Penhaligon’s Friends
Registered Charity Number: 1189323
About the charity
Penhaligon’s Friends is a Cornish charity, supporting bereaved children, young people and their families in Cornwall, through a variety of services and groups.
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How the £50,000 grant will help
The initial £10,000 grant from Ecclesiastical will allow us to offer community-based groups and activities in Cornwall for bereaved young people aged 11 to 18, allowing them to connect. This will be an extension of our current 5-week grief programme where young people take part in therapeutic activities in a small group to help them make sense of their loss.
Through local community groups, we will provide ongoing support for those who have completed initial grief support, allowing them to stay connected with each other and meet others with a shared experience. In addition, we will offer regular social activity days, which may offer opportunities that many of our young people would not otherwise have access to.
Continuing support is important as young people navigate their grief journey and develop coping strategies to support their overall well-being and learning. This community support will reduce the sense of isolation and loneliness, which has also been compounded by the pandemic. Activities will also aim to promote a sense of fun and give permission to find enjoyment in things again.
The additional £40,000 funding will enable us to strengthen our staff team to expand this community support. We will be able to develop up to four monthly peer groups, in different localities, to enable young people better access to support throughout the county and also offer a choice. The groups will be facilitated by both staff and trained volunteers and offer relevant therapeutic activities.
Over a 3-year period, we anticipate we can support over 150 bereaved young people, improving their emotional wellbeing and their skills to cope with further life challenges.
Quotation
“Receiving this additional £40,000 will allow us to really invest in providing longer term, appropriate, and meaningful support for bereaved young people throughout Cornwall. As a small charity, this will allow us to make a big difference!”
Julie Parker, CEO, Penhaligon’s Friends
