In an amazing show of community spirit and togetherness, the community has rallied together to raise over £5000 for a 94-year-old woman whose flat was destroyed by a fire in the early hours of Monday morning (23rd November).

The woman, known to loved ones as 'Bubbles', was taken to hospital after suffering smoke inhalation and minor burns.

The flat has been her home for over 70 years and the fire has left it uninhabitable.

Natalie, the 94-year-old's granddaughter, said:

"Nanny won't be going back to that flat until we can make sure there is no trace of the fire as it would just break her heart."

"My nanny is so special to us and, as we have recently found out from her neighbours, also really special to members of her community that asked if they could do anything to help raise funds for her.

"This is something we hadn't even thought of ourselves as so much has been going on in the last 24 hours, but looking at the state of her bedroom (where the fire started) there is nothing left."

A go-fund-me was set up to appeal for generosity from the community in helping to raise funds to put back together the flat.

In a wave of community love, the appeal has quickly raised over £5000 along with countless messages of support for Bubbles.

The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by an electric heated blanket that had been folded up and left on.

Bubbles spent 6 weeks in hospital in August with a torn gallbladder, twisted bowel and pneumonia, so this fire was another major blow to her year.

Reacting to the amount of money raised, Natalie said:

"Genuinely blown away by the continued kindness shown by our friends, neighbours of nan, members of her community & friends of friends who don't even know her.

"2020 has been an awful year but one thing it has done is bring communities together and helped people look out for each other and this has never been more apparent to us than today.

"We are so grateful that you care about nanny and when we are able to hopefully speak to her tomorrow, we will do our best to communicate exactly what you've all done for her, if she's got her hearing aid in of course."

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