Leading Scottish child bereavement charity celebrates 20th anniversary
dailyrecord.co.ukOne of Scotland's leading child bereavement charities is celebrating 20 years of providing support to young people experiencing grief.
Richmond's Hope was first established at Richmond Craigmillar Church in Edinburgh back in 2003. The charity was co-founded by local minister Liz Henderson and bereaved parent Jessie Douglas after they noticed a need for such a service in the community.Over the last two decades, it has provided over 5000 children and young people aged between 4-18 with a safe place to work through their grief in verbal and non-verbal ways.
Bereavement support workers use therapeutic play and specialised grief activities to empower children to explore their memories, express and understand their feelings and develop coping strategies to build resilience.The charity also provides health, social care and education professionals with training in child bereavement.With one in 29 children affected by the bereavement of a parent or sibling by the age of 16, the free service offered by Richmond’s Hope is much-needed, especially with the additional challenges now posed by the Covid pandemic.The charity currently has full-time bases in Edinburgh and Glasgow and satellite bases in East Lothian & Midlothian, with plans to open more satellite locations across Scotland.Reverend Liz Henderson OBE said: “Richmond’s Hope’s 20th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the impact of the work with the families who have come to Richmond’s Hope and to thank those who have been instrumental in its success and to raise the profile of the organisation moving forward."It also offers an opportunity for reflection and helps motivate staff, volunteers and other supporters.
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