Penarth's very own Queen B has fundraised £1,500 to pay for 10 days of nursing care in City Hospice's Donate a Day campaign.

Jodie Tanner is the owner of The Queen B Boutique, a clothing retailer specialising in high-end mother of the bride and occasion wear, with stores in Penarth and Barry.

Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, including store closures for the majority of 2020 and cancellations of weddings and other events, Jodie adapted and diversified 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.

Jodie had kindly agreed to host a Fashion & Fizz event in aid of City Hospice in April 2020, which was very well received and sold out quickly. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic the event had to be postponed and has not yet been able to take place.

Still wanting to show her support, Jodie 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.

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.

Jodie Tanner, Owner of The Queen B Boutique, 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 12th April to celebrate the long awaited re-opening of retail."

Liz Andrews, Chief Executive of City Hospice, 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/