The death of a loved one can be devastating for anyone but for children in particular it can be especially difficult to deal with. The love we have for our loved ones never goes away and so neither does our grief. For children this can be a difficult and isolating process that impacts on all areas of their development, but with the right support children can begin to grow and adapt around their loss and learn to live alongside their grief so that they can thrive again.

Holding Hearts believe that all bereaved children should have the opportunity to access creative, age appropriate emotional support (if they want it). During Play and Creative Arts therapy children have the opportunity to communicate and explore their feelings, express themselves creatively and make sense of their loss, which helps to alleviate the associated emotional distress.

These much needed funds will help to ensure that one to one Play and Creative Arts therapy is accessible to more families in need in Northumberland and North Tyneside who otherwise couldn't afford it.