Lock Stock has stepped in to pay the first month’s rent for a new community hub launched by two bereaved mums to combat isolation.

Breakfast raves, ghost story nights and a “pay as you feel” café are among the eye-catching ways The Loss Lounge is bringing people together in Newtown.

Friends Alice Jones and Emma Edwards say their new Market Street base offers a safe, welcoming space for anyone in need of company – or just a quiet cuppa. 

Other ideas in the pipeline include hosting a children’s pamper party in May and weekly sessions for families who homeschool their children to reduce feelings of isolation.

The hub also has a sharing library, a knitting basket and a journaling corner to appeal to as many people as possible.

Many more activities are in the pipeline and details can be found on the group’s Facebook page.

Emma and Alice’s efforts have already won crucial backing, with Lock Stock Self Storage covering the first month’s rent to help the volunteer-run project get off the ground.

Alice said: “We are extremely grateful for Lock Stock’s donation, it has helped us massively to have a month paid for. 

“We are a non-profit organisation and we are all volunteers here, so it was amazing to have that extra help and support.

“We have opened the community hub to create a safe space for anybody that needs a quiet and relaxed environment.

“The hub is for the whole community, it’s a space for anybody to use as they feel they need.

“We have a donation-based cafe, which is pay as you feel, where we offer teas, coffees, cakes, fresh bread, fresh-pressed juice and daily smoothies.”

Lock Stock area manager Alan Brightmore said: “What Emma and Alice are doing is truly inspiring and it is great to see how the Loss Lounge is evolving to help all parts of the community. 

“As Lock Stock is a community-minded business, we are delighted to be able to help Alice and Emma in their journey.

“The hub gives the people of Newtown something different and offers a relaxing and welcoming space to anyone who needs it.

“It is a fantastic place for everyone to enjoy.” 

According to Alice, the hub was working on a variety of unusual events to bring all sections of the community together.

She said: “An event we have coming up on May 16 from 10.30am to noon is a breakfast rave. 

“That’s a Saturday morning, so it will start your day happy and make you feel good.

“We will have a DJ coming to play some music and we will be offering free healthy ginger shots and fresh-pressed juice for people to enjoy.

“We also have a ghost stories and paranormal evening with Rory Evans on May 4 from 7pm. 

“We have already held our first aromatherapy event and are looking to do more in the future, so we have plenty going on and thinking of lots of other ideas.”

Alice and Emma became friends after finding out they had both suffered the tragic loss of a child. Alice’s son Ronnie was born prematurely and died at 15 months old in November 2021. Emma’s son, Ewen, was born sleeping at 36 weeks, six days in March 2024.

They initially launched the Loss Lounge to help bereaved families, and say the opening of the hub has allowed them to broaden the support they give to everyone in the community.

Alice, mum to four-year-old Dougie and three-year-old Mina, said her husband Lewis and her mother-in-law Jane Jones would also be working at the hub as volunteers along with Emma’s son Oliver and other family friends. 

Emma, mum to 15-year-old Oliver, 14-year-old Harriet, 11-year-old Tabitha, and Elliot, nine, said the monthly meetings to support bereaved families will continue and the Loss Lounge was looking at other ways to offer help to the community.

She said: “We are keeping the name Loss Lounge because that is where we started from, but we are growing and evolving.

Emma added she has raised money for a cuddle cot in her son Ewen’s name, which allows parents to spend time with their child at home after they have passed away and the cuddle cot will be available for people in the community to use.

Emma said the community hub had received great support from many businesses.

She gave special thanks to DM Painting and Decorating, BCreations, Carl and Serena from All Toe-gether Podiatry, Carpet Rack in Shrewsbury, Layla from Snap and Social, Malimacs, Food Surplus and Morrisons community champion Jenny. 

Emma added: “The support from the community has been overwhelming.

“We are more than happy to have donations or hear from anybody who wants to help because we are self-funded at the moment.

“We are also open to anybody who wants to hire this space as long as it’s along our wellbeing ethos, or to families who want to have a gathering. 

She said the hub also has free family swimming vouchers available from Maldwyn Leisure Centre in Newtown and has teamed up with Morrisons to offer free food and toiletries to families who are struggling.

The hub is open Monday 9.30am to 2pm, Tuesday 9.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 7pm, Thursday 9.30am to 2pm, Friday 9.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 7pm, and Saturday 9.30am to 2pm.