ARSON ATTACK FORCES DONNA'S DREAM HOUSE TO CLOSE.

Christmas was cancelled at Donna's Dream House! In the early hours of Wednesday 21st December 2011 a milkman spotted flames coming from the admin building at Donna's Dream House and called the Fire Brigade. His quick actions averted a total disaster, but enough damage was done to force us to contact families who were due to spend Christmas with us and tell them that they would not be having their dream Christmas.

During the night, arsonists had broken into the office building, stolen essential computer equipment, then set fire to furniture, destroying photographs, paperwork and a lot more. The building is so badly damaged that it may have to be completely rebuilt. Damage was also done to the adjacent health suite, including the hot tub jacuzzi. Fortunately the main accommodation buildings were not badly affected, so it is hoped to be up and running again by March or April.

CCTV footage is now being examined by the Police, and anybody who knows anything about this incident is asked contact Blackpool Police on 01253 293933 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The full story is on the Blackpool Gazette website - click HERE.

Thanks to some generous help, a temporary office has already been set up in the accommodation building and our telephone line restored, but much important paperwork, saved e-mails and stationery has been destroyed. Please be patient if you are waiting for an answer to any message. If you have written a letter to which we have not yet replied, please send another as a lot of recent correspondence has been lost.

Some generous donations have been made recently, for which we are extremely grateful, but it has not yet been possible to start acknowledging them - we will try to get back to you in the new year. The security of online donations has not been compromised as these are dealt with by a volunteer at another location many miles from Blackpool.

Below: Len Curtis surveys the damage and wonders how anybody could stoop so low as to deprive seriously-ill children and their families of their dream Christmas.

LATEST NEWS: (20 Jan 2012):
The insurance claim is ongoing,
initial estimates are in the region
of £80,000. However, this does
not mean that they will pay out
anything near that amount.

The donations received so far
are in excess of £13,000, of
which, £12,600 will contribute
to the installation of unobtrusive
security shutters on all entrances
and windows etc. on all buildings
in the Donna’s Dream House
complex. The installation of the
shutters is a security
enhancement to make sure
that ‘The Dream’ can continue
without a similar incident
happening in the future. We also
need to install sprinkler systems and monitored alarm system as well as improved and additional CCTV equipment. This means that we need to continue fundraising to pay for these additional features. One of the important things for us is to make sure that whatever security enhancements we install do not detract from the friendly atmosphere that we try to create for families using the facilities at Donna’s Dream House.

Blackpool Police have arrested two 18-year-old male suspects, and enquiries are ongoing.....

Len, Barbara and the other trustees of the charity would like to thank everybody for their support and
overwhelming generosity. God bless everybody who has helped us.