Charity founders launch second holiday lodge providing free breaks for young people facing cancer and their families
Derbyshire parents who launched a charity in memory of their daughter have unveiled a second holiday home where young people facing cancer and their families can have free short breaks.
Kurt and Elaine Elliott, who live in Heage, attended the opening ceremony of Lauren's Legacy lodge in Scarborough. Elaine said: “We were very proud to have the Mayor of Scarborough, Cllr Thomas Murray, visit us at Scarborough Lodge Retreat and park managers Dionne and Garrie Causebrook to officially open our new lodge.
"Booking for patients and their families are already being taken for Scarborough and we expect it to be as successful as our lodge at Ashbourne Heights Holiday Park in Derbyshire providing short breaks for teenagers and young adults and their families going through cancer treatments.
“Ashbourne Heights has proved to be a very popular place to stay with families and has become very busy. With this in mind, the charity along with their supporters the League of Zeal MCC North Derbyshire decided to fundraise and purchase a second holiday home offering a very different type of stay at the coastal resort of Scarborough. The new lodge is in a quiet park on the edge of Scarborough and has fantastic views over the town and the coast.”
The Scarborough retreat has been made possible by this year’s Old Goats Grumble beer and music festival, which was held over the August bank holiday weekend. Elaine said: “Despite the horrendous weather, the event raised a massive £38,500 for Lauren's Legacy. This amazing amount in turn with the charity's other fundraising efforts has enabled the charity to purchase its second holiday home.”
Kurt and Elaine founded Lauren’s Legacy in 2019 in honour of their daughter who battled a rare form of cancer for five years and was just 22 when she died. In the latter years of Lauren’s life, they also launched a motorcycle club called the League of Zeal MCC North Derbyshire. Despite having an incurable sarcoma, Lauren – who was nicknamed Loz – raised more than £90,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust alongside her beloved motorcycle club.
During the past seven years Lauren’s parents have raised more than £400,000 to support young people going through cancer treatement and their families. Lauren’s Legacy has provided iPads and PlayStations, concert and event tickets, items that improve rest, recovery or mobility, and free family breaks in the charity’s lodge at Ashbourne Heights.
Elaine said: “Most applications for a stay come via the Teenage Cancer Trust wards but we do accept self referrals from families straight to our charity’s email - [email protected]”