Do you know anyone who has ever lost a child? This terribly difficult loss is further compounded by the financial hardship that it can cause the family. In England, there is a charity called "You Raise Me Up" which helps pay the final expenses of young people aged 16-25. They also provide a 24 hour phone line for the families who may need to just talk. You may go to their website and read about the charity and you may find the website just here. There, that should get you to it!
They also have a Facebook page, if any of you are on FB (as many like to call it now!)
Sad to say, I know of this charity because of the death of a young man who was a neighbor of Richard's parents. I remember him from not that many years back as a boy with his brother, kicking a football over the fence and coming into the back garden of my in- laws' to retrieve the ball. The older brother died in October of 2011. ( I well remember the perfect manners of the boys, politely asking permission to get their ball. Joan and Peter didn't mind one bit seeing them! Knowing them and their love for children, I could see how tickled they were to have that youthful energy around.) I will always remember this.
If you are ever on the southeast coast of England, "You Raise Me Up" has a coffee shop in Polegate (which is not far from Eastbourne) and I hear that they have very good cheese scones!
(You do NOT want to get me started on how much I love cheese scones! You know how Winnie the Pooh likes honey? Okay, you get the idea?) Lots of other sweet goodies are there too, along with "jacket potatoes" which is what we in America call "baked" potatoes!
At the coffee shop, they have a beautifully drawn tree with butterflies. Each butterfly is in remembrance of a young person who has passed away. Sadly, I read that another name was added to a butterfly just recently.
Please let me know if you are able to read and learn more about this charity. If you are able to donate, that would be wonderful. Your thoughts and prayers for these families would also be much appreciated. Thank you.
It is so hard to lose a child. To have to find the money to bury them makes it all the worse. This is a wonderful charity.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very worthwhile charity and one that I know is a good one and does just what it says, supports families of young adults who have died.
DeleteThe charity and their work sounds very good and commendable, but I am a bit puzzled about their approach to see 16 to 25-year-olds as children. What if a family loses a child under 16?
ReplyDeleteThere are two brothers in my circle of friends in blogland who have lost a child each, at a very young age. This was decades ago but something as sad and terrible as that stays with a family forever, I think.
My mother-in-law, Mary, has lost two of her four children... my husband and his older brother. They weren't children when they died, but Mary certainly never expected them to die before her... :-(
It is perhaps the way that I have used my own words that is confusing. If you read their website, I believe that they call it a charity for young adults. (I am an old lady now and those 16 to 25 seems like kids to me!) I think many leave home at 16 to start a family or career and it is those young people that the couple sought to help by starting this charity. I think I read that there were already quite a few charities for young children who had died, but nothing was there to help those from 16 to 25. (Many of them would only be just starting out in life, not expecting to die and not even thinking of money for such a thing.)
DeleteI should think that losing a child at any age would be the worst thing that someone could live through. My own Dad lost a son many years ago, and because I am so close to him, I know it was the worst for him of anything in his life.
My cousin died aged just 15. Thankfully we didn't need to draw on charity to lay her to rest but it is wonderful to know there is support for families who need it. Sad to say but it is people of all ages in need though - my parents recently attended the funeral of a former neighbour who had to be buried in a paupers grave. We didn't even know such things still existed.
ReplyDeleteWhat is more, the family that I told you about, the ones who live next to my in-laws, they were contacted by this charity, they didn't even know about them, and You Raise Me Up offered help to them. It is continuing support after the death that is amazing to me, the grief is something they can talk about to someone who has experienced it.
DeleteAnd I wonder if someone could start a charity like this for older people? That's a good idea, I think.
It's really nice that there is a charity for that kind of thing. I dont know someone who has lost a young child persoanlly, which is a miracle given where I grew up, but I'm glad this charity exists to help those who have.
ReplyDeleteYou might be surprised to learn that someone you know has lost a child, they might just not have talked much about it.
DeleteA loss of a child at any age is a terrible thing. Nice this organization is there for those needing help.
ReplyDeleteThe couple who started this charity did so after the loss of their daughter. If you read the website, you can read all the stories of the young people represented on the butterflies. Sad that they died so young but a good charity for support for the families.
DeleteThis sounds like a wonderful organisation doing amazing work.
ReplyDeleteWonderful doing amazing, yes that is just right!
DeleteYes, i lost a child, over 20 years ago. It's beautiful that these people are willing to help at such a time.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for the loss of your child. This charity was started by a couple over the loss of their child and at any age, it would be a very hard thing to go through.
DeleteYes, I do...and I have no idea how parents cope with the loss of a child. The sorrow they feel is beyond my imagination...and I have a very good imagination and I have a truckload of empathy...but losing a child must be, to put it so very mildly....horrendous.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful charity that is. I can't not hear the title without thinking of the wonderful Josh Groban...and his singing of the song "You Raise Me Up". I a huge fan of Groban.
May all those who have lost a child...find some comfort...somehow...somewhere....
Oh dear, Lee, where are you when I am finding the right words to write my post? At the beginning of my post, I had written more about the loss of a child, but it sounded...not quite right but what I WANTED to say, you have said here and I am thankful to you for your comment.
DeleteYes, I am sure that they also thought of the song when they named their charity, it is a good one. x
Most of us figure we will proceed our children in death. While teaching I saw the effect a childs death had on the families.
ReplyDeleteJust recently, they had a special day at Panola Mountain State Park for siblings who had lost siblings. (Does that wording make sense?) How the loss of a child affects a family is not something that most people consider.
DeleteI went to a funeral today for a young adult. She was a heroin addict. She's the second death in a week due to heroin in our small community. So sad for her family and friends. My sister lost her youngest son when he was 18 due to a car accident. I can't begin to describe her pain and sadness and also her strength to go on with her life. This sounds like a wonderful charity. Lifting any burden from a family at such a stressful time is a lifesaver. The song was beautiful...one of my favorites.
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DeleteThank you Kaye, see you soon when you next visit Eastbourne. Lots of love Yvonne
DeleteThank you Kaye, see you soon when you next visit Eastbourne. Lots of love Yvonne
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DeleteGoodness me!! I meant to say that our loved ones would WANT us to be happy, that we should NOT be sad in my reply to yaya above! WHAT am I like? Wish I could fix my replies after I type them! Wait, I typed it at 2:58 AM when I got up cause I had a headache, so I will give myself a break! :-)
DeleteThank YOU, Yvonne! I hope this post is okay with you, I wanted to direct people to your website, that was the main thing I wanted to do!
DeleteHope to see you soon and can't wait for your great baked goodies! Always much appreciated! xx
Hi Kay!
ReplyDeleteFirstly, thank you for dropping by my doggy world and lovong all the yarn ~ a bathtubfull awaits your luxurious hands! Teasing!
What an amazing organization for families that experience such a loss. I suspect there isn't anything like this in our area here in Nova Scotia but I am willing to seek out info.
Scones ~ did you mention scones ~~~ SMILES!
Thanks again for your kindness you have offered this world.
Ron
HA HA on the bathtub of yarn, if so, you much be a MILLIONAIRE!
DeleteThis IS a great charity, when the ROYALS get on board with it, I bet you will hear more about it, but until then, you can say you saw it here first!
Scones, oh I love them so.
OH, and your last sentence, that is so sweet. Thank you, dear Ron!