Member Article

Building support for bereaved families

A North East developer and a mortgage advisory service are helping to build funds and raise awareness for a local hospice, which supports bereaved children and their families.

Willow Burn Hospice, based in Lanchester, County Durham, provides a wide range of professional and specialised treatments, services and care to relieve physical and emotional symptoms for those at the end of life. Patients, their relatives and friends benefit from holistic, individualised care, ranging from day care, respite, inpatient services and bereavement counselling.

The funding of over £1,300 from Consett based Amethyst Homes and ‘Mortgage Advice Bureau- New Homes’ also in Consett, will enable Willow Burn to fund its Children’s Bereavement service for a month. Willow Burn Bereavement Service offers one-to-one counselling to support children and young people up to the age of 18 who are experiencing grief, loss and bereavement.

David Barker, Director, at Willow Burn Hospice, said: “We are thrilled that Amethyst Homes and the Mortgage Advice Bureau have chosen to donate to the hospice. Bereavement is often difficult for people to talk about or understand, as grief affects every individual differently. Our children’s bereavement counselling plays such a huge part in helping young people to make sense of and communicate their feelings in a safe space.”

The funds were raised by the Mortgage Advice Bureau donating £20 for each mortgage arranged for buyers at Amethyst Homes developments during 2021, with Amethyst matching the money raised.

One in every 29 children in the UK under the age of 16 – that is one child in every classroom – experiences the death of a parent or sibling.*

Paula Spoor, Sales Manager from Amethyst Homes said: “We were staggered by the number of children and young people affected by the death of a family member and we wanted to play a small part in helping Willow Burn Hospice extend its invaluable support to those in need. We also hope that by raising awareness of this local charity, we can encourage more conversations around bereavement and grief and signpost people to the help that is on offer.”

Dave Walton, Managing Director at Mortgage Advice Bureau added: “Charity begins at home and Willow Burn Hospice is central to the local community. We are pleased to be able to play a small part in helping the hospice support some of those most in need.”

Established in 2013 Amethyst Homes is currently operating across four live sites at Consett, Stillington and South East Northumberland and has delivered over 350 properties in the North East. It specialises in a wide range of housing from starter homes to family properties and affordable bungalows.

*Picture caption: Front left to right: Dave Walton from ‘Mortgage Advice Bureau- New Homes’ and Richard Bass Development Director with Amethyst Homes. Back – left to right Paula Spoor, Sales Manager with Amethyst Homes and Director at Willow Burn Hospice, David Barker, MBE.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Dobbie .