AS EARLY Christmas presents go, this was one of the best.

Inspirational community worker Jackie Bole, who runs life-changing food poverty charity East End Flat Pack Meals, got the surprise of her life when her daughter nominated her for the Glasgow Times and City Building room makeover competition.

“My mum is absolutely amazing,” said Beth. “She has had a tough time in recent years, but she never complains. This would be her dream.”

The prize was a brand new bathroom – with a revamped bedroom added for good measure – and when she saw the results, Jackie was over the moon.

“I’m ecstatic, I can’t thank the Glasgow Times and City Building enough,” she said.

“I still can’t quite believe I have won all this, just for doing what I love.”

Jackie, from Easterhouse, has faced considerable challenges in recent years, including the tragic death of her first husband Stephen, who took his own life in 2010, following a struggle with mental illness.

The charity project she helped to run lost its funding and she was made redundant but, determined not to let her community down, she kept the project going from her own kitchen.

East End Flat Pack meals provides ingredients and recipes to low-income families in some of the poorest areas of Glasgow.

Jackie dedicates every Monday and Tuesday to preparing the packs and delivers them herself to local residents, nurseries, schools and other organisations who help people in need.

Jackie’s proud daughter Beth nominated her for a fantastic bathroom overhaul and the City Building team – led by designer Lynsey Scott, project manager and plumber Siobhan Logue and contracts manager Natalie MacPherson – surprised her by adding the bedroom too.

“It’s been hard to find the time and money to do the bathroom and bedroom,” admitted Jackie, who, as well as running the charity, is also doing a college course and being a full-time mum.

“The difference is night and day - it’s so lovely to have a beautiful bedroom and a crisp, clean bathroom.”

Read more: Easterhouse community worker wins makeover competition

During the project, Jackie, her husband Gary and six-year-old son Jacob, visited City Building’s RSBi factory in Springburn, where the furniture and soft furnishings were completed.

The team carried out an extensive refurbishment in both rooms, including new flooring, wet walling and spotlights in the bathroom, plus a fantastic new suite, complete with bath, toilet, shower and glass screen, and some lovely finishing touches of roller blinds and mirror.

In the bedroom, they provided a new bed, mattress and matching headboard, two bedside tables and lamps, drawer units, wardrobes, shelving and soft furnishings.

The fantastic team worked quickly to have all the work done in time for Christmas - and were fuelled by Jackie’s excellent home made soup, cakes and a massive buffet lunch on the final day.

“I wake up and think I’m dreaming,” laughed Jackie. “I am over the moon.”

Read more: Bank.On.Us. Glasgow Times launches festive foodbank campaign

It’s the second time the Glasgow Times has teamed up with City Building to give one lucky reader a fantastic room makeover. Earlier this year, seven-year-old Chloe Stack, who has a rare and life-threatening form of diabetes, was given a glamorous bedroom makeover.

Dr. Graham Paterson, Executive Director of City Building, said both projects had been a huge success.

He added: “We are delighted to continue to support this initiative and in Jackie, reward someone who has given so much to her local community. It allows us to showcase the skills of the workforce at RSBi in the manufacturing of the various furniture products and the skilled design and operational teams in delivering the final makeover.”