THE landlady of a Prudhoe pub is to fundraise for a charity which helped her after the birth of her lockdown babies.
Debbi Sullivan, of the Halfway House, had children Owen and Eva during lockdown. Both spent time in the RVI’s special care babies unit after experiencing breathing difficulties.
Owen and Eva spent a combined 15 days in hospital and both had to be put on a ventilator. Debbi, who has four children, was not able to hold either child after birth via C-section.
Tiny Lives supported the family, providing aftercare, activity packs and blankets for mother and baby to swap for each other’s scent.
“I was not expecting them to go into special baby at all”, said Debbi. “The nurses were absolutely fantastic and the charity since has offered loads of support.”
The pub will now play host to a car boot sale and market to support Tiny Lives, with representatives from the charity setting up stall with nearly-new baby items and to help families amid the cost of living crisis.
Individual stall holders will keep their own proceeds but will be charged for their stall. A donation stall will also run. Buyers will be charged £1 entry.
Indoor and outdoor pitches are still available for the event on August 27.
“We’re hoping if this one goes really well, it’ll be monthly, or if it’s really good, it could possibly be weekly in the summer”, added Debbi, who took over the pub late 2020 after former landlord Paul Nesbitt and wife Julie left the West Road pub after 20 years behind the bar.
Debbi formerly ran the Fox and Hounds, now Oli and Joe’s, until it was sold by the pub company that owned it. She was recommended by Paul and her former manager at Punch Taverns as the ideal person to take on the job.
“I want to bring the pub more up market”, explained Debbi, who also runs nail business Diva Nails by Debs. “It’s getting there.”
To attract a more varied clientele, Debbi is soon launching a bikers brunch and bottomless brunch to complement the already existing offer of pre-order Sunday dinner, Sunday breakfast, quiz night, darts and pool teams and mobile, independent street food vendors.
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