127 - Support for a family after a devastating house fire - July 2023

 The wonderful things we can collectively do continue this week with donation 127.  We are always so grateful when you take the time to send us your nominations - it is fantastic that because of your support we can help families like this week’s recipient.


We were asked by one of our members, who is a trustee for a small charity called Hope https://www.hope-sy.org.uk if we might be able to help a family she is supporting.

The charity supports people who are bereaved by traumatic experiences – car collision, drowning or fire. They offer 121 support and peer support groups and have a support dog that is being trained to work with people with PTSD.


This family had recently lost everything through a severe fire, smoke and
water damage. A house fire ripped through their home.

2 of the family members were able to escape along with the family’s dog, who ran
away. However, they both suffered smoke inhalation and were on oxygen and
taken by ambulance to hospital, for resuscitation and smoke inhalation care.

All their personal effects and memories have all been burnt, including photos and
memories of their son/brother who had previously been tragically killed leaving a young child to be brought up within the family. They also lost all the baby equipment and clothing for a new grandchild, due next month.

They only had the clothes they were standing up in, and although the charity has contacted the council multiple times, support has been slow.  They have had donations to tide them over, but there are some things that cannot be shared. 

Prior to the fire, the family were already struggling with other family traumas and loss - it has been heartbreaking to hear the amount one family has had to endure. 

We were pleased to be able to send the family £500 to put towards whatever they needed to prioritise.

It has been lovely to hear back from the family with this update of how our donation helped:

" I want to thank you for the £500, I have been able to use it to go food shopping, replace the kitchen basics, a kettle, microwave, knives, forks, spoons, pans, cups, plates, dishes,  underwear and baby clothes. Basically everything we lost in the kitchen and can't get second hand. I cannot thank you enough for your help from me and my family. " 

We send them our very best wishes and hope they can get back home very soon.

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