WINSTON’S Wish, the leading childhood bereavement charity in the UK, is thrilled to receive £364,560 from the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘Reaching Communities’ programme.

This funding represents a significant contribution towards fully embedding the charity’s bereavement services into the North West over the next three years.

The funding allocation follows a comprehensive application process in which the need for services in this locality was clearly evidenced, and the difference that the charity’s services will make to bereaved families in the locality was demonstrated.

Collaboration with a number of relevant local organisations who enthusiastically endorsed the charity’s plans was a key factor in the application.

This injection of funding, based over three years, will cover a considerable proportion of the charity’s costs involved in continuing to provide therapeutic bereavement support for children, young people and their families in the North West region.

It will help to fund two Senior Practitioners, working locally, and contribute towards the general running costs involved in providing high quality therapeutic bereavement support in the region estimated at circa £512,000 for the three year period.

The remainder of the funding will be secured through community fundraising, partnerships, trusts and voluntary donations.

Fiona Talwar-Lomberg, Chief Executive of Winston’s Wish, commented on the news: “We are extremely pleased and grateful to receive this grant from the Big Lottery Fund. This financial commitment from such a renowned and influential funder recognises our evidence based approach and supports the need for a specialist support service in this area. The grant will make a huge and positive difference, enabling our North West team to deliver therapeutic support to bereaved children and families when they need it most.”

Winston’s Wish has already changed the lives of so many children, young people and their families since we began delivering services over 20 years ago. We are looking forward to being at the heart of the North West community, helping to ensure that children get the support they need when they need it most”.

Winston’s Wish has set up bereavement services through Drop-ins, accessible to parents and carers, young people and professionals, which will continue to develop and grow as a result of this vital funding.

For more information on the Big Lottery Fund’s programme which Winston’s Wish was successful with please visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk