William describes grief as the ‘very worst pain’ as he backs charity merger
Child Bereavement UK, of which William is patron, is to join forces with Winston’s Wish.
The Prince of Wales has described grief as “the very worst pain any child or parent will ever endure” as he backed the merger of two leading child bereavement charities.
Child Bereavement UK, of which William is patron, is to join forces with Winston’s Wish, it was announced on Wednesday.
William, whose mother Diana, Princess of Wales died when he was 15, said there was a growing need for support for bereaved youngsters and praised the charities for taking the “bold step”.
He will remain patron of the new organisation which retains the name Child Bereavement UK.
William said: “Grief is the very worst pain any child or parent will ever endure, and while we cannot prevent these losses, we can ensure that every possible type of expert support and care is given, to help rebuild the lives of those affected.
“In my 16 years as patron of Child Bereavement UK, I have seen the life-changing impact of their work and how the support, care and compassion provided protects the long-term health and wellbeing of those living with loss.
“I have also seen the growing need for support of this kind, and it is because of this increasing demand that I am delighted that Child Bereavement UK and Winston’s Wish are joining forces to expand their impact.
“They have recognised that together they can do so much more, and I commend them both for taking this bold step to reach more people and help to reduce the long-term challenges that unresolved grief can cause.”
William privately gave a 30th anniversary dinner for Child Bereavement UK at Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening.
The charity was founded in 1994 by Diana’s close friend, the psychotherapist Julia Samuel, who is godmother to Prince George.
She has remained close to both William and his brother, the Duke of Sussex.
Winston’s Wish was founded in 1992 after clinical psychologist Julie Stokes visited the US and Canada on a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship and, inspired by the services she saw, returned to the UK and set up Winston’s Wish, initially to help bereaved children in Gloucestershire.
The charities said uniting their missions when demand for services is growing would help them increase their reach and support more grieving people when they need it the most.
As the merger progresses, both organisations will continue to deliver their respective services, with beneficiaries and stakeholders able to access support and other services as usual, the charities said.
