Shropshire company gives £2,000 boost to arson-hit home for terminally ill children
A holiday home for children with life-threatening illnesses, which was targeted by arsonists, has received a £2,000 boost from a Shropshire company.
Burglars broke into Donna's Dream House in Blackpool and set fire to log cabins at the rear of the home, forcing it to shut its doors to terminally-ill children and their families.
Now staff at Dechra Veterinary Products, based near Hadnall, Shrewsbury, have chosen the charity to receive a £2,000 donation from its parent company Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC, to help fund the rebuild.
Dechra Veterinary Products' marketing communications manager Liz Rawlings handed over the cheque to Len Curtis MBE, who founded the charity with his wife in memory of their daughter, Donna.
The home closed last December after the thieves broke into a cabin used as the charity's office, stealing laptops, a TV and specialist camera equipment before setting the building on fire.
Mrs Rawlings said: “Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC has made this donation after receiving a nomination from Dechra Veterinary Products employees.”
“The staff voted for Donna's Dream House, which they believed was a worthwhile charity providing care for terminally-ill children, especially in the light of the arson attack which left the house needing complete renovation.
“The charity does not receive any funding apart from charitable donations, so we were delighted to have been able to boost the rebuild effort so Donna's Dream House can once again provide a vital haven for poorly children.”
Mr Curtis added: “Thanks to businesses like Dechra, we will be able to rebuild Donna’s Dream House, bigger and better than before. We are extremely grateful to the staff for nominating our charity, which helps more than 1,600 families a year who have children with a short life expectancy.
Caring companies like Dechra are very special in the life of those most in need and the donation will go towards the £120,000 cost of the rebuild and refurbishment.”
Dechra Veterinary Products specialises in the development and marketing of licensed branded pharmaceuticals in the global veterinary market.
