The travel industry has been asked to get involved in a campaign to help complete the final phase of Reuben’s Retreat.
The charity, which supports families of children with complex medical needs and those who have lost a child, is appealing for help to raise the last £1 million needed to complete its build project.
It is transforming a former hospital site in Glossop into a place where families can access support, respite and spend time together. The retreat was set up in 2012 in memory of Reuben Graham, who died from an aggressive brain tumour, aged 23 months old.
Travel businesses and individuals are being invited to sponsor engraved toy bricks, as part of the charity’s Brick By Brick campaign, which will become part of a colourful permanent wall at the retreat.
The £2.7m, two-year final scheme will involve the design, construction and furnishing of four fully accessible holiday suites, completing the long-term vision for the site.
Reuben’s mum, Nicola Graham, founder of Reuben’s Retreat, said: “We really hope to break ground this autumn. This vision is about more than a build, it’s about making sure more families have the chance to create lasting memories together, particularly those who might not have that opportunity otherwise. The continued support of our loved travel industry family, who have been instrumental in getting us this far, will be key to helping us maintain this momentum and deliver on our goal.
“Once we complete the retreat, we can invite people from all over the UK, potentially worldwide, to be able to stay. Holidays are often impossible for families of children with complex needs, but a change of scenery does everyone the world of good and it’s so important to be able to create precious memories.
“That’s one of the reasons it would be wonderful for even more travel brands to join the campaign and have their names featured on the forever wall.
“The industry remains central to our ongoing mission. It’s the foundation of everything we’re building. It’s where we made treasured memories with Reuben, it’s where I met my husband, and now it’s also part of my son Isaac’s journey as he begins his career. We would not be who we are without it.
“Corporate partnerships are vital to helping us reach the finish line of the build. There is no finish line overall as we want Reuben’s Retreat to be here for decades to come, helping more and more families. It currently costs around half a million pounds a year to run the retreat and those numbers will double once the build is complete.”
Reuben’s Retreat is asking for a donation of £123 per brick. Some supporters have created entire sections of the wall featuring company logos and personalised messages from teams and branches.
Travel firms including Travel Counsellors, Virgin Voyages, MSC Cruises and Panache Cruises have already backed the campaign.
