Donations lift spirits of flood-hit craft shop
BBCA shop-owner who saw her business swamped during flash flooding is thanking the local community for their support.
Jade Baldwin from The Craft Hub on Beatrice Street, Oswestry, said the building was still not completely repaired, but she had been able to keep going, thanks partly to donations.
Her shop was one of a number of properties damaged when heavy rain in August followed the long, dry summer.
Water had poured in through the roof of Baldwin's store, soaking everything and ruining plans for future events, but she said: "There's no stopping us, we'll fight to the end."
The roof has not yet been fixed and while the leak has been repaired, she said she feared what might happen if there was another heavy downpour.
"We're still holding our breath with winter coming," she said.
The store is still filled with damaged stock and items such as chairs which she needs to get rid of, meaning she is short of space to run events and workshops.
"All we have now is the shop front," Baldwin explained.
But while the situation has been difficult, the response from people in the local area has lifted Baldwin's spirits.
She said: "We've had some lovely donations from people," including gifts of craft materials.
While storing it all in waterproof boxes remained a challenge, she said she was incredibly grateful.
Baldwin said there was even one young girl who "came in and donated her pocket money because she wanted to help us".
She did not know who the girl was, but said: "That's touched all of us here at the shop."
To keep things going, Baldwin has arranged fundraising competitions and has an online fundraising page.
She said: "We're gonna need lots of help to sort of help build this space to redecorate, re-plaster, get it into a position where we can start opening for kids and crafting sessions again."
Thanks to the support she said she had been able to look further ahead and has "big plans" for the future.
That could include offering homework sessions or perhaps a safe space for SEND children and their parents.
"So we would love people to come forward and see what they can do to help us," she said.
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