A Huddersfield charity is having a big fundraising push in September.
Ruddi’s Retreat was founded after Ruddi Waterworth-Jones from Linthwaite survived cancer as a baby and his mum, Ali, set the charity up.
They were provided with a free caravan holiday by the charity Candlelighters in those tough days and they benefited from it so much it inspired Ali to set up Ruddi’s Retreat which provides free caravan breaks for families with children battling serious illnesses such as cancer, have life-limiting conditions or have suffered bereavement.
It has four caravans on the Primrose Valley Holiday Park near Filey and one now at Newton Hall Holiday Park in Blackpool.
September is known as Go Gold month to promote childhood cancer awareness so people are urged to go gold to raise money for Ruddi’s Retreat which is now based in Slaithwaite where it has a fundraising café and shop in the centre of the village.
Go Gold is a brilliant one for schools, nurseries and businesses in the Colne Valley and throughout Huddersfield to get involved with and last year dozens helped to raise around £2,500.
Ruddi’s Retreat assistant manager Vicki Green said: “This year we would love to see as many people, groups and businesses as possible get involved. We appreciate we are in very challenging times, but that’s even more reason to arrange a get together and have a bit of fun.”
Potential ideas include dressing in yellow, holding a bake sale, selling Ruddi’s merchandise to friends and family, holding a raffle … but it needs to be held in September.
People holding events need to let the charity know by emailing ruddisvicki@gmail.com
The charity has fundraising packs which people can pick up from its offices in the shop at Slaithwaite or they can be sent out.
Ali said: “Holidays are about happy times and making memories but for the families we help they get very little chance to do this in and among the constant hospital and medical appointments along with the daily emotional pressures and trauma they face in life. That’s why the holidays we provide can make such a difference.”
Families with children who are disabled or seriously ill are often hit hard financially and so can’t afford a holiday or the logistics of perhaps having a child in a wheelchair or needing oxygen make it impossible.
One of the caravans in Filey has been specially adapted for wheelchairs and special medical needs.
Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content and copywriting.
