Shrewsbury kitchen company helps county charity devastated by floods
A Shrewsbury kitchen company has donated one of its showroom kitchens to the Greenhous West Mid Showground to aid its recovery after it was devastated by floods.
Before Covid hit last year, the showground, which hosts the Shropshire County Show and Shrewsbury Folk Festival amongst many other community events, was completely overwhelmed with flood water - with every single building affected.
The damage at the showground ran into tens of thousands of pounds and more flood water hit the site this year, causing further damage.
Now Abbey Kitchens, in Whitchurch Road, has donated a kitchen from its showroom, which will be used for the offices of the Agricultural Society and The Rural Charity.
The Rural Charity supports many local initiatives, including the Rural Schools Write, Read, Inspire Project which was launched by children’s author Lorna McCann as a way of enhancing and supporting literacy skills and creativity among pupils in some of the county’s smallest schools.
Becky Hayes, who took over Abbey Kitchens from her father last year, said: “We are delighted to help the West Mid Showground and The Rural Charity.
“My family and I have been to many events at the showground over the years and it is sad to see how much damage the flood water has caused.
“We wanted to do what we could to help. We are planning to renovate our showroom and we wanted to put this kitchen to good use, rather than recycle it.”
Miss Hayes said that many charities are struggling during Covid and she wanted to help out where she could.
“It’s so great it will be used as a real kitchen, supporting the charity's work, and we hope we will be able to visit the showground again in the near future,” she added.
Ian Bebbington, chief executive of the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society, said: “We are so grateful to Abbey Kitchens for the new kitchen, which will save us thousands of pounds.
“The floods at the start of 2020 were absolutely devastating and then to be flooded again this year, in combination with the pressures of Covid, which everyone is facing, is extremely difficult.
“It’s wonderful that local businesses such as Abbey Kitchens are able to help charities out and it is much appreciated.
“We still have a lot of work to do to get the show ground back up and running but this certainly goes a long way to helping.”
