A mum whose daughter receives care from a leading children’s hospice says it was a “proud and special moment” to cut the ribbon at a new charity shop in Felixstowe.
Bethan Reid did the honours at the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) store on the corner of Hamilton Road and York Road.
The official unveiling took place this morning, with the first customers being welcomed into the new premises – previously the town’s NatWest bank – from 10am. EACH had been trading in a smaller shop across the road since 2012.
“We were so pleased to be asked,” said Bethan, who lives in Felixstowe and was speaking during Children’s Hospice Week – a national awareness week that started on Sunday.
“It was a very proud and special moment and a real honour.
“EACH has become an important part of our lives, because of the wonderful care my daughter, Gabriella, receives at The Treehouse.
“She has a condition called Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), which means she has very complex health needs, including being blind and having severe muscle seizures.
“As a family, we’re supported in various ways and it’s helped us adjust to a different way of living in the last 18 months.
“Gabriella has short breaks at the hospice, which I feel sure she enjoys, and it makes a real difference for myself and my partner, Daryl.
“It gives us a chance to take a break, get a good night’s sleep and recharge our batteries, as well as spending quality time with our other daughters, Abigail, seven, and Mia, five. It means we can go out together and focus solely on them.”
Bethan, 33, says the last 18 months would have been even more challenging without EACH.
“EACH has supported us in many ways, including helping us understand and manage Gabriella’s medication,” she said.
“It’s been a hard, stressful time but we’re getting there slowly.
“EACH has been a big part of that process and the care team are lovely.
“I’m also very proud of Gabriella. She’s a lovely, cheeky little girl who’s made such progress in the last year or so.
“It’s hard for her to express herself but she makes different noises to communicate what she’s thinking and feeling and we’re learning what she’s trying to say.”
Long-serving volunteer Sue Buckley and Retail Assistant Debbie Coggins, who started out as a volunteer, held the ribbon for Bethan.
The current team of volunteers will continue to help in the new premises. However, extra help is always needed and new recruits are welcome.
Anyone keen to find out more can pop in for a chat anytime, email manager Haze Selby-Dee via Haze.Dee@each.org.uk or call 01394 279224.
In addition to Felixstowe, there are 13 more EACH shops in Suffolk, in Beccles, Bungay, Bury St Edmunds, Framlingham, Hadleigh, Halesworth, Ipswich (Meredith Road and Felixstowe Road), Leiston, Lowestoft, Saxmundham, Sudbury and Woodbridge.
