TCF News, Winter 2022

Winter 2022 - TCF Newsletter | www.tcf.org.uk 5 Call out for volunteers Without our wonderful volunteers we just could not offer the support, understanding, empathy and hope that our peer support is known for. Could you join our volunteer team? We are particularly looking for: Helpline team volunteers If you are a bereaved parent and would like to volunteer with us by donating just a few hours per month, answering calls from your own home, we would love to have you as part of our wonderful Helpline Team – helping us to continue providing a professional, helpful, warm and caring response to callers. If you are … • at least 4 years past your own bereavement, more resilient around your own grief and open to listening to a wide range of stories of loss • an empathic, compassionate listener, committed to helping others • non-judgmental, respectful of others’ values, beliefs and experiences • trustworthy, reliable and able to maintain confidentiality • computer literate and with an ability to communicate well in written format . . . then we would love to hear from you. We offer training and support to anyone selected. Contact: Ruth Mercier, Helpline Manager at helpline@tcf.org.uk Grief companions As a grief companion you will be more than 3 years bereaved and would be helping a more recently bereaved parent from any part of the UK by providing informal support and friendship to them in the early months following the death of their child. Your support will be offered mainly by phone and/or email to the parent for a period of up to 12 months. You would typically be expected to offer support once a week for about an hour, although this does vary according to need. You will be using your own experience and ways of coping to be alongside a more newly bereaved parent usually in the first two years of their loss. We are particularly looking for parents who would be willing to offer this 1-1 support around the loss of an adult child, and in particular loss to suicide, substance use or a sudden loss. Contact: Shirley Gower, Grief Companion Coordinator at griefcompanions@tcf.org.uk Please note that we will be in touch with new volunteer applicants after the Christmas and New Year break. 