IT'S a tough job but someone has to do it!
Here's Katie getting up close (but not quite personal, thank you!) with the lovely Mark Rhodes.
Mark was at a very special event last Saturday. He spoke movingly of what a wonderful woman his mum was when he attended a remembrance service organised by Compton Hospice.
It was the first event of its kind, designed specially for the children who access bereavement support counselling at the hospice, to help them cope with losing a parent or other family member through a terminal illness.
A number of the children read poems or stories about their loved ones and displayed paintings and crafts that expressed their feelings.
Mark, who shot to fame as a Pop Idol contestant and now presents BBC2’s Level Up, knew of the hospice’s work after their community nurses helped his family care for his mum at home when she became seriously ill with cancer.
He gave an emotional speech about his experiences of overcoming grief during the service and stayed to chat to the children and their families afterwards.
He said: “Mum was great; she would tell everyone about me, she was so proud. It’s been really special to be here today to celebrate her life.”
Compton's Ann Doherty, said: “We often think kids are resilient and bounce back after suffering a loss.
“Because they often display their grief differently to adults, we think they’re not going through the same emotional turmoil.
“But it’s so important to help them express their feelings, whether it be through art, words or actions, otherwise it can come out in other ways – or even affect them later in life.
“This service offered them the opportunity to join together with others in similar situations, giving them time to reflect, share their special memories and gain support.”
We'd like to say a big thanks to Mark, not only for allowing a group of middle-aged women something to ogle on a wet July afternoon, but also for his fantastic support for Compton. [Linda]
Looking lovely!
Posted by: Founder and director | August 03, 2007 at 11:59 AM