Bereaved children supported by housing firm

Children’s Bereavement Centre, based in Newark, have been handed a donation of £875 from housing developer Miller Homes, which will aid the centre’s free of charge services, including one to one sessions between its professional staff and children who need their support.

The donation follows an application made by the centre to Miller Homes East Midlands, who are based in Derby and build new homes across the East Midlands, as part of the housebuilder’s Community Fund initiative.

Charities and community groups can apply to the housing firm for funding, which is awarded twice annually, as part of the developer’s commitment to the areas in which it builds new homes.

Children’s Bereavement Centre provides professional support services for children and young people aged between three and 18, who are dealing with the death of a parent, family member or close friend, or anyone who has been given a terminal illness prognosis of less than one year.

Kate Baxter, chief executive of Children’s Bereavement Centre, said: “A massive thank you to Miller Homes for their recent grant of £875. They are enabling us to support more bereaved children in Mansfield.

“We are the only free bereavement service for families in this area. Without us they would have nowhere to turn at one of the hardest times of their lives. £875 can provide 35 specialist 1:1 sessions for children with a qualified Bereavement Counsellor.

“The children can talk about their feelings in a safe space and learn coping strategies to build their resilience and feel more hopeful for the future. Thank you again to Miller Homes for their support.”

Miller Homes is set to build 281 new homes at the Middlebeck development, near to the centre’s base in Newark.

The developer is building a collection of two, three and four-bedroom homes, the first of which are due to be available for purchase when the development opens later this year. The development – known as Miller Homes at Middlebeck – is contributing a significant number of homes as part of the wider scheme on the southern edge of Newark.

Alastair Parsons, area sales director for Miller Homes East Midlands, said: “The level of support shown to children and young people by the professionals at Children’s Bereavement Centre is incredibly well managed, in life’s most difficult moments, dealing with the loss of someone close to them.

“To be able to continue providing the utmost level of care and support to those who need it most, free of charge, the centre relies on fundraising and donations from businesses such as our own, and we were only too pleased to help them when they applied to our Community Fund.

“The £875 provided by Miller Homes will translate to a significant number of one-on-one sessions for the centre and we’re so pleased to be able to support Children’s Bereavement Centre in their work.”

To learn more about the services offered by Children’s Bereavement Centre, visit https://www.childrensbereavementcentre.co.uk/.