'Charlies Angel' child bereavement charity's centre at Beeston in Leeds set to reopen after Covid-19 lockdown

A family-run bereavement charity in Leeds is  set to reopen its doors after being closed for almost four months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Mark Lavery
Published 24th Jun 2020, 06:00 BST
Updated 24th Jun 2020, 10:53 BST
. Carrie-Ann Curtis, centre, with Chloe Hill, Ruth Curtis, Sam Key and Clive Key at the Charlies Angels Centre Foundation in Leeds.... Carrie-Ann Curtis set up a charity for bereaved parents after the death of her baby son Charlie at just 19-day's old from a rare disorder called Potter's Syndrome. ... Picture Tony Johnson.. Carrie-Ann Curtis, centre, with Chloe Hill, Ruth Curtis, Sam Key and Clive Key at the Charlies Angels Centre Foundation in Leeds.... Carrie-Ann Curtis set up a charity for bereaved parents after the death of her baby son Charlie at just 19-day's old from a rare disorder called Potter's Syndrome. ... Picture Tony Johnson.
. Carrie-Ann Curtis, centre, with Chloe Hill, Ruth Curtis, Sam Key and Clive Key at the Charlies Angels Centre Foundation in Leeds.... Carrie-Ann Curtis set up a charity for bereaved parents after the death of her baby son Charlie at just 19-day's old from a rare disorder called Potter's Syndrome. ... Picture Tony Johnson.

Ruth Curtis - a co-founder of the Beeston-based Charlies-Angel-Centre Foundation - said her family is determined to keep the centre running despite an estimated loss in revenue of up to £25,000 due to the majority of this year's fundraising events being cancelled.

The charity, which helps families to rebuild their lives after the loss of a baby or child of any age, is to reopen its bereavement centre at Parkside Lane in Beeston on June 29.

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A JustGiving appeal has been launched to help raise much needed funds.

Its free services include online information, bereavement counselling, telephone and email support, bereavement packs and working with professionals to provide the best bereavement care.

The charity, which was founded in 2013, was named in memory of Carrie-Ann Curtis's son Charlie, who died from a rare condition called Potter's Syndrome just 19 minutes after being born at Leeds General Infirmary in December 2012.

Carrie-Ann, 27, of Beeston, founded the charity in 2013 with her mum Sam Key and her husband Clive and Carrie-Ann's father Gary Curtis and his wife Ruth.

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The family said they started the charity as there was no support for Carrie-Ann following Charlie's death and they wanted to help other families dealing with the loss of a child.

Ruth Curtis said: "I would say by the end of the year we will have lost £20,000 to £25,000 that we would have got from fundraising and events.

"We are not going to be doing any fundraising events until next year now."

"We are determined this charity is going to keep going and we will make sure it does."

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The charity, which has around 60 volunteers, will have to restrict its services and will only be able to use two of its four counselling rooms when it reopens.

During the lockdown, the charity has been offering counselling services on the telephone and over Zoom.

Mrs Curtis said: "We are going to ask the clients that are already seeing counsellors if they are happy to come back in. We can carry on with telephone sessions if not.

"But for those who feel safe coming in, we will be making appointments next week.

"We are a bit nervous because it has been a while since we have been there, but we want to get back in and help people again."

For more information, go to www.charlies-angel-centre.org.uk/

Related topics:BeestonLeedsCovid-19

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