Death is the last taboo. In today's society even the most articulate and sensitive adults seem to find it difficult to talk honestly about how painful, overwhelming and soul-shattering it is to walk with the burden of grief.

Imagine then being a child, how enormous and life-changing it must be to bear the death of a sibling, a parent, a loved one.

I know and love several children who are going through life in the company of grief. Neve's three beautiful sisters and my own goddaughter Grace are the ones closest to my heart.

For my birthday this year I would like to fundraise for Richmond's Hope, a Scottish charity that supports children living with the burden of grief. They have recently opened a branch in Methil, one of the most deprived areas of Fife. Please, donate generously!!

photos: Neve and Elliott, Oxford May 2018; me, Grace and Rachel, summer 2022

Read more about Neve and her legacy on https://emilytammam.substack.com/

My friend Rachel blogs at https://rachelemoss.com/

Richmond’s Hope provides support for children and young people aged 4-18 years who have been bereaved. The charity provides a safe space for children to work through their grief both verbally and non verbally, to preserve memories of the person who has died, to explore their feelings, to develop coping strategies and to understand the impact the bereavement has had on their lives.

As everyone’s grief is different, we provide individual programmes of care for each child. Our dedicated team of bereavement workers support children on a one to one basis.

We are also passionate about educating individuals and groups about the language surrounding grief and offer training and interest visits. The training we offer to external organisations aims to raise awareness of young people’s grief and how it affects their lives.