Bereavement charity 2wish has officially launched the expansion of its support services into Cheshire.
The charity, which offers support to families affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a child or young person aged 25 and under, is expanding to offer support to those in Cheshire as well as Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.
Founder Rhian Mannings MBE (pictured) established 2wish in 2012, after she and her husband Paul experienced the heartache of losing their baby son George.
They left the hospital heartbroken, confused and bewildered with no support. Five days later, consumed with grief, Paul took his own life. There was no support available, and she and her children felt completely alone.
The launch of 2wish’s expansion into England came yesterday – the anniversary of Paul’s death 12 years ago.
John Dwyer, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, is fully supporting the launch and has also provided funding for 2wish’s work in the county. He said: “Losing anyone at any age can be extremely tough on family and friends. But losing a child can be absolutely devastating, with many people unable to comprehend the loss.
“I believe it’s important to provide a service that can help and support people through what can be the toughest time in their lives. I fully support 2wish as it launches across Cheshire.”
The charity has so far supported over 1,400 families who have lost a child or young person aged 25 or under.
Working hand in hand with organisations such as the Police, NHS Wales and Organ Donation Wales, it provides support to make sure that no family is missed. Across every Emergency Unit and Critical Care Unit in Wales there are now immediate support pathways in place.
Rhian said: “We’ve seen the significant difference that we’re making to families who lose a child or young adult under certain circumstances and are proud to be able to extend our support to local communities in England. We have been spending time building relationships in the hospitals and police forces of bordering counties, which has been a key step.
“In order to cover the demand for this new arm of the charity, we have expanded the support team to ensure that there are staff embedded in the communities accessing the support on offer. With this team in place, we are now mirroring the support services that have been running in Wales since 2012.”
As a result of the expansion, the charity will now be known as 2wish Cymru in Wales and 2wish in England.
