The UK’s first children and young people’s bereavement charity is planning to launch an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)

Winston’s Wish, the UK’s first children and young people’s bereavement charity, is calling upon the local community to write to their MP to encourage them to join a planned All-Party Parliamentary Group to stand up and be a voice for grieving young people in their constituency.
With an appeal for MPs to join the proposed group launching during Children’s Grief Awareness Week, (18th-24th of November), the All-Party Parliamentary Group is the brainchild of Winston’s Wish CEO Fergus Crow. Winston’s Wish is proud to be the secretariat of the planned group.
Building upon the concept that no child should be left to grieve alone; the purpose of the proposed APPG is to join together young people and bereavement services with Members of Parliament to be the voice of bereaved children and young adults in government and shape a better future for grieving young people in the UK.
Winston’s Wish is asking people to contact the local Member of Parliament by writing a letter or sending an email in order to make them aware of the planned All-Party Parliamentary Group while also encouraging conversation and raising awareness of the impact of bereavement on children and young people.
Fergus Crow comments, “It shows how far we have come as a society that there are so many Parliamentarians who recognise the issues bereaved children face – not only that but they also want to put some of their precious time and energy into addressing these problems. That gives me great hope that in the future that no child or young person will have to face their grief alone.
“It is something I couldn’t have imagined being possible when my dad died when I was 19 and I know that children and young people themselves will have strong views on the change they need that they will want to share with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Childhood Bereavement.”
Chaired by Christine Jardine MP, the planned group will hold a brainstorming session during Children’s Grief Awareness Week (18th to 24th November) where bereaved children and young people, and the charities supporting them, will meet with some Parliamentarians who are already invested in the conversation to discuss the groups forthcoming programme of work which will seek to address various issues including improving childhood bereavement data and the overrepresentation of bereaved young people in the youth justice system.
Winston’s Wish CEO says, “Childhood bereavement is an often-overlooked issue that affects thousands of children across our nation each year. According to estimates, approximately 1 in 29 children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they reach adulthood. That’s at least one child in every classroom.
“The impact of loss during formative years can be profound, leading to emotional distress, academic challenges, and social withdrawal. Without appropriate support, these children may

struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and are more likely to engage in risk taking behaviours, hindering their ability to thrive both personally and academically. It is imperative that we prioritise their needs within governmental policies and frameworks.
“We implore MPs to make the needs of the bereaved children and young people in their constituencies a priority and consider joining the APPG.”
This National Children’s Grief Awareness Week (18th-24th of November) which is a campaign that seeks to highlight the needs of bereaved children throughout the UK, Winston’s Wish has crafted a sample letter to send to local MPs and is asking young people, parents, carers and professionals to consider taking a moment to start this important conversation with their local government representative to encourage them to join the proposed APPG. You can find your MP and their contact details at members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP .
Established in 1992, Winston’s Wish is the UK’s first children and young people’s bereavement charity. The charity is keen to reassure bereaved young people and their families that they are welcome to chat online, email or call for free to speak to a bereavement support worker by calling 08088 020 021 between 8-8 weekdays, emailing [email protected] or using the live chat at winstonswish.org.
Winston’s Wish is pleased to launch its Christmas appeal, entitled ‘Colour Their Christmas’. This heartwarming animated video serves to remind people that this winter there are children and young people facing the festive season without the special person they love.
Winston’s Wish can’t take their grief away, but we can help grieving children and young people find glimmers of hope. And with your support, together, we can bring colour back into their world. To donate, please visit Colour their Christmas | Winston’s Wish.