Gemma Lowery has spoken of her pride in the legacy of her son Bradley, almost a decade after his death at the age of six, as the holiday home built in his memory opened in Scarborough.
The Bradley Lowery Foundation's new property, known as Super Brad's Pad, is a five-bedroom house featuring a garden bar and a sensory room for children. Gemma said families supported by the charity had significant input into its design.
A place for families to make memories
Speaking to ChronicleLive, Gemma explained the idea came from her family's own experience during Bradley's illness. She said: "The idea came from our experience being in hospital with Bradley. I would be in hospital with him. My son would be with my parents, my husband would be working away - we still had to pay the bills - and our family was split up. You just don't get that quality time together."
She added: "We were able to have a couple of caravan holidays but I think it is so important for the likes of nanas and granddads, aunties, uncles and cousins to be able to make memories together too."
Design with families in mind
Gemma said the open-plan living room and kitchen diner were designed to encourage families to spend time together, while also providing space for teenagers and younger children, including the sensory room. She said: "I want to have made a place designed for families to spend that quality time together. That's why there's an open-plan living room and kitchen diner - I wanted it to be somewhere where you're able to do things together."
She continued: "But, that said, we also wanted to have space for teenagers to have that time out for themselves, too. There's also space for younger children that's just for them - the sensory room - and really, what I wanted was for children to look at the Pad and just say 'wow!'."
A proud moment for the family
Gemma, who runs the charity, said the project felt "surreal" and that she hoped Bradley would be proud. She said: "To have achieved this is a bit surreal at the moment. I have been working on it for so long - it's taken so much of my time - and it's not sunk in yet! It's such a proud moment though. I hope Brad is upstairs looking down on us and proud of how his mam is carrying on his legacy."
She also spoke about her youngest child, Grace-Mae, who never met her brother but talks about him every day. Gemma said: "Of course we have Gracie-Mae who is getting older and she's learning about Brad - she's so proud, she talks about him every day. This [project] has been amazing for the whole family, we're so proud."
Looking ahead
Gemma said the charity has "lots going on" after the project, including a support worker at the RVI who helps families on the wards, and the Hero Hampers scheme for families unexpectedly in hospital. She said: "We're going to need a breather, this has been a huge project, but we have lots going on. We have no employed a support worker at the RVI - she goes around the wards and speaks to families, helping with whatever they might be going through."
Super Brad's Pad was made possible through £1 million of fundraising and the generosity of supporters, businesses and organisations that contributed materials, equipment, services and expertise. The Bradley Lowery Foundation will continue to manage the home, ensuring families can enjoy precious time together in Bradley's memory for many years to come.
