A local storage firm has stepped in to pay the first month\u2019s rent for a new community hub launched by two bereaved mums to combat isolation.<\/p>\n
Breakfast raves, ghost story nights and a \u201cpay as you feel\u201d caf\u00e9 are among the eye-catching ways The Loss Lounge is bringing people together in Newtown.<\/p>\n
Friends Alice Jones and Emma Edwards say their new Market Street base offers a safe, welcoming space for anyone in need of company \u2013 or just a quiet cuppa.<\/p>\n
Other ideas in the pipeline include hosting a children\u2019s pamper party in May and weekly sessions for families who home-school their children to reduce feelings of isolation.<\/p>\n
The hub also has a sharing library, a knitting basket and a journaling corner to appeal to as many people as possible.<\/p>\n
Many more activities are in the pipeline and details can be found on the group\u2019s Facebook page\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/1CLKBmeDBq\/<\/a><\/p>\n Emma and Alice\u2019s efforts have already won crucial backing, with Lock Stock Self Storage covering the first month\u2019s rent to help the volunteer-run project get off the ground.<\/p>\n Alice said: \u201cWe are extremely grateful for Lock Stock\u2019s donation, it has helped us massively to have a month paid for.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a non-profit organisation and we are all volunteers here, so it was amazing to have that extra help and support.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have opened the community hub to create a safe space for anybody that needs a quiet and relaxed environment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe hub is for the whole community, it\u2019s a space for anybody to use as they feel they need.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a donation-based cafe, which is pay as you feel, where we offer teas, coffees, cakes, fresh bread, fresh-pressed juice and daily smoothies.\u201d<\/p>\n Lock Stock area manager Alan Brightmore said: \u201cWhat Emma and Alice are doing is truly inspiring and it is great to see how the Loss Lounge is evolving to help all parts of the community.<\/p>\n \u201cAs Lock Stock is a community-minded business, we are delighted to be able to help Alice and Emma in their journey.<\/p>\n \u201cThe hub gives the people of Newtown something different and offers a relaxing and welcoming space to anyone who needs it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a fantastic place for everyone to enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Alice, the hub was working on a variety of unusual events to bring all sections of the community together.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cAn event we have coming up on May 16 from 10.30am to noon is a breakfast rave.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a Saturday morning, so it will start your day happy and make you feel good. \u201cWe also have a ghost stories and paranormal evening with Rory Evans on May 4 from 7pm.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have already held our first aromatherapy event and are looking to do more in the future, so we have plenty going on and thinking of lots of other ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n Alice and Emma became friends after finding out they had both suffered the tragic loss of a child.<\/p>\n Alice\u2019s son Ronnie was born prematurely and died at 15 months old in November 2021.<\/p>\n Emma\u2019s son, Ewen, was born sleeping at 36 weeks, six days in March 2024.<\/p>\n They initially launched the Loss Lounge to help bereaved families, and say the opening of the hub has allowed them to broaden the support they give to everyone in the community.<\/p>\n Alice, mum to four-year-old Dougie and three-year-old Mina, said her husband Lewis and her mother-in-law Jane Jones would also be working at the hub as volunteers along with Emma\u2019s son Oliver and other family friends.<\/p>\n Emma, mum to 15-year-old Oliver, 14-year-old Harriet, 11-year-old Tabitha, and Elliot, nine, said the monthly meetings to support bereaved families will continue and the Loss Lounge was looking at other ways to offer help to the community.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cWe are keeping the name Loss Lounge because that is where we started from, but we are growing and evolving.\u201d Emma said the community hub had received great support from many businesses.<\/p>\n She gave special thanks to DM Painting and Decorating, BCreations, Carl and Serena from All Toe-gether Podiatry, Carpet Rack in Shrewsbury, Layla from Snap and Social, Malimacs, Food Surplus and Morrisons community champion Jenny.<\/p>\n Emma added: \u201cThe support from the community has been overwhelming.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are more than happy to have donations or hear from anybody who wants to help because we are self-funded at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are also open to anybody who wants to hire this space as long as it\u2019s along our wellbeing ethos, or to families who want to have a gathering.”<\/p>\n She said the hub also has free family swimming vouchers available from Maldwyn Leisure Centre in Newtown and has teamed up with Morrisons to offer free food and toiletries to families who are struggling.<\/p>\n The hub is open Monday 9.30am to 2pm, Tuesday 9.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 7pm, Thursday 9.30am to 2pm, Friday 9.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 7pm, and Saturday 9.30am to 2pm.<\/p>\n Founded in 2000, Lock Stock has over 5,700 storage units providing more than five million cubic feet of space at more than 35 storage parks across North and Mid Wales, the border counties and the north west.<\/p>\n They estimate that over 70 per cent of their units are rented by people moving house or keeping treasured possessions but nearly 30 per cent, almost 2,000, are used by a variety of businesses for storing materials, stock and equipment.<\/p>\n Details of the activities being organised by Loss Lounge can be found on the group\u2019s Facebook page\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/1CLKBmeDBq\/<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0and for information about Lock Stock Self Storage including off-site container hire, contact them on 01745 817178 or go to\u00a0https:\/\/lockstock.biz\/<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe will have a DJ coming to play some music and we will be offering free healthy ginger shots and fresh-pressed juice for people to enjoy.<\/p>\n
\nEmma added she has raised money for a cuddle cot in her son Ewen\u2019s name, which allows parents to spend time with their child at home after they have passed away and the cuddle cot will be available for people in the community to use.<\/p>\n