DO YOU know how children in the borough are being helped through the most challenging time of their young lives?
Bereavement charity Daisy’s Dream held a coffee morning to explain how it helps to guide children their families through loss.
Daisy’s Dream CEO Laura Lewis explained how the charity supports children through therapeutic group activities, family fun days, and one-to-one sessions.
“Without support children’s outcomes can be significantly impaired,” she said.
“We provide strategies to help them move forward positively.
“Sometimes it’s not the child we engage with, but the parent.”
Support can be in person at the family home, at the charity’s Lower Earley premises, by phone, or even email.
“We do whatever is right for each individual family,” explained Laura.
“One lady who’s 11 year old died suddenly, finds it easier to email me because talking on the phone is just too upsetting.
“For other parents an hour on the phone talking can help to relieve the burden, enabling them to be in a better place when their child comes home from school.”
Daisy’s Dream also works with schools to help them support children facing loss.
“Sometimes we never actually meet the youngster,” said Laura.
“But we can surround them with a support group of people empowered by us to meet their needs.
“When the whole family is coping, the outcome for children is so much better.”
Families across Berkshire can benefit from Daisy’s Dream, and all its services are free of charge.
Its five specialist bereavement practitioners run day-long group sessions where children are encouraged to talk about the person who has died, and about what happened.
“They share memories, talk about life without that person, and about how they are coping going forward,” said Laura.
“Reflective memory work can be a very powerful way of supporting children, as they meet other youngsters who really understand what they are going through.
“One child said to me recently, ‘This has been one of the best days of my life.’”
A siblings group runs every six weeks, with coffee mornings available for parents who have lost a child.
“Mums who have come to this have really bonded,” said Laura.
“It’s very powerful to share with other women facing loss, and there are a lot of tears.”
Another group supports parents who have lost their partner.
“We see more dads coming to these sessions,” she added.
“They can find it very hard to pick up family life when a partner dies.
“We can help them with practical things, including guiding them through funeral arrangements, as well as supporting them through grief.
“They can lean on us for support.”
Support is rapid, and once a family is connected (by schools, health professionals, or self referral) help is a phone call away.
We know we have to move quickly – sometimes very quickly,” said Laura.
“For example, if a child’s parent has died during the school day, teachers need to know almost immediately how best to share this before the child is picked up.
“They can call us, and we will drop everything to make sure that staff are supported to handle that situation.”
In 2025 the charity reached nearly 1,000 people (400 children, and more than 500 parents, carers and professionals).
All its 2500 hours of support were provided to families and schools free of charge.
It costs £500k to employ experienced specialists, pay for premises, and to fund projects, which include special fun days and events, and offer valuable opportunities to connect and make positive memories.
Daisy’s Dream began thirty years ago, when a mum whose husband had died, found bereavement support to be life changing, and decided to set up a charity to benefit other bereaved families too.
Daisy was the family’s dog.
The charity receives no support from local authorities, or from the NHS.
It is funded solely by supporter events, charitable donations, trusts, grants, community events, regular givers, and an occasional legacy.
It recently received a generous grant from the National Lottery, which will provide 10% of its income for the next five years.
But there is still £450k to find annually.
In its 30th year Daisy’s Dream is asking groups all around the borough to hold cake sales to raise money to enable it to continue to offer its services.
“It’s amazing how much it adds up if lots of small groups raise money, so we really encourage everyone to please get baking for us,” said Laura.
“Where many charities aim to solve a problem, or find a cure, death will always be with us, and the need to support bereaved children and their families won’t go away.
“We want to make sure that everyone who needs us can find us.”
Visitors to Daisy’s Dream’s coffee morning included Wokingham Lions Club, The Abbey School, Abbey Rugby Club, Martin Strong, and Miles and Daughters funeral directors.
For information, and to support the charity, visit: daisysdream.org.uk
