The Retreat (& renovation plans)
Reuben’s Retreat became the proud owners of what was formerly “Woods Hospital” on the 23rd April 2014. Originally a 21-bedroom ‘cottage’ hospital it was still in operation as recently as 2011 when part of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.
Set in rugged moorland just outside the Peak District, the 1.63 acre site had 2 beautiful but dilapidated buildings which would need extensive renovations to transform it into the charity’s forever home. So we created a 10 Phase renovation plan that would enable us to transform the buildings and grounds as and when funding allowed. Despite being a tiny team and our priority being supporting families in need, we’re proud to have completed 3 of those Phases to date:
The smaller of the two buildings – The Lodge – has been open and operational since late 2015. In 2016 we made The Retreat (the main building) watertight by completely refurbishing the roof and various structural maintenance.
The first half of 2017 was all about readying the spaces for Phases 4, 5 & 6, including stripping the areas back to bricks and timber so we could identify any potential problems and avoid costly delays or issues when the works begin. With the three Phases all situated in one wing we are desperate to undertake the works as one complete project rather than phase by phase because it will be so much more cost effective. And so, since mid-2017 we’ve been working tirelessly on fundraising for and designing, planning and refining every element of Phases 4, 5 and 6, our biggest renovation project to date which will give us our first physically therapeutic spaces and equipment for life-limited children and young people. We’re so excited to share that those works started on 25th March 2019 and are expected to be finished in Summer 2020 so please visit our blog or Facebook page for regular updates!
As with every area of the charity, our volunteers and supporters have played a crucial role in helping us to transform Reuben’s Retreat into a haven for families, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has donated their time, skills, knowledge or goods or services to us at no or low cost. If you would like to be a part of Reuben’s journey or able to help us with this wonderful project, please get in touch by calling on 01457 680 023 or emailing enquiries@reubensretreat.org.
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Top tips for hosting a virtual event
There’s so many ways to still get involved in fundraising for charity during this challenging time. Here’s our top 4 tops for hosting a virtual event for charity 1. Host it your way and decide what kind of virtual event you would like to host, here’s just a few ideas: Coffee morning, dance class, pub quiz, karaoke,…
15th April
Share your #REUBow
Draw them, paint them, craft them and hang them high to send hope up to the sky. Allow us to continue our current work remotely supporting 143 families by donating £1 text REUBEN to 70201. We can’t wait to see your #reubow creations!
26th March
What's Happening View all
REUBall 2020
Our next annual ball will take place on Saturday, 4th July 2020 at The Village Hotel in Bury. Reserve your places for REUBall 2020 now! Tickets cost £60 per person, with a £20 per person, non refundable deposit due at the time of booking (balance due early April 2020). You can purchase the tickets here…
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