Oscar and I have a local Chinese takeaway we’ve been going to once or twice a week since we were kids. Over the years, we’ve grown close to the owner, Lung.

In early 2025, Lung told us he had just bought the building his shop is in. He planned to renovate the upstairs flat so his 43-year-old brother, who has Down syndrome, could move in. His brother was living in a poorly maintained, run-down flat in Newtown, and Lung was excited to have him closer to home, making it easier to care for him.

Lung asked us to take a look at the upstairs space and share our thoughts. We quickly realised the work he was planning was well beyond what he could reasonably manage — between his business, family, and limited building experience. So, we stepped in to help.

We built an additional room, stripped out the mould-ridden bathroom, and added insulation to make the space warmer and healthier. Given our lifelong relationship with Lung, we refused payment — instead, we happily accepted meals from the takeaway.

It was a pleasure to help Lung and his brother, who found our building process surprisingly entertaining. This job meant a lot to us personally and reminded us why we love what we do.

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