A New Home for Rainbows GB

 

Blog 5 Rainbows GB

ALL CHANGE AT MARICOURT AS RAINBOWS BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GB ARRIVES

Frank McDermott, Chair of Trustees of Rainbows Bereavement Support GB shares the story of an historic move of this national Bereavement Charity into Maricourt Mercy Convent in 2018.

After five very happy years based at the Mercy Convent at Werneth Grange in Oldham, we were greatly saddened last year to receive the news of its proposed closure and sale. We had a wonderful Centre, the best neighbours you could ask for in the adjoining convent and with Amy, our Resource Centre Manager also being an active member of the Mercy Associates, communication and relationships were excellent.

We knew it would be a huge challenge for Rainbows to find suitable alternative premises in the Oldham / Manchester area so a call from the Leader of the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy asking if we would like to look at a possible alternative base in a place called ‘Maricourt’, Maghull lifted the spirits and gave us some hope in 2018.

Our first visit to Maricourt required a lot of imagination, even though Fr Des Seddon, Chair of the Rainbows Management Committee and nearby parish priest had told us it could be great! The thought of basing our national resource centre in an old established convent within the grounds of a large Catholic High School was quite challenging. However, the warmest of welcomes from Sr. Marie, the lone remaining sister in Maricourt, along with a tour of the huge building, helped us to see the potential of the place. While very different from Werneth Grange, we began to see that the ministry of Rainbows to grieving children and young people in over 1,500 schools around the country could well be based here!

The rest as they say is history! Further visits and further discussions clarified how the ground and first floor of this former home of Frank Hornby and then so many sisters could be developed to become the National base for Rainbows Bereavement Support GB. Equally, discussions with the headteacher and site manager of Maricourt High School couldn’t have been more welcoming or positive.

Following some essential electrical work and a little decorating, the move from Oldham to Maricourt took place at the end of July. At the same time Rainbows was moving in, anything that could be recycled or used by others was being taken away, while old beds and bedroom furniture was being removed and dumped into a huge skip. This must have been a most challenging time for Sr. Marie.  

August was a very busy month as we ‘unpacked’, arranged our furniture, organised the resources, developed different offices and meeting rooms, had broadband installed and prepared the packing / distribution room. The old convent parlour evolved into a resource storeroom; the dining room became the packing room; the community room became the conference/training room and four former bedrooms became offices.

Rainbows GB, Kolla Omarsdottir Resource Centre Manager and Deputy Resource Manager Caroline Travers continue to receive and dispatch orders to schools in the Rainbows Family.