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    08

    Mar 2022

    Last Updated: 08/03/2022
    Business
    Business

    Knaresborough charity shop forced to close after fifth flood

    by Suzannah Rogerson

    | 08 Mar, 2022
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    Rachel Wills opened the charity shop to raise funds for the hospital that cared for her niece when she was diagnosed with cancer. But after it flooded for the fifth time in five years last month she has made the 'devastating decision' to close it.

    racehl-wills-and-bella-watermill-cafe

    A Knaresborough business owner has made made the "devastating" decision to close her charity shop after it flooded for the fifth time in five years.

    Rachel Wills runs the Watermill Cafe at The Lido leisure park in Knaresborough.

    When her niece Bella was diagnosed with leukaemia, Ms Wills wanted to support the hospital caring for her so she decided to open a charity shop within the premises.

    It began as a book table in the corner of the cafe but as more people heard Bella's story, a bigger space was needed for donations so Ms Wills converted the ground floor cellar and opened a 'bring and buy' shop.

    Since opening three years ago, the venture and annual summer BBQs have raised more than £10,000 for Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

    But the cafe stands on the banks of the River Nidd, making it a frequent victim of flooding. Now, after last month's storms, Ms Wills has decided she can't keep rebuilding the shop.

    The high waters during a night of flooding and then a few days later.



    Each time it floods she and her partner have to rebuild the shelves and put a call-out for more donations.

    Last month's floods forced the cafe owner to throw away three-and-a-half tips of donations and food stock and pump out more than 500 litres of water.

    She said:

    "I was watching the waters rise on the CCTV. I could see things dropping into the water. I just knew I couldn't go through this again, every time it happens it's harder to build back again.
    "If I keep it on and we get flooded again I'm back to square one. It's an awful decision to make but I will keep holding events to support the hospital but keeping the shop open is just really hard when it floods so regularly."





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    Bella was diagnosed cancer-free in March 2020. Nevertheless, Ms Wills wants to continue finding ways to donate to the hospital.

    Each year, she holds a summer barbecue outside the cafe on the river banks, with live music and games, which raises around £1,000 — this will continue.