funding to support parents and carers

Rochester-based child bereavement charity Holding On Letting Go (HOLG) has secured just over £19,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund to support its parents and carers services for the next year. Around 110 people will be supported, plus the Parent/Carer Facilitator salary will also be funded.

The charity’s focus is on helping children across Kent and South East London through bereavement but includes supporting parents and carers to help support a bereaved child, alongside managing their own grief.

Vitally, the parent and carer group support also brings the grown-ups together, who then go on to create peer support for each other.

HOLG relies entirely on donations from businesses and individuals, and receives no Government funding for its services, which include telephone/video support, home visits, and bereavement support weekends for children aged up to 18. Parent/carers groups are also run at the support weekends, as well as monthly bereavement cafés and one-toone support if needed.

HOLG CEO Julie Tobin said: “The funding from The National Lottery Community Fund is a truly significant sum of money. Knowing that our parent/carer services are covered for the next year, including our staff member who makes it all happen, gives us the security to focus on what matters most –helping children and their families through some of the most difficult times of their lives.

“We are very grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and all National Lottery players for this incredible support.”

The £19,242 funding has come from the National Lottery Community Fund. holg.org.uk