NEWS SPECIAL REPORT
“It will make a huge difference,”
she said, adding: “Families will be able to use the hydrotherapy pool, the movie, sensory and play rooms.” The size and accessibility of the
suites are key features of the project. She said: “We will potentially be one of the only facilities in the UK able to cater for multiple children in wheelchairs. We are not a hospice; however, we fit neatly alongside as a complementary support for families.” For Graham, the project
is intensely personal and the importance of providing a retreat to allow others to create memories is vital. “Each life, no matter how brief, changes the world,” she said. Work to build the suites
cannot start without raising the full £1 million. Graham stressed: “While we continually raise funds to support our families, we need to raise our final-build million, then we can press ‘green for go’.”
Industry support The campaign is for funds on top of the retreat’s operating costs. It cost some £460,000 to run Reuben’s Retreat in 2024, or about £38,500 a month, and it currently looks after more than 750 individuals. This compares with 2013,
when the charity spent £68,000 on annual running costs.
travelweekly.co.uk The ultimate goal
has always been to complete the retreat so families can stay and make memories
For Graham, launching the
£1 million campaign at the Globes is also significant. In 2013, Reuben’s Retreat was Travel Weekly’s chosen charity and it used the event to launch its fundraising campaign. “The beauty of this is a large
proportion of people at the Globes would have been part of that first million fundraising – and will be part of the final million build,” said Graham, adding: “They will be one in a million because they’ll ensure we get that one million.”
Exceeding expectations Graham said the work so far on the retreat had surpassed her expectations, adding: “It’s better than I imagined, because post-Covid there was so much scaremongering around building and labour costs, and with so many unknowns, there was a fear the work would take a lot longer.
“But now it’s there – it’s
within reach and so doable. We’ve got the potential.” With the end in sight, the reality
of what the charity can achieve has created mixed emotions for Graham. “It’s daunting, emotional and
exhilarating,” she admitted. “There is a huge sense of responsibility. It’s a vision, not a dream, to finish this. “My dream would be for Reuben
to come home, but it’s the next best thing. Even in 23 months, Reuben left his mark on us and our world. “We want to make a little bit of the world better in his name.”
How to get involved in the ‘One in a Million’ campaign
Q Donate £1 or more by going to:
givengain.com/campaign/ rr-one-in-a-million
Q Pledge to take part in a fundraising activity or event:
reubensretreat.org/events
Q Mail your offer of support to:
fundraising@reubensretreat.org
The storY so far
August 23, 2012: Nicola Graham sets up Reuben’s Retreat two days after the death of her son Reuben. Campaign launches to raise first £1 million by mid-2014. 2013: Fundraising drive at Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards raises nearly £18,000. 2014: Charity acquires former Woods Hospital in Glossop, Derbyshire. 2015: Building work starts to convert lodge into charity’s main office building, the start of a 10-phase project. 2015-25: Renovation work includes completion of bereavement centre, hydrotherapy pool and sensory, movie and messy play rooms. 2025: Charity launches ‘One in a Million’ campaign to raise £1 million to complete accommodation for families of children with complex medical needs or who have lost a child.
16 JANUARY 2025
13
launches £1m push
PICTURE: Nigel Wood
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