Why Reuben's Retreat still needs Glossop's help

Like many people in Glossop, I thought I knew exactly what Reuben's Retreat was.

I knew it was a much-loved local charity. I knew it had transformed the former Woods Hospital building nestled within Howard Park. I knew it supported families going through unimaginably difficult times.

What I didn't realise was just how much more there is still to do.

And I certainly didn't realise how much the charity still relies on ordinary people giving a pound here, a fiver there, attending fundraising events, sharing social media posts and simply helping spread the word.

A recent visit to Reuben's Retreat was a reminder that, despite everything the charity has already achieved, its story is still very much being written.

From the moment you walk through the doors, there's a feeling that's difficult to describe. The team say they want people to feel as though they've been given a hug. You definitely do.

The building itself is beautiful. Painstakingly restored, it retains the character and history of the former hospital that was gifted to the people of Glossop in 1889. Everywhere you look there is evidence of care, thought and respect for the building's heritage. Modern facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, sensory spaces and play areas.

Reuben's Retreat was founded by Nicola Graham supported by her husband Mike, after the devastating loss of their son Reuben, who died aged just 23 months.

Rather than being consumed by grief, they created something extraordinary. "We set up Reuben's Retreat two days after Reuben passed away" Nicola explains. “I needed something to make sense of what had happened.”

The vision came from their own experiences as a family. "We were fortunate enough to have made beautiful memories with Reuben and his brother Isaac. We travelled, we had holidays, we had fun times together. When he died, those memories became incredibly precious.

"I remember saying to Mike, what do families do who never get that opportunity because their child has spent most of their life in hospital? That's when I knew what Reuben's Retreat needed to be."

Today, the Retreat supports more than 800 individuals from across the UK. Those supported by the charity broadly fall into two groups: the first are families whose children have life limiting complex medical conditions and who may not reach adulthood. The second are bereaved parents and siblings who have experienced the death of a child – they don’t need to have previously used the Retreat.

"We're almost like two charities in one" Nicola says. "Our bereavement work stands entirely on its own. We're here to help parents and siblings rebuild their lives after the loss of a child, while also supporting families who are living with uncertainty every day because of their child's medical needs."

The range of support available is extensive, from counselling and peer support groups, such as a dedicated Dads' Club, to family activities, sibling support and practical guidance.

Throughout the year, families can also take part in a variety of special events, ranging from animal therapy sessions and family celebration days to remembrance activities such as the annual Dove Release and festive events including a Santa's Grotto.

And yet the charity's complete vision remains unfinished. The next phase of development will see four purpose-built family apartment suites created within the building. Two of them will be fully accessible, complete with specialist equipment such as tracking hoists and adapted facilities like widened doorframes for large wheelchairs.

The aim is simple but powerful: to give families caring for seriously ill children the chance to spend precious holiday time together in a beautiful setting, creating memories away from hospitals, appointments and clinical environments.

The apartments are expected to begin construction this autumn, with completion likely to take around two years. But getting there depends on funding, and this is where many people's assumptions may be wrong. The charity isn't sitting on huge grants or backed by wealthy investors. In fact, its success has largely been built on thousands of small acts of generosity.

When Reuben's Retreat launched, the ambitious target was to raise £1 million in the first 23 months - one month for every month of Reuben's life. They achieved it and remarkably most of that money came from ordinary people.

"Our largest donation in that first million pounds was £22,000" Nicola says. "The rest came from people giving £1, £2, £5 or whatever they could afford. That's why I never want anyone to think their donation is too small. Every pound truly matters."

It's a philosophy captured perfectly in one of the dedicated team's favourite sayings: "Every raindrop raises the sea."

Relatively small monthly donations all add up to making a big difference. Just £2 or £5 a month can support families going through the most difficult of times. “We weren’t here when the building was first constructed in 1889, but here in 2026 you've helped write its next chapter.” Nicola explains. ”The building and its use is a part of Glossop's history and we hope the people of Glossop can help us to restore it to strong purpose."

"Every week we find people who have never heard of us" Nicola says. "If someone can't donate, sharing what we do is free. That one social media post might reach a family who desperately needs support."

This remarkable building was originally gifted to Glossop for the good of the community, and more than a century later it is still doing exactly that. The difference now is that its reach extends far beyond the town's boundaries with families from across the country finding support, comfort, understanding and hope within its walls.

But for the vision to be fully realised, Reuben's Retreat still desperately needs the support of the community. Not because the project is struggling, but because it is succeeding.

And because there is still so much more to build.

To donate please visit: www.reubensretreat.org/get-involved/donate/

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