London Docklands Walk

1 June 2024, 11.00 – 16.00

London Docklands

THIS WALK IN NOW FULLY BOOKED. If you would like to be added to the waiting list please contact info@tcf.org.uk. Thank you.

Bereaved dad and TCF volunteer, Terry, will be offering his next London walk on Saturday 1 June, setting off promptly at 11 am. This time the walk will feature the water - river, canals and docks - for most of its length. So, even though this walk is in London, there is lots of open space, very little traffic and a feeling of tranquility.

We will meet at London Bridge station at 10.45 am for an 11 am start, and finish at Canary Wharf. Our walk will be for approximately 5 miles at a stead pace and the route crosses Tower Bridge then to St. Katherine’s Dock. From there we follow canals past Tobacco Dock, Shadwell & Wapping. Lunch will be at Wapping Market which has street food from several different countries. One of London’s oldest pubs is nearby and there is seating for those bringing a packed lunch/picnic.

This walk is not suitable for those who require walking aids or who might find the pace too demanding. The walk should finish at around 3.30/4 pm at Canary Wharf which has good transport links back to Central London.

At the end of the walk, there will be the option of staying on for a drink in a nearby pub before making our way home.

The walks are free and are designed to offer you an opportunity to socialise and chat to other bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings as well as to offer some exercise to support mental and physical wellbeing. However, you can if you wish give a voluntary donation at the time you book or at www.tcf.org.uk/donate.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the details of this walk may be subject to change

What parents have said after previous London walks:

'Thank you again for organising and leading the TCF London walks. It makes such a difference to meet other families who have lost a much loved child.

It’s not just the walk itself... but about having a date in the diary and something to look forward to and to reflect back on.

Plus the walks spark important conversations before and afterwards within our family about our son - and how much he meant to us all - which we might otherwise not be able to have. My husband and I talked more on the train to London than we have had the chance to do for a while. And again around the dinner table with the rest of the family when we got home.

It’s a way of acknowledging and giving space to such tragedy and the deepest loss we know is felt by everyone in the group. Thank you again.'

***

Please note that our peer support is for parents bereaved of a child from one month old to an adult son or daughter, from any cause.

We are sorry but if your loss is within the last 3-4 months, we think it would be best to wait a little longer before accessing our support walks – new walk dates are added on a regular basis here. We hope to welcome you at a future walk.

We look forward to meeting those who have walked with us before, and also welcoming those who are new to our walks. Because this is an urban walk, places are limited and we give priority to those who haven't walked with TCF before or who are in the first years of their loss. 

If you haven’t yet walked with us, please don’t feel daunted or apprehensive about joining. You will very quickly find yourself in a friendly, supportive community of others who are similarly bereaved.

** We will be sending out a welcome email about a week before the walk to give you more information and meeting point details. This email comes from info@tcf.org.uk so please look out for it (please also be aware that it can sometimes go into junk or spam folders, so do check there if you have registered for the walk and haven't received details)

Please note that if you bring along a friend or relative with you for initial support, they will be unable to join us for the walk itself unless they are also a bereaved parent, grandparent or adult bereaved sibling.

As this is a supportive walk, we ask that we stay together as a group for the duration the walk. Thankyou.