Baby loss charity reopens after fire damage

Forever Stars, which supports families experiencing baby loss, said the Serenity Centre in Beeston was “back and operational” on 12 April after a rubbish fire the previous Tuesday.

The charity said it believed the fire was started deliberately and according to the charity it has been regarded by Nottinghamshire Police as “suspected arson”.

The fire caused “extensive smoke damage, including donated clothing, furniture and computers so damaged they were unsalvageable”, the charity said. The flames also damaged fibre optic and telephone lines.

Forever Stars said “overwhelming support” from its community, which included more than £4,000 of emergency donations, helped the charity to recover quickly.

Richard Daniels, co-founder of the charity, said: “With the incredible support and generosity of local people and businesses, we literally rise from the ashes.”

Daniels said the charity “owed a huge debt of gratitude” to a neighbouring business that called emergency services, preventing “an even more devastating and upsetting outcome”.

“The clean-up and repair operation this weekend was carried out by a 13-strong team who came together to scrub walls where the smoke smell was worst, clean and vacuum floors, clean surfaces and dispose of burnt items, so that the centre could open its doors again,” the charity said.