Kent law firm Girlings Solicitors has chosen child bereavement charity Holding On Letting Go (HOLG) as its charity of the year, with planned events organised by staff running until June 2026.
Holding On Letting Go was suggested as a possible charity partner and added to the firm’s shortlist, then voted for by others. The charity’s CEO, clinical specialist and fundraising officer have been to visit at their Canterbury office, and visits to the Herne Bay and Ashford offices have been organised to let staff know where their very welcome fundraising will be spent. Plans already include a quiz night, marathon, hamper raffle, dragon boat race and some smaller events like cake sales.
Based in Rochester, the charity, which celebrated 25 years in 2023, supports children aged up to 19 who have been bereaved. Support ranges from a phone call or video call to counselling and the weekend support programme.
Held 10 times a year, the bereavement support weekends bring children together who have experienced the death of someone close. It’s often the first time they have met another bereaved child, which frequently comes as a huge relief to them – finally, meeting another child who understands.
For their parents, it’s also the first time they might have met other bereaved parents, who join us on the same weekend for help and advice on how to understand child bereavement, find out how to guide their children through and look after themselves too.
Therapeutic interventions led by the HOLG clinicians and volunteers use arts, crafts, music, games, storytelling and other creative ideas, which help children communicate their thoughts, feelings and emotions.
The creative approach helps them to express their sadness, anger, confusion and other thoughts and feelings. Creativity is often a better way for children to more easily communicate their grief, finding it hard to either choose the right words or feel able to say them aloud.
Every child leaves their bereavement support weekend with a treasured memory jar, which holds precious memories and feelings about their loved one, which they can look back on over the years to come.
Girlings managing partner Lesley Rushton said: “While bereavement affects every one of us at some point in our lives, children and young people can be affected in different ways and may choose to share their grief differently to adults.
“A dedicated charity with specific support services designed to meet children’s needs is fundamental to their healing.
“HOLG offers children support which they can go on to use throughout their lives as they learn to adapt to their changing circumstances. Girlings is delighted to announce HOLG as our charity partner.”
Holding On Letting Go CEO Jules Tobin added: “Corporate sponsorship is such an important income stream for us, and we know that there are many charities put forward for consideration, so we are very grateful to be chosen.
“More than fundraising though, corporate support helps us to share our name further, in this case, to Girlings’ staff and clients, to reach families who might not know about us, who need us or also want to support us with fundraising or volunteering.
“We’re looking forward to the next two years with Girlings. I’ve already heard about some of their exciting events, and I think they will be having a lot of fun raising money for us!”
