On Friday 18 March, Tŷ Hafan and Tŷ Gobaith welcomed the news that our hospices have been successful in our respective applications to the Welsh Government’s Bereavement Grant.

Of the £3million made available by the Government, Tŷ Hafan will receive £113,250 and Tŷ Gobaith £143,392 – which will allow our hospices to expand our bereavement services and ensure no family we work with experiences the death of their child without the support, advice and care that they need.

Our hospices support families in dealing with the grief that they experience after the death of their child. We do this in a way that is most suitable for each family member, either individually or in a group setting. We understand that families may not feel like sharing thoughts and feelings, even with their own family and friends, but our hospices are here to listen and help families make sense of their emotions.

Tŷ Gobaith is able to support any family living in Mid and North Wales who has been affected by the death of a baby, child or young person up to the age of 25 years when they died in any circumstances, whether known to the hospice previously or not. Tŷ Hafan provides bereavement services, counselling, advocacy and advice for families across South and West Wales and this support is offered for as long as families need it. We understand that grief is different for each individual and there is no right or wrong way to grieve.

Speaking of the announcement, Chief Executive of Tŷ Hafan Maria Timon Samra said: “Thank you to Deputy Minister Lynne Neagle for this funding which will ensure those families that are facing the unimaginable do not go through that experience alone.

“We are immensely proud of our bereavement and counselling services, which we know make a big difference to the families we support. Such services are an invaluable part of Tŷ Hafan’s holistic offer and this funding will allow us to develop them further, to the benefit of those who need them the most.”

Chief Executive of Tŷ Gobaith, Andy Goldsmith added: “We are grateful to the Welsh Government for listening to the views of the sector and putting this package in place. We look forward to working with them, and other providers of bereavement support, to ensure a joint approach is taken so that care, support and advice is readily available and free at the point of service.

“Nobody should experience the loss of their child without adequate support and this funding will ensure that is available, wherever they are across Wales.”

This announcement follows the news in January that Tŷ Hafan and Tŷ Gobaith are set to receive an uplift in funding from the Welsh Government from April 2022 onwards.

These additional funding packages will provide greater financial confidence to the hospice, and allow us to expand our services, plan for the future and ensure no child or family goes without the care and support they need.