A RALLYING call has gone out to Evesham residents to back a fund-raising event at the town’s new Outside Inn and Courtyard.
Karen Fray and the team from Refresh in Vines Court will hold the charity event at the Market Place venue next Saturday from 11am to 4pm.
Cash will be raised on the day for Acorns Children’s Hospice and for Baby Ava’s Foundation, a county charity set up in 2015.
Baby Ava’s Foundation was launched by Richard Atkinson after his and his wife Adele’s baby Ava passed away in 2014.
The charity provides memory boxes to bereaved parents so they can remember their little ones.
The pair received a memory box when they lost Ava so know how much it means. The foundation turned three in March and has so far raised £150,000.
Karen Baughan, who runs her master practioner coach sessions at Refresh, told the Observer: “Richard came to speak to one of my meetings about baby Ava and his story left everyone in tears. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”
“We decided then to ensure we supported him as much as we could and this fund-raiser is just part of that.”
“The worse thing he said about losing Ava was going into the busy maternity ward after and hearing the sounds of crying babies and seeing newborns with their parents.
“Long term he wants to provide space for parents who have lost babies.”
A host of prizes will be on offer during the raffle to raise money for the two charities including vouchers from local businesses such as JellyPickleJam.
Staff at the Outside Inn have also donated a voucher for a meal for two as a prize for the raffle.
Tickets and all of the prizes on offer will be available on the day.
Visit babyavasfoundation.org for more on the charity.
