Event
Act 10 of 30: Helping Yvonne Take Her Next Steps After a Devastating Fire
When Yvonne Grice’s home in Kirkby-in-Ashfield was badly damaged by fire, she lost far more than bricks, timber and belongings.
Yvonne, 87, has lived in the same house since 1974. After more than 50 years, it is a home filled with memories, familiarity and a lifetime of stories.
Thankfully, Yvonne was out when the fire broke out and nobody was hurt. However, the blaze caused extensive damage to the property, particularly around the conservatory where her mobility scooter and walking aid had been stored.
The photographs of the aftermath are difficult to comprehend. The equipment Yvonne relied upon had been completely destroyed, and the damage to her home means she may be unable to return for nine months, or potentially more than a year.
For now, Yvonne is being supported by her daughter, along with family, friends and people from across the local community.
A neighbour determined to help
One of those people was Tony.
After seeing what Yvonne had been through, Tony visited our Premier Community Mobility Shop at Kings Mill to enquire about purchasing a replacement walking aid for her.
When Rachel and the Kings Mill team heard the full story, they knew this could not simply be treated as another sale.
Rachel submitted an application to our 30 for 30 campaign, asking whether Premier Community could step in and help create one positive moment in the middle of such an upsetting situation.
The application was accepted straight away.
Our Kings Mill team visited Yvonne, talked through her needs and gave her the opportunity to try several options before she chose an Integrity Aries Rollator, which Premier Community was delighted to gift to her.
It was a small step compared with everything Yvonne has lost, but an important one towards restoring some independence and confidence during an uncertain time.
A community rallying around one of its own
Yvonne spoke warmly about the support she has received since the fire.
Her family have been there throughout, a member of the community has already helped provide a replacement mobility scooter, Tony took it upon himself to find further support, and our Kings Mill team were proud to play their part.
Yvonne said:
“My family have been amazingly supportive, and the community has really rallied around me. Somebody has gifted me a mobility scooter, and now you’ve done this!”
That spirit is exactly what our 30 for 30 campaign is about.
It is not always possible to undo what has happened. Sometimes all we can do is notice when somebody needs help, step forward and make the road ahead a little easier.
We are incredibly proud of Rachel and everyone at our Kings Mill Mobility Shop for responding with compassion, and grateful to Tony for walking through our doors and giving us the opportunity to help.
This was Kirkby-in-Ashfield at its best: neighbours, families, local businesses and kind-hearted people coming together around someone who needed them. 💙
Can you help Yvonne?
Yvonne is currently looking for suitable temporary accommodation while repairs to her home are completed.
A bungalow or ground-floor flat in or around Kirkby-in-Ashfield would be ideal. Anyone who knows of a suitable property available to rent is encouraged to contact Premier Community so that the details can be passed to Yvonne and her family.
