Nelson’s Journey are a charity who support children and young people in Norfolk who’ve experienced the death of a special person. Through 1:1 peer support sessions and residential weekends, they help bereaved young people to understand and cope with their feelings.
Last year we awarded a grant of £4,823 from our Community Cares Fund to fund a Child Bereavement Support Worker to deliver 1:1 support for bereaved young people and their families. Simon Wright, CEO of Nelson’s Journey, tells us more about the impact our donation has made:
‘At Nelson’s Journey our vision is that every bereaved child in Norfolk will look forward to a positive future, empowered to reach their full potential. The funding from the East of England Co-op is vital to helping us achieve this.
We have used this donation to provide specialist child bereavement support to around 50 bereaved children, young people and their families, many of whom will have had a very challenging time over the past year and will need long-term support to help them deal with the consequences of a loved one passing away during the pandemic. Over the past year, we’ve seen more and more children and families needing our help; many are struggling with feelings of isolation and poor mental health.
With the help provided by members through the Community Cares Fund, we’ve been able to support those most affected by losing a loved one. By enabling young people to express their feelings and talk about their experiences in a safe space, they come to understand that they’re not alone. We’re seeing family relationships improving, new friendships forming and children returning to their daily lives with confidence and hope. The difference this has made is incredible.’
The support of our members and customers has made this powerful, life-changing work possible. Thanks to you, bereaved young people in Norfolk are able to smile again.
Find out more about all our Community Cares Fund grant winners here, or discover how we can make your community project happen.