Former farm turned into retreat for families hit by children’s cancer

Children with Cancer UK, a childhood cancer charity, is set to open a new holiday retreat in North Yorkshire for families affected by the devastating disease.

Raines Retreat will be the UK’s first holiday let designed solely for children affected by cancer and their families.

It will open on the site of the former Rains Farm in Allerston, near Pickering.

It will offer the chance for families to escape the day-to-day stresses of childhood cancer, make new memories and connect with others who have experienced the pain of a cancer diagnosis.

Delivered by James Carson Construction Group, the redeveloped retreat will preserve the farm’s architecture and original features.

Set to complete in spring 2025, it will include four standalone holiday cottages, one being fully wheelchair friendly and the redevelopment of an existing farmhouse building into two holiday lets, allowing capacity for up to 27 people at a time.

The retreat will also include a new reflection garden, which will offer families a safe space to relax and connect with nature.

Created by North Yorkshire garden designer Thomas Clarke, in collaboration with Ros Coutts-Harwood, the garden is set to be unveiled at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May before being returned to the retreat in time for its opening this summer.

The retreat will be open to all families affected by childhood cancer. This will include families whose children are currently undergoing treatment, have survived childhood cancer and bereaved families.

Amar Naher, CEO of Children with Cancer UK, said: “When a child is diagnosed with cancer, life changes overnight, and the experience can be very isolating.

“Families desperately need spaces that allow them to recharge both physically and emotionally, and that gives them an opportunity to connect with others with similar experiences.

“Until now there hasn’t been a facility in the UK that is dedicated to families affected by childhood cancer, and the unique challenges that come with this diagnosis.

“Raines Retreat will change that. It will offer families a chance to escape their day to day worries, meet others who are on the cancer journey and make precious new memories.”