In a heartwarming gesture of support, Swindon Borough Council staff have rallied together to donate over a hundred teddy bears to provide solace to children who have experienced the loss of a close relative.
These comforting companions will be distributed by the Council’s Bereavement Services team at Kingsdown Crematorium, where children attending funerals will receive them as tokens of comfort to take home.
Each teddy bear will come with a special ‘adoption certificate,’ bearing a message of reassurance: “When you are feeling sad and you feel like you are on your own, squeeze me tight, as I’m here, you are not alone.”
Additionally, the teddies will be adorned with ribbons representing Wiltshire Treehouse, a local charity dedicated to supporting childhood bereavement.
This initiative stems from the Council’s involvement in Wiltshire Treehouse’s ‘Week to Remember’ campaign during National Children’s Grief Awareness Week last November. Inspired by the positive impact of the campaign’s ambassador bear, Angel, Bereavement Services officer Zoe Fennell spearheaded the project to extend comfort to grieving children attending funerals.
Zoe Fennell expressed her hopes for the initiative, stating, “The aim is to provide a bear for a child that is finding coming into the chapel emotionally overwhelming, in the hope this will give them something to focus their thoughts on and help them to sit through the service while cuddling their gift.
“The bear may also provide a great deal of comfort in the time that follows, when they think of their loved one, or feel sad when they are missing them.”
Councillor Chris Watts, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, lauded the efforts of Zoe and the Bereavement Services team saying “What Zoe and the team are doing in the team is amazing. I’m so proud to have such caring staff working at the Council and I can’t thank them and those who donated the teddies enough.
“Losing a loved one can be tough at any age, but to be a child who loses a parent or close family member can be extremely difficult. While it may not be much, I hope the bears can bring some comfort to them at a difficult time in their lives.”
Sarah Bear, Business Director at Wiltshire Treehouse, expressed gratitude for the response to the initiative, “It’s absolutely wonderful to see the response to the bears at the Crematorium, and that Angel, the crematorium’s ambassador bear from our Week to Remember ’23 campaign, continues to have a lasting impact, She said. “As the local bereavement support charity for children and young people living or educated within Swindon and Wiltshire we have bereavement programmes running across the county.
“The charity is going from strength to strength and recently was awarded Charity of the Year at the Wiltshire Life awards. If you would like to join the team, we currently have volunteer roles available and you can find out more at www.wiltshiretreehouse.org.uk on the join us page.”
Individuals interested in contributing to this initiative can donate comfort teddies at Kingsdown Crematorium or the Register Office at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street.
