Raines Retreat will be the UK’s first holiday let designed solely for children affected by cancer and their families. It will open on the site of the former Rains Farm in Allerston, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, and will offer the chance for families to escape the day-to-day stresses of childhood cancer, make new memories and connect with others who have experienced the pain of a cancer diagnosis.
Delivered by James Carson Construction Group, the redeveloped retreat has been designed to be sensitive to the character of the local area and will preserve the current farm’s architecture and original features.
Set to complete in spring 2025, it will include four standalone holiday cottages, one being fully wheelchair friendly and the redevelopment of an existing farmhouse building into two holiday lets, allowing capacity for up to 27 people at a time.
The retreat will also include a new reflection garden, which will offer families a safe space to relax and connect with nature.
Created by North Yorkshire garden designer Thomas Clarke, in collaboration with Ros Coutts-Harwood, the garden is set to be unveiled at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May before being returned to the retreat in time for its opening this summer. It follows Thomas’ success at the Flower Show last year where his ‘Raines Repurposed’ balcony garden, sponsored by Children with Cancer UK won a Silver Gilt medal and the People’s Choice Award for Best Balcony/Container Garden.
The retreat will be open to all families affected by childhood cancer. This will include families whose children are currently undergoing treatment, have survived childhood cancer and bereaved families.
Families can enjoy the holiday retreat for just a few days or a few weeks, with a future phase being explored which would allow families to take part in group wellbeing activities and workshops in a purpose-built space on the site.
Amar Naher, CEO of Children with Cancer UK, said:
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, life changes overnight, and the experience can be very isolating. Families desperately need spaces that allow them to recharge both physically and emotionally, and that gives them an opportunity to connect with others with similar experiences. Until now there hasn’t been a facility in the UK that is dedicated to families affected by childhood cancer, and the unique challenges that come with this diagnosis.
Raines Retreat will change that. It will offer families a chance to escape their day to day worries, meet others who are on the cancer journey and make precious new memories. We can’t wait to welcome our first families to the retreat this summer.
For more information about this release, contact Rebecca Lockwood (rebecca.lockwood@aberfield.com) or Erin Hobbs (erin.hobbs@aberfield.com) on 0113 880 0444.
