Bereavement charity celebrates 20 years

Church-founded child bereavement charity Richmond’s Hope celebrated its 20th anniversary at the end of May.

100 guests were given a tour of Richmond’s Hope by the team at Richmond Craigmillar Church, Edinburgh, and met families who have been supported by the service who shared their personal experiences.

Guests included the charity’s Patron, Eleanor, Duchess of Argyll and the Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge.

The event was an opportunity to show the impact of the work with the families who’ve come to Richmond’s Hope, thank those who have been instrumental in its success and raise the profile of the charity’s work. There was a performance from musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and guests created a special patchwork artwork which will be displayed in Richmond’s Hope’s Edinburgh office.

The Rev Liz Henderson, chair and cofounder of Richmond’s Hope, said: “In the last 20 years we’ve expanded into the West of Scotland and we are about to start work in Fife. Richmond’s Hope has supported over 5,000 children, young people and their families since 2003 and that’s where the real learning has been. The children and families who come to Richmond’s Hope are the ones who have taught us all about grief and we are always learning from them.”

The charity provides children and young people aged between 4-18 with a safe place to work out their grief through verbal and non-verbal ways. The charity’s bereavement support workers use therapeutic play and specialised grief activities to empower children and young people to tell the story of their grief and changes to their lives. These activities allow children to explore their memories, express and understand their feelings and develop coping strategies to build resilience.

Richmond’s Hope currently has fulltime bases in Edinburgh and Glasgow and satellite bases in East Lothian and Midlothian, and will be opening a service in Methil, Fife this Summer.

Find out more about Richmond’s Hope at www.richmondshope.org.uk