €20,000 for materials such as cladding and exterior paint and the rest of the estimated €120,000 cost of the 90 square metre house, built next to the mobile home, came in free time and materials from other volunteers.

Fred helped with the work, including doing some wiring as he has training in electronics. However he recently also started a temporary job installing milking equipment in farms – which Le Monde said he also found thanks to the solidarity of locals and which may become permanent.

He will says he will fund a septic tank for his house, having some savings after a film company paid him for the right to make a film inspired by his story, which could be called Mobile Home.

The firm, L’Atelier d’Images, has asked that his old mobile home not be demolished as it may be used in the film. “Who knows, if the film does well, this old shack that leaks all over the place might even end up being worth something,” he said.

Photo:Screenshot from TV Vendée