Warwickshire parents dealing with the loss of a child will get specialist help thanks to Freddie's Wish

Warwickshire parents who have felt the pain and anguish of losing a child will have specialist support going forward thanks to the efforts of a local charity.

Freddie’s Wish, which was founded by Charlotte Jolliffe after she lost her son in a tragic car accident in 2014, is funding the area’s only specialist parental bereavement practitioner.

The organisation has developed a partnership with Child Bereavement UK (CBUK) to provide a specialist for two days per month, giving parents and families the opportunity to get advice and support at a time when they need it most.

Boughton Leigh Children’s Centre and Long Lawford Children’s Centre have both donated rooms to host the service, which will be held on the first Thursday and third Tuesday of each month.

“When I lost Freddie, I desperately sought help from other people that knew what this intense emotional and physical pain felt like, but there was no specialist support locally,” explained Charlotte, who has won numerous awards for her fundraising efforts.

“You really don’t want to be searching for help at this time, so we have managed to raise nearly £7,000 to fund a specialist parental bereavement practitioner that is employed by CBUK.

“Any adult and family member living in Warwickshire can use the drop-in-service and, unlike some counselling services, you will not be refused access to return to the bereavement support after initial sessions. We understand that grief isn’t linear and, at certain times, it can feel unmanageable again - like at anniversaries for example.