A HEREFORD charity has opened its new headquarters, meaning it can help more children with cancer than ever before.

The new site, named The Hannah Tarplee Building to honour the founders’ child, will shine a light on the charity’s work with its provision of wigs as well as its funding of cancer research.

Located in the heart of Hereford, in Berrington Street, LPT’s home houses a custom-built wig-fitting salon and a designated space that now allows the charity to physically knot the real hair wigs that make such a difference to their young recipients.

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The site also has a conference room where many of the scientists and researchers funded by The Little Princess Trust will present on their work focused on finding kinder and more effective treatments for childhood cancers.

Experts in the field of paediatric cancer say the presentations given by some of the world’s leading scientists and academics will firmly put Hereford on the research map.

The Little Princess Trust was set up in memory of Hannah Tarplee in 2006 and the new premises has been named in her honour.

Hannah, who was from Hereford, was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumour shortly after starting primary school and the loss of her hair proved especially traumatic.

Her parents struggled to find a wig suitable for her and felt the most fitting tribute to the five-year-old would be a charity dedicated to providing wigs to children who had lost their own hair due to cancer treatment.

The Little Princess Trust has since gone on to provide more than 11,000 wigs to young people and the charity’s new home, and the work taking place there, will act as a permanent legacy to Hannah.

Wendy Tarplee-Morris, Hannah’s mother and LPT Founder, said the charity was committed to remaining true to its Hereford origins and that is why the investment was made in a new home which would be open to the local community.

"When Hannah was poorly and losing her own hair we saw the impact it had on her," said Wendy.

"Unfortunately she passed away after just seven months of treatment.

"Her school and friends around us at the time wanted to do something to help so raised some money in her memory and asked what we wanted to do with it.

"So the money that was raised we thought what better way to do with it than to buy a wig for a child because at that time they were incredibly hard to find and came at a great cost."