VOLUNTEER Luke Nichols has helped a Derby charity start building houses from recycled materials for those left homeless by the Haiti earthquake.

A year after the disaster, more than one million Haitians are still homeless and recently there has been an outbreak of cholera to add to the misery.

Derby charity Sustainable Support was set up as a response to the tragedy.

Russell Davison, formerly of Susumi, boxing champion Damon Hague, Radio Derby presenter G-Man and Amit Zala, who until recently ran the 5 Lamps, launched the charity in the city.

They were inspired by American architect Michael Reynolds and his attempts to create sustainable housing using old car tyres in parts of the world devastated by hurricanes and tsunamis.

Now after a series of fund-raising initiatives, Russell's stepson, Luke, has been out to Haiti to help Michael build a house that will be the start of a sustainable community.

Luke, of Derby, said: "It's better than it has been in the capital, Port-au-Prince, but still chaotic.

"We had just under two weeks there and 10 days to complete the house – it was a tight schedule."

The main dome of the house was built out of car tyres, encased with chicken wire, cement and plaster.

It was then insulated with cardboard and styrofoam.

The materials were all collected off the debris-strewn streets of Port-au -Prince.

Luke says: "There's a nice cool living space and then outside a bucket flush toilet that empties into a very cheap and efficient septic system."

The house was built with Haitian volunteers who learned the techniques needed for the project on site.

The hope is that the initiative will have a snowball effect, with the Haitians joining together and passing on the skills they have learned.

Luke says he has nothing but admiration for the Haitian people.

"If this had happened in the west, I'm sure far more people would have just given up.

"But they are so enthusiastic, willing to learn and ready to teach you.

"Some progress has been made since the earthquake but not a lot. The aid went into food and medicine, which is absolutely vital, but then global focus switches to other things.

"People are living in tent camps and no real progress has been made. Our houses give people a chance to get out of that"

Luke, who will be studying architecture at Nottingham University in the autumn, added: "The house we have built is just the foundation of the project.

"What we are going to do is support Michael in his attempts to build 32-person compounds."

If you would like to donate to Sustainable Support, visit the website at www. sustainablesupport.co.uk.