A SMALL business owner overcame the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic to raise thousands for a good cause.

Jodie Tanner - who owns The Queen B Boutique, which specialises in occasion wear and has stores in Barry and Penarth - has raised £1,500 for City Hospice despite a global pandemic affecting businesses and charities.

With stores closed for a significant portion of 2020 and cancellations of weddings and other events Ms Tanner was forced to adapt her business. The Queen B started offering products online along with more casual wear to meet the needs of customers staying at home, and her team offered ‘live’ Facebook events which attracted hundreds of loyal customers.

She agreed to host a Fashion & Fizz event in aid of City Hospice, in Cardiff, in April 2020 and tickets sold-out, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic the event was postponed and has not yet been able to take place.

Still wanting to show her support, Ms Tanner decided that the sale of her VIP cards and carrier bags would go to City Hospice for the rest of 2020.

In early 2021, Jodie came across the recently relaunched Donate a Day campaign which encourages supporters to donate or raise £150 to pay for a dedicated day of nursing by a City Hospice clinical nurse specialist. Feeling this would be a good way to thank VIP card holders, by demonstrating the positive way their collective donations are making a difference, Jodie decided to donate the proceeds to the campaign.

Ms Tanner said: “I know from personal experience just how essential the care City Hospice provides is, especially at such a difficult time for patients and their families.

"I am thrilled to have been able to donate enough to fund several days of nursing care, and it’s really rewarding for both my team and our customers to see their donation being directly used to pay for a day of nursing.

"I am delighted to name a dedicated Donate a Day on April 12 to celebrate the long awaited re-opening of retail.”

The combined total of the VIP cards and carrier bags, along with an additional personal donation from Jodie, will fund 10 days of nursing care.

Chief Executive of City Hospice, Liz Andrews, said: “We can’t thank Jodie and The Queen B Boutique enough for their generous donation.

"After such a hard year for the retail industry, it’s incredible that they are still out there supporting charities like ours so that we can continue our important work.

“The 10 days that they donated allow us to provide life-changing care to our patients and important support to their families. The COVID-19 pandemic has put an increased strain on our services, with even more patients and families needing our support, and these 10 days will help our nurses to continue to provide their vital care.

"Donate a Day is a great opportunity for businesses to support our charity and see how their donations are used directly to provide essential nursing care.”

For more information on Donate A Day or to pay for a day of nursing care on a date of your choice, visit www.cityhospice.org.uk/get-involved/donate-a-day/