insideKENT Magazine Issue 71 - February 2018 | Page 135

range of services provided by HOLG to ensure that we are reaching and supporting as many bereaved children as possible. Our first priority is to extend the parent/carer group sessions, so that they match the children’s sessions. This will give the opportunity for the parents to participate in more experiential work, enabling them to explore their own feelings around bereavement. We are also looking to build greater links with schools across the county, to provide advice and information on managing bereavement within the school setting, and to encourage appropriate and timely referrals to HOLG. ten bereavement support weekends planned for 2018, two will be held in Thanet, one in West Kent and the others in Sittingbourne. At least one of these weekends will be specifically targeted at children who have been bereaved through suicide or other traumatic death. HOLG is very grateful for the support of BBC Children In Need, National Express and Ward and Partners, amongst others, whose grants have enabled us to extend our services. come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some are professionals who work with children, and some are adults who attended one of our weekends as a child. We are always looking for volunteers to support our work, providing one-to-one support to a child on a weekend, helping with catering or driving duties or helping out with fundraising. Anyone wanting to join HOLG as a volunteer can email [email protected] for more information, or call us on 03445 611511. How can our readers who wish to help become volunteers? What does the future hold for HOLG? HOLG relies heavily on its volunteers to be able to continue to provide and develop our work. The volunteers who work alongside children and young people on our weekends We are planning a series of fundraising events to celebrate our 20th anniversary, which will be widely advertised and which we’re excited about. We are also planning to increase the Holding On Letting Go Wisdom Hospice High Bank Rochester Kent ME1 2NU 03445 611 511 [email protected] https://holdingonlettinggo.org.uk 135