Beaming with joy, Eunice Stuart had never seen her house and garden looking like this.

The 79-year-old widow from St Paul’s was chosen for a make-over by West of England Care & Repair as it celebrates 25 years of helping people live in their homes longer.

Scores of contractors, suppliers, family and friends beavered away to provide her with a new kitchen, back room, bathroom and garden.

The grandmother of 14 and great-grandmother of four said: “It’s just what I wanted – really nice. I’m looking forward to living here again.”

Mrs Stuart has lived in St Paul’s since 1957, after she and her late husband Wilfred came from Barbados to start a new life.

She has lived in the house on St Nicholas Road for 26 years, but the years have taken a toll.

“I’ve always loved this area and want to stay living in the community as I grow older,” Mrs Stuart said. “I had been worrying about the kitchen and bathroom. I was finding it hard to get in and out of the bath and to reach down to the oven.”

Before the makeover, she said: “Having a shower that’s easy to use and a level oven will make a big difference to my life. It would be lovely to be able to sit out in the garden, but at the moment it’s overrun by weeds and brambles and the path is uneven.”

West of England Care and Repair is a charity funded by Bristol City Council, Bristol Primary Care Trust and the Royal British Legion, among others.

It helps the elderly and disabled by making their homes warm, safe, secure and adapted to their needs.

A panel of judges were given five residents in the Bristol area, anonymously, to choose from and Mrs Stuart was the lucky recipient.

Her garden was cleared of brambles, trees and an old Anderson Shelter, which were replaced with a new patio and decking.

It took three days for the house to be redecorated and transformed while Mrs Stuart was put up in the Haymarket Premier Inn.

All the work was free, as were the donated materials, as scores of people worked tirelessly on the transformation.

The team discovered woodworm and rotten floorboards in the hallway, which lost them a few hours, but they worked through the night to finish on time.

Inside, non-slip floors, more accessible kitchen units, a new cooker and a walk-in shower with a seat are now in place for Mrs Stuart to enjoy.

After the big unveiling, family, friends and those involved in the make-over enjoyed food from Rice & Things restaurant in the newly decked garden as the sun shone.

Mrs Stuart’s grandson Patrick, 28, said to those gathered: “Thank you ever so much for giving your time – it’s very, very much appreciated by our family.”

WE Care and Repair’s chief executive Craig Wilson said: “This makeover project for Mr Stuart and her family is a fantastic demonstration of all the different kinds of work that Care & Repair does – brought together in one place.

“But the important thing to remember is that for most people, just one or two very small aids – a hand rail for the stairs or a key safe for visitors – can make a world of difference to their self-confidence and wellbeing.

“I’m certainly very pleased that Care & Repair is making Bristol a safer place by doing this.

“We want to show our gratitude to the local community, who have enabled our organisation to grow over the last 25 years into one of the largest home improvement agencies in the county.”

The Lord Mayor, Cllr Geoffrey Gollop, described the scheme as a “fantastic partnership”.

He added: “West of England Care & Repair is a real success story and it’s a real pleasure to be here to celebrate that 25 years.”

The companies who made the makeover possible included Westside Contractors, BEE Electricals, NKS Flooring, Dynamic Heating Services, Avon Damp Control Ltd, Paul’s Maintenance, Downend Electrics, Hollywood Frames, Junk Busters, Kelvin Fox Decorating, Howden’s Kitchens, Impey Showers, FairShare South West, Bristol Timber Store, McCarthy Waste Management, Brandon Tool Hire, Riverside garden Centre, Travis Perkins, Power Safe UK, the Plumbing Centre, Bristol and West Scaffolding, and B&Q.

To find out more about the charity, call 01179 542222 or email www.wecareandrepair.org.uk.