Mayor of Kirklees Clr Paul Kane opened a cancer charity’s new offices – and workers are already feeling at home.
The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust had to leave its base at Turnbridge Mills in Quay Street, Huddersfield, after the lease expired.
Heritage Exchange, a property firm, stepped in with the offer of new premises in Lindley and the neighbours have already made them welcome.
The mayor officially opened the offices at the Old Bakery in Acre Street, in the basement below the Kirkwood Hospice shop.
The offices will be a base for the charity’s three employees, trust manager Pam Thornes, fundraising manager Helen Mervill and office manager Sarah-Jane Ainley.
Staff celebrated the move with the mayor and trust ambassador and bone cancer patient Jacob Simpson, 19, of Keighley, who cut the ribbon.
Laura Crane’s family home was in Lindley so the move has been a little more poignant.
Laura died of cancer aged 17 in 1996 and the charity was set up in her memory.
Helen, a close friend of Laura, said: “I have some incredibly happy memories of time spent on Lindley Rec with Laura as teenagers so moving to Lindley is very special for me.
“I am very much looking forward to Laura’s charity becoming a significant part of the Lindley community.”
Pam said the new landlords had also been very supportive and added: “We are looking forward to building on the strong relationship we have with them and other Lindley businesses. We feel at home already.”
The trust had previously been involved with the Love Lindley promotional event and Pam said she would like to get it going again.
“The Love Lindley event was traditionally held in the run up to Christmas which is an incredibly poignant time for the trust,” she said.
“It is when we collect age appropriate gifts for our young cancer patients in hospitals and deliver them in time for Christmas morning.
“Regardless of what Christmas means to individuals, whether it’s a festive, religious or cultural part of the year, it is the time when people come together and are more open-hearted and giving.
“We’d like to speak to anyone interested in bringing the event back.”
The trust can be contacted by e-mail on hello@lauracranetrust.org or 01484 510013.
