Staff from a fire-hit spa and health club just outside Ipswich have come together to help the local community just weeks after the devastating blaze forced the business to close.
A huge fire engulfed the swimming pool part of Riverhills spa at about 12.20am on June 23, leaving about a quarter of the building in need of extensive rebuilding work.
READ MORE: Riverhills spa boss praises Suffolk fire service
As well as starting the mammoth task of preparing to reopen, the staff have taken time to support the community with a range of initiatives.
After the fire destroyed the health club’s power supply, leaving hundreds of pounds of food in the restaurant’s fridges and freezers at risk of perishing, staff leapt into action, donating pastries to a local care home.
Residents at Handford House Nursing home, which provides respite, residential and dementia care for those in Ipswich and the surrounding areas, enjoyed smoothies, cakes and even got a taste of Riverhills popular afternoon tea in the garden.
Handford House was later transformed into its very own pop-up spa when Riverhills’ team of therapists visited to offer a range of pampering sessions.
Fisayo Akadri, care home manager, said: "We’re so grateful to the team at Riverhills not only for their kind donations, which really helped to put a smile on our residents’ faces, but for setting aside their time to come and visit us for a pamper day.
"For them to do this during what is such a difficult time for them all really is such an incredible gesture and goes to show what a strong community spirit Riverhills has."
The health club’s in-house hair stylists have been keeping busy, too, taking the Riverhills salon on the road – cutting and styling clients’ hair in the comfort of their own homes.
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Riverhills general manager Phil Rowe said: "Riverhills is much more than just a health club, and for many of our members, it plays an important role in their social life, so we want to make sure that we’re keeping our Riverhills community together until we’re able to open our doors again."
With specialist cleaning now underway at the club, the team is hopeful the site will be able to reopen in a matter of weeks.
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