Compassion Summer 2021

Summer 2021 - Compassion | www.tcf.org.uk 6 I have just finished watching the Prime Minister’s announcement that the next stage of the ‘Roadmap out of Lockdown’ will start on 17th May. He described it as a huge step along the road to normality. It is hard to believe that we have been living with the pandemic for over a year. It has affected us all in different ways depending on our circumstances. We have all have been dealing with it differently and our experiences will have been varied, not least depending where you might be on your grief journey. This time has presented its own challenges to us as bereaved parents and siblings and especially to those who are newly bereaved and who have had to deal with their new world in even more unusual circumstances. I was very glad to hear that we remain on track for starting to get back to a semblance of life as it was pre-covid. This has been a difficult year for so very many, both here in the UK and throughout the world. We only have to glance at the news to know that it remains a very desperate time for so many people in other parts of the world. For us in the UK, thanks to the vaccine, there is some light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel. What does it mean for TCF? Under the careful watch of our CEO, Carolyn Brice, TCF will continue to provide our services and to be there for bereaved parents and siblings as it has been before and during the pandemic. I am very proud that the provision of TCF services never stopped throughout the pandemic as we have managed to move many of our services onto the on-line format. However, at the very heart of TCF are our peer-to-peer support groups that meet regularly throughout the UK. Most of these have continued online and continued very well. But at last, from 17th May our face-to-face support groups can restart and subject to having a room of sufficient size our volunteers can accommodate a meeting of up to 30 people. Our CEO, Carolyn, has written to our wonderful volunteers giving them the news and the permission to re-start the face to face meetings. I’m sure I’m not alone in looking forward to seeing other bereaved parents and siblings face to face, sharing a cup of tea and piece of cake, a laugh or tear and maybe even a hug - as it now seems we will be able to do. Thoughts from the Chair Andrew Miller with his son Fabian