Edward’s Trust – Helping children and families facing loss and surviving bereavement.

Welcome

Scroll down to find out more about Edward's Trust, our history, values and governance.

Children's Support

Find out about our services for children.

Adult's Support

Find out about our adult and couples services.

For 29 years Edward's Trust have been supporting bereaved families

Edward’s Trust was set up in 1989 by Peter and Hilary Dent in memory of their son Edward, who died aged 7 of cancer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Over 25 years later the Trust still continues to provide much needed support to bereaved families. Edward’s Trust provides holistic family bereavement services supporting children, young people and parents across the West Midlands. We provide support to parents bereaved, or about to bereaved, of their son or daughter – whatever the age of their child. We also provide support to children and young people of school age who are bereaved, or are about to be bereaved, of a parent, significant carer or sibling. A ‘Wellbeing in Bereavement’ service includes complementary therapies and respite bereavement care for bereaved parents and carers. Training and consultation for professionals working with bereaved families or families who are about to be bereaved.

How we help:

Counselling
Wellbeing Therapies
Complementary Therapies
Support Groups
Social Activities
Respite Bereavement Care Retreats
Remembrance Services
Pre-bereavement Support

Who we are

Edward’s Trust is a unique charity offering holistic family bereavement support to children, young people and parents across the West Midlands who are facing loss and surviving bereavement. Our experienced counsellors are all qualified, trained and registered with the British Association for Counselling & Pyschotherapy (BACP) and Edward’s Trust adheres to the BACP Ethical Framework.

Yvonne Gilligan, Chief Executive Officer at Edward’s Trust and former Regional Director at the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity Sustrans joined the Trust in 2016.

Yvonne Gilligan

Sandra Woodall, Senior Counsellor and Team Leader for Adults Bereavement Services joined the Trust many years ago.

Sandra Woodall

Helen Coombs, Wellbeing in Bereavement Therapist joined Edward’s Trust in 2004.

Helen Coombs

Christina Stephenson, Children’s Team Leader and Senior Counsellor joined Edward’s Trust in 2001.

Christina Stephenson

Our values

Respect

We will act with integrity in all that we do, being mindful and considerate to all. We respect and remember those who have died. Respect is a constant that embraces diversity and uniqueness of experience.

Hope

A feeling of trust in tomorrow. We embody, instil and empower a feeling of trust in tomorrow. Hope is the hand to hold. We have a vision that one day there will be a universal understanding of life-changing grief.

Holistic

Complete and all encompassing. We acknowledge and respond to the needs of the whole person: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We recognise the total experience of grief,promoting a holistic approach to bereavement care.

Support

Enabling with compassion and care. We provide responsive support that is appropriate, relevant and meaningful to each individual. Together in safety and strength. Encouraging society to respond appropriately to people facing loss and surviving bereavement.

Excellence

Embracing professional integrity and creative innovation. We are passionate about providing exceptional services and maintaining the highest standards in all that we do. Excellence is valuing people. We are committed to driving innovation and change.