Little Treasures Charity lost everything in Bishop Auckland fire

Little Treasures Autism Charity's storage units were destroyed in a blaze at R M H Vehicle Services garage in Tindale Retail Park on February 19.

The charity had rented two units at Bishop Self Storage where it kept sensory equipment, toys, Lego, tombola prizes and event supplies used at its groups across County Durham.

Little Treasures works with thousands of families across County Durham with autism (Image: LITTLE TREASURES)

All of the items were destroyed in the fire, leaving the organisation without the equipment it needs to run sessions for families with autistic children.

Clair Black, 43, from Peterlee, who volunteers with the charity, said the loss had left the team devastated.

Clair, who has two sons including one with autism, helps run the volunteer-led organisation which supports families in Darlington, Ferryhill, Peterlee, Ushaw Moor and Framwellgate Moor.

Little Treasures runs in-person groups for more than 2,500 families and children and also supports about 4,500 families online.

Ms Black said volunteers discovered the extent of the loss after seeing coverage of the fire online.

Little Treasures, an autism charity that works across County Durham helping thousands of families lost everything in the Bishop Auckland garage and self-storage unit fire (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

She said: "It is devastating, we literally have nothing left in there and in most cases this equipment we lost has come out of our own pockets. On the day of the fire, I saw some posts online, but I was in the hospital with one of my other sons, so I didn't pay much attention.

"It wasn't until the next day when I rang and rang and rang that no one picked up and I had seen from footage and coverage online that it was the storage units that had been destroyed. I then went away and left it for a bit and on the Tuesday (March 3) I was able to get through to someone and leave my details, but we have had no information yet as to how much damage and what happened."

The charity has now launched a GoFundMe appeal to try to replace the items lost in the fire, particularly sensory equipment used during sessions with children.

She also said the loss has affected plans to expand support for families across the county.

The scenes of the fire which has destroyed two of the charities storage lock ups (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

She said: "We have now had no choice but to set up a GoFundMe to try and recover some of the things, especially the sensory equipment and hopefully so we can still run our tenth anniversary in August. We hope that can help us fundraise lots of money at that event too.

"Now unfortunately, apart from the areas we already cover, we just do not have any spare equipment to set up anymore.

"We were hoping to open three new hubs this year to help even more families but that will just not be possible now because of this fire. We are really limited in what we can provide now and can say we will have no new groups in 2026 and potentially not until mid 2027 which has set us back 18 months.

"Most of us work full-time and try to commit 24 hours a week to this charity and helping people and it is just really gutting how big this knock-on effect is going to be on the community.

"It has had and will continue to have a really big impact on the autism community in County Durham as more families continue to need help, and we just cannot help them.

"We just cannot believe it. I was angry and upset but really just gutted."

More than 50 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze after the alarm was raised at 10.42am.

Ten fire engines attended at the height of the incident and crews used an aerial ladder to tackle flames that sent thick black smoke high into the sky.

The fire in Bishop Auckland that has destroyed the self storage units inside the same building (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

The roof of the building appears to have collapsed and significant damage was caused.

The fire service previously confirmed the blaze was not believed to be suspicious and no injuries were reported.

A spokesperson for Little Treasures said the charity was now asking for support from the community to help it rebuild.

They said: "Little Treasures Autism Charity is a volunteer-run organisation supporting more than 4,000 families across the North East. We are committed to full financial transparency, and every penny donated is reinvested directly into the charity to benefit the children and families who rely on our services.

"Little Treasures is more than a charity; it is a safe haven. It is a place where parents feel understood, where they can speak openly with others who truly get it, and where children can take part in inclusive social activities designed especially for them. These sessions help families feel less isolated and provide a sense of belonging outside the pressures of everyday expectations."

They added: "Our volunteers are devastated, and the families we support are heartbroken. So many memories were tied to the items we lost items that helped create the safe, welcoming environment our children depend on to feel happy, secure, and included.

"If you are able to help in any way by sharing our appeal, donating toys or sensory equipment, or supporting us in the future, your kindness would mean more than words can express. We are deeply grateful to everyone who stands beside us.

"Your support reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there is always a rainbow after the storm when a strong community stands together."