The Compassionate Friends (UK) 21 Who are The Compassionate Friends? TCF was founded over 50 years ago as an organisation of bereaved parents and families helping each other through their grief. We offer peer support to parents whose child has died at any age (from one month onwards) and from any cause, and also to adult siblings and grandparents. TCF has no religious affiliations and we welcome those of all faiths and none. Our website at tcf.org.uk has more information about our services, including private Facebook groups, online support sessions and residential retreats. If you would like to talk about your grief, you are welcome to ring our Helpline number below. Calls are answered by bereaved parents. They will also be able to give you contact details of any local TCF groups in your area. TCF publishes over 50 leaflets on different aspects of grief which follow the death of a child. Our publications can be downloaded from the website, or you can contact our office for printed copies (free of charge for bereaved parents). Find them here: tcf.org.uk/leaflets There are endless activities and ideas for remembrance; what is in this Handbook is meant as a springboard. We welcome suggestions for future updates. Going forward in love and memory Maintaining bonds enables us to build bridges between the past, the present and the future, and we can discover new layers of our relationship with our child. There is no right or wrong way to remember our child and continue our bond with them. We are all different, and what matters is finding what works for us. This may change as time passes. Ultimately, continuing bonds with our child can give us comfort, courage and purpose for the future. We can keep discovering new opportunities to explore who our child was and what they mean to us, and deciding how much of this to share with others. Our child is not only still giving to us, but is also continuing to contribute to the world in some way through what we are doing in their memory. Our child is still a part of our life’s journey, and will continue to be.
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