TCF News, Spring 2021

TCF NEWS Spring 2021 | Issue No 106 In This Issue A newsletter for supporters of The Compassionate Friends COVER STORY: A Winter of Firsts Pg 3 W elcome to Sharryn McKelvie Pg 4 Volunteer Focus - Christina Ford Pg 6 News & Comment Pg 8 TCF Online Events Spring Pg 9 In Memoriam Yvonne Glasgow Pg 10 Fundraising Round Up First online UK candle lighting As lockdowns and restrictions continued throughout the UK, on the evening of Sunday 13th December, 300 bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents came together to honour our loved ones at our first online candle lighting event via Zoom. TCF volunteer and independent celebrant, Linda Sewell, led the ceremony at this moving event of remembrance. Linda spoke of the depth of our grief, as well as the poignancy and intensity that the Christmas and New Year holidays bring. She reminded us of the power of peer support and the strength we can draw from one another to help us through. Linda spoke of this annual event - TCF’s Worldwide Candle Lighting - where others, similarly bereaved across the world, were also lighting candles at 7pm local time. As we lit our own candles, she told us that our loved ones’ light will burn around the world, an endless ring of light shining in the darkness. Thank you to Linda for offering us such a beautiful event honouring all our children and loved ones. Thank you to our readers at this first ever UK virtual candle lighting; Ruth Mercier, Terry Ahern, Andrew Miller, Karen Ivey and Gina Claye. The event was also streamed live on Facebook and attracted over 5700 viewers! It is still available to view on The Compassionate Friends UK Youtube channel. (See pg 7 for details) A Winter of Firsts Supporting bereaved parents and their families