A REDDITCH couple whose charity offers breaks to bereaved families are in a race against time to raise £3,500 so the holiday home can open for those who need and deserve it.
Rob and Maggie Underwood have lost three of their children – Charlotte, Craig and Carrick – to Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (Veds).
When Carrick passed away, they were nominated for a free week’s holiday in Yorkshire where the family made memories and took plenty of photographs and videos to ‘make them smile and giggle’.
After that experience they decided to launch Carrick’s Retreat – a mobile home in Skegness where families could go, as they did, after the loss of a loved one.
Rob said: “The break we had was just what we needed to get away from it all and spend quality time as a family, talking about what had happened and making memories.”
Last year nine families had breaks there to help with the grieving process and this year seven families have already been nominated.
But the pair need the £3,500 before the end of February so they can pay the holiday home’s fees ready for the start of the season between March and November.
They had the funding in place but one of the families who went last year, trashed mobile home, leaving the couple with almost £3,000 worth of damages that need repairing.
That work has been completed but it has left the charity with insufficient funds for the site fees.
Maggie said: “It was absolutely heart-breaking – it has used up all our funds.
“We would be grateful for any amount people can donate.”
Rob said the community had been fantastic in the way they had supported Carrick’s Retreat and, before that, Charlotte and Craig’s Saving Hearts Foundation, and he was hoping people would rise to the challenge again.
The couple have a number of fund-raising events in the pipeline, including a children’s funday at Arrow Valley Lake.
There is also a raffle taking place on the ‘Carrick’s Retrest – An Angel’s Mission’ Facebook page to raise funds – the top prize is a holiday at the retreat and there are other prizes to win.
Anyone wanting to donate can do so on the fund-raising page here.
People can also call Rob on 07794 637073, email [email protected] or visit the Facebook page.
Anyone wanting to nominate a family for a break can email the address above.
The mobile home is fully furnished and accessible. On the site is a small club house, arcade and shop and there is a beach nearby.
