Dorset child bereavement charity launches urgent appeal
Mosaic say they need to raise £100,000 this year
A Dorset charity' s launched a major fundraising appeal, so it can continue to support children struggling to deal with the death of someone close to them.
Mosaic – Supporting Bereaved Children was founded in 2007 to help families deal with the impact of a death, by providing qualified counsellors who meet and talk with the child or young person, helping them understand and deal with feelings of grief and anxiety.
But the demand for the service is now outstripping Mosaic’s ability to provide the free access to counsellors.
The charity needs to raise £100,000 this year in order to continue to provide care, advice and support at a time when costs are rising steeply and other funds have stopped.
Jo Revill, the charity’s CEO said:
“This is the crunch point for us now. We’ve had a 47% increase in the number of children and young people being referred to us for help, compared with the same period in 2023.
"We want to continue to exist for Dorset, and for Dorset’s children. The services we offer can transform a child’s life and their life chances, but we cannot be sure of meeting that need if we can’t raise the money.”
Last year, Mosaic provided counselling to 412 children and young people.
This year, the figure is likely to be substantially higher, with extra help also going into school in peer support.
It costs £350 to help a child or young person by providing wrap-around counselling for them at school or home, including support for the family over several months.
Karen Parnell, Chair of Trustees, said:
“I’m incredibly grateful for the comprehensive and compassionate support our family received from Mosaic when my husband died. It had a profound impact on my children during a very difficult time. The specialised counselling and peer support activities provided my daughters with a safe space to express their feelings, share their experiences and connect with others who understood their loss.
“We hope that our communities can really get behind us in this challenging financial period to help us raise funds so that all the children and young people who need our help can receive it. There is so much more for us to do as a charity and we’re lucky to have very dedicated individuals – staff, volunteers, trustees and counsellors – who make all the difference.”