Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has received a generous grant of £3,000 from the W Wing Yip and Brothers Foundation to help bereaved children keep memories of their loved ones alive.
Thanks to the generosity of the W Wing Yip and Brothers Foundation, the Children’s Team can now purchase vital bereavement resources for children and young people. These include recordable teddy bears, that play a message when cuddled, allowing a child to hear their loved one’s voice again. The team also make hand casts so that a child can hold hands with their loved one after they have died.
Sally Roberts, Children’s Worker at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said:
“The reason we use these memory-making tools is because we recognise that the person a child or young person has lost doesn’t just go away, they have to learn to connect with them in a new way. They understand they’re no longer here, but need to find a new way of keeping them in their life. Grief is challenging for anyone, but a child has so much more to process. That’s why these resources are so vital”.
Helen Rawnsley, Partnerships Manager at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said:
“We are so grateful to the Trustees of W Wing Yip and Brothers Foundation for their generosity in funding these vital bereavement resources. For the children and young people we support, these resources will bring glimmers of joy during what is such a difficult time. All of our services are free of charge to everyone who uses them – including patients, their loved ones and carers – which is why we really do rely on generous donations from Birmingham’s business community to keep our crucial services running.”
Mr Kenny Yap, Chair of W Wing Yip and Brothers Foundation, said:
“It is with great humility and admiration that the Trustees and I have awarded this grant to Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice. Losing a family member is a devastating life event, especially for children and young people. Our hope is that this award will allow the Children’s Team to expand their efforts and ease some of the pain of grieving by cherishing the memory of a loved one for when someone most needs it.”
Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice offers free confidential, emotional support to children and young people aged 3-18 when a loved one is living with a life-limiting illness or they have sadly died. This includes one-to-one support as well as group sessions. The team work with families before bereavement, and for as long as they need afterwards and are currently working with 70 children and young people across Birmingham and Sandwell. The service is invaluable as it supports vulnerable children and young people at a time when they need it most.
You can find out more about the service here: https://www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/explore-our-services/childrens-service/
