A NEO-NATAL group set up in memory of a four-day old girl is desperately seeking more storage space to carry on its good work.

Lillie's Grace is so urgently in need of a new roof, that bereaved mum Nicky Hodges-Rhodes has had to buy a summer house for her back garden to store all the donated goods given by wellwishers.

It used to have free use of city centre space in Arndale House and then got use of a pop-up shop in Market Street, where it can stay until Saturday. After that, it will be homeless with nowhere to put its piles of donations.

The organisation is named named after Lillie Hodges-Rhodes, who died in November 2013 after her mother's placenta failed and her brain was starved of oxygen.

Money from fundraising is used to buy wool to get people knitting bonnets for special care babies at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) and to make up toiletry packs for parents who suddenly find themselves in hospital as a result of an emergency with their new babies.

Mrs Hodges-Rhodes and her husband, Matthew, were also the first at the BRI to agree to donate Lillie's heart valves to help save the lives of other sick babies.

They couple, who hope to register Lillie's Grace as a charity this year, have been urging others to do the same.

"When we were told Lillie would not survive we felt that her death was not going to be for nothing. We wanted to help others," Mrs Hodges-Rhodes, 35, said.

"Lille's Grace is growing from strength-to-strength, but we need a proper storage space. We've had to buy a garden house for now, but it's not ideal.

"Really we need a secure building somewhere in Bradford centre or local to us. We're not looking for another shop right now but it's storage we need. We've been overwhelmed by people's help so far - and we have been able to extend our help to Airedale Hospital for the first time too which is wonderful."

Lillie's parents, of Greengates, are still waiting to hear if her frozen heart valves, which could potentially save two young lives, have been needed anywhere in the country.

Mechanical valves can be used to help children with serious heart problems, but they need support from medication which brings its own complications. Natural heart valves are healthier although they do not grow with a child and would need replacing.

Anyone able to help find more storage space for Lillie's Grace should call Mrs Hodges-Rhodes on 07886 750294.

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