Reuben’s Retreat marks five years


Co-founder Nicola Graham says setting up charity was a ‘bit of a calling’. She tells Juliet Dennis of her pride at the progress made and outlines the challenges ahead


Five years ago, on August 21, 2012, Reuben Graham fell asleep forever in his mum’s arms. Just two days later, mum Nicola,


together with husband Mike, founded a charity in their son’s name, Reuben’s Retreat, to help families with poorly children. Nicola believes it was something she


was meant to do. “I didn’t want his life to be in vain. I needed something positive to come out of something so horrific,” she says. “I think we were led on this journey; it was a bit of a calling. But I never


anticipated Reuben’s Retreat to be as big as it is.” Reuben died, aged 23 months, from


a rare and aggressive brain tumour while on holiday.


Out of the grief and suffering, the


retreat was born. In the five years since, the charity has developed from a fundraising page on Facebook to a bricks-and-mortar reality on the site of the former Woods Hospital in Glossop in the Peak District. So far, three out of 10 planned phases of building and renovation work have been completed. Currently the retreat has a support centre offering everything from bereavement counselling to music therapy, and a self-catering holiday apartment. Nicola, who previously worked at


Red Sea Holidays, says: “Looking back, Reuben had some great family trips but it’s only from working on the retreat that I have come to recognise how valuable time away as a family is.


Nicola Graham (right) with


Corrie star Julie


Hesmondhalgh and Sir Richard Branson


36 travelweekly.co.uk 17 August 2017


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