The Prince of Wales has issued a statement in supporting the merger of two leading child bereavement organisations in the UK – Child Bereavement UK and Winston’s Wish. Prince William, who has served as Patron of Child Bereavement UK since 2009, will continue in this role following the unification of the two organisations under the retained name Child Bereavement UK.
The merger aims to strengthen bereavement services across the UK by combining the expertise and resources of both charities. A key focus of the newly unified organisation will be expanding training for professionals – such as teachers, healthcare workers, and emergency services – to better equip them in providing compassionate, effective support to grieving children and families.
In a message, The Prince of Wales opens up by stating that ‘grief is the very worst pain any child or parent will ever endure’. He adds how whilst these losses cannot be prevented, there should be the best type of expert support and care given, ‘to help rebuild the lives of those affected’.
He continued: ‘In my sixteen years as patron of Child Bereavement UK I have seen the life changing impact of their work and how the support, care and compassion provided protects the long-term health and wellbeing of those living with loss.’
‘I have also seen the growing need for support of this kind, and it is because of this increasing demand that I am delighted that Child Bereavement UK and Winston’s Wish are joining forces to expand their impact’.
William concludes his statement by commending both the charities for taking this bold step in reaching ‘more people and help to reduce the long-term challenges that unresolved grief can cause’.
The Prince’s advocacy for bereavement support is deeply personal. He experienced profound loss himself following the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997, when he was just 15 years old. His commitment to supporting grieving families has remained steadfast, with regular visits to Child Bereavement UK’s centres and services over the years. The Prince succeeded his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, as the organisation’s Patron.
Child Bereavement UK was founded by Julia Samuel, a close friend of Princess Diana and a pioneering psychotherapist in the field of child loss. The charity has played a pivotal role in supporting families and training professionals to respond to grief with empathy and effectiveness.
