TCF News, Issue 107 Summer 2021

Summer 2021 - TCF Newsletter | www.tcf.org.uk 6 Happily, the walks proved popular and I was able to offer them again in 2019. My plans for 2020 were shelved for obvious reasons but I am delighted to be restarting them this spring. It seems that meeting to walk and explore has proved a very effective way of introducing people to TCF in an informal way. Walking side by side and in a group where people mingle naturally has encouraged people to talk to each other. It somehow feels easier than being face to face. Of course some people just like to walk without talking comforted by the companionship of their fellow explorers. If not walking, I am to be found in our garden where there is always lots to do. Also, when restrictions permit, I look forward to being able to socialise with friends and family again. What’s the best thing about volunteering for TCF? The best thing about being part of TCF is the wonderful people I’ve met. I’ve got to know many bereaved parents and I feel part of a supportive and supported community. What has been the most challenging? I now also co-facilitate the bereaved fathers online group sessions. I consider it a privilege to be able to offer help and support to other bereaved parents and siblings and for me it is hugely rewarding because I do all of it to honour James’ memory. It is right to say that sometimes I find the raw grief of the newly bereaved and the circumstances of their losses heartbreaking. These can play on my mind for a long time but I remind myself how important it is to provide this support. Are there any areas of volunteering you would like to develop? My current aim is to help develop a wider range of walks to cover other parts of the country. Whilst my own expertise is in London and the surrounding countryside, I’m sure that there are lots of potential walk leaders in our wide TCF community and I am planning some training to develop and expand this project to other parts of the country. I love being outdoors; be it hiking in the countryside marvelling at nature, or in urban environments exploring our capital city. Walking with others or alone helps me unwind. I call it my walking meditation and I would recommend it to everyone. Liz Leake Can you tell us a little about your life before becoming involved in our charity? I have always been a busy lady and in the past helped my husband on our farm, I also worked for one of the large banks, and for an engineering firm. Before and after my son Nick died, we had our own business constructing exhibition stands and installing new shop fittings for a major company. How did you get involved with The Compassionate Friends? The first we knew of Nick’s death was a knock on the door and the police were standing on the doorstep. Nick died in mid-November 2003 and was riding his motorbike on the way to work. Sadly, he went into a car that had broken down and he died at the scene. I personally did not find TCF until 3 ½ years after my son died. I read a book called Relative Grief, which covers bereavement for family members, friends etc. The TCF Helpline number was at the back of the book. I can remember reading this book and I found it extremely helpful, as when your child