About us
Quinn’s Retreat was founded after the death of our beautiful 17-year-old daughter Quinn, sadly on 9th December 2018 Quinn took her own life. Following this we decided to make the area where we lost her into a small memorial garden. We decided to fundraise to buy a bench and to clean up the area. We raised far more in one day that we could have ever expected.
Before we lost Quinn, we had planned to go away for a week over Christmas to a holiday cottage in the Peak District with my husband and Quinn’s brother Dyllon. Quinn’s funeral was on the Friday before Christmas so we did not know what to do about going away, Dyllon thought it would be good for us to get away from the town we live in and go somewhere that no one knew us and spend some time together as a family, so off we went on the Sunday to the holiday cottage.
While we were away, we laughed and cried together about Quinny in equal measure! We remembered who she really was, and it really helped us to just be together the three of us and our two little dogs Lenni and Mabel. We went out for dinner, something we would not have dared do in the town we lived in as well we just would have felt that everyone was looking at us. On that break we decided we wanted to help families who have suffered a bereavement through suicide to do the same, and so the idea of Quinn’s Retreat was born.
Sadly, just ten months later on 8th October 2019 we also lost Dyllon to suicide, he was only 21, he was amazing, but he just couldn’t carry the burden of grief on his shoulders any longer. I remember him telling me that it was not until we lost Quinn that he realised that she was his best friend, the best friend he had ever had. I think he just needed to be with her, he was such a caring and loving person, and he could not bear to think of her being alone.
We had already started the ball rolling to become a registered charity and by January 2020 we became an official Charity registered with the Charity Commission. In February 2020 we bought our very first caravan “Quinn’s Retreat”
We offer breaks at Quinn’s Retreat to anyone who has been bereaved by suicide no matter how long ago. Where possible we also offer breaks to anyone suffering with their mental health, we do not charge for anyone to stay at Quinn’s Retreat. It is entirely up to our guests own discretion if they would like to make a donation or not and we would never ask for one.
Quinn’s Retreat sleeps six in one double room, one twin and a pull-out sofa bed in the front room. The caravan is located at Riverview Leisure Park in Barnard Castle on the river Tees on the Teesdale way. We are dog and child friendly, there is a small pub on site as well as a children’s room above, an outdoor play area, a doggy wash, and a coin operated laundrette. Riverview is an owner only site, so it is very quiet and peaceful, it is so nice just to sit on the decking and listen to the river flowing past. The caravan has full central heating, and we are open 12 months of the year.
It is just a short ten-minute stroll along the river into the town centre where you will find lots of local shops, pubs, and tea rooms as well as many tourist attractions in the area such as the castle, Bowes Museum, Raby Castle, High Force and many more just a short drive away.
We like to think that we have made Quinn’s Retreat into a real home from home. We find it a peaceful and relaxing place, a real retreat! Please do get in touch with us to arrange a stay as we would like to help as many people and their families as possible as a way of remembering our beautiful children. By helping others and telling their story, their light shines on.
