Mum left overwhelmed as Northampton toy store manager replaces kids bikes that were destroyed by shed fire

A mum whose children’s bikes were destroyed in a shed fire has been left overwhelmed by neighbourly generosity and kindness.

Jodie Goodger’s shed in the garden of her home in St Crispin’s caught fire on Sunday (June 28) at around 8pm when her three children, including a newborn, were in bed.

Thankfully, nobody was hurt. The fire was external and only affected the shed, although smoke did make its way into the home.

The fire destroyed the family’s bikes, Jodie’s husband’s snowboarding kit and some toys that were in the shed, as well as the trampoline that was in the garden.

The 28-year-old said: “For the children it was a big blaze and I had to take them out of bed in the evening, so it was a horrible experience for them.

“My son has gone back to school, but he’s had to have a couple of days off because he was shaken.

“Our neighbours saw the fire and were helping us to get out and sort everything out.

“I was a wreck and my husband was moving the cars and they were just there looking after our children even though they’d never met them.

“The fire started from our bins so we were terrified, but nobody cared and they were all just lovely to us.

“Everything we lost is all replaceable, so it could have been a lot worse.”

Jodie’s two oldest children who are eight and six, both had bikes that were destroyed in the fire that they have been using more than ever during lockdown.

One of the family’s neighbours is friends with the manager of Smyths Toys in St James and mentioned what had happened to the children’s bikes.

Jodie, who is currently on maternity leave after having her third child, then received a message from the manager just two days after the fire, who sent over a number of bikes that her children could choose from.

She added: “I was so shocked and I thought it was too sweet of an offer. I even cried.

“He even said the children could pick which bike they wanted and that price didn’t matter.

“I did tell him that we would get it covered on the insurance, but he refused to take any money for them.

“We would have had to wait for the insurance and that will take a while so for them to have a bike now is really lovely.

“It has moved them away from thinking about the blaze and towards thinking about going out on their bikes. It’s really helped them by giving them something positive.

“I was really overwhelmed by it all and it’s really put my faith back in people, not that I ever really had any reason not to have faith.”

Eddi Howe, Smyths Toys Northampton manager, added: "When I heard what the family had been through I wanted to help turn what must have been a scary experience for the children in to a positive one and if Smyths Toys can’t put a smile on their faces I don’t know who can.

"It was my pleasure to help this local family.”

The family has now picked up the new bikes from Smyths Toys in Nene Valley Retail Park so the children can enjoy bike riding once again.

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