A Leicestershire charity which supports families who have been bereaved of a child of any age has received a £3,000 donation towards its vital work from Great Glen Crematorium.
The Bodie Hodges Foundation was formed in 2012 by Donna and Nick Hodges following the death of their 10-month-old son, Bodie.
They have recently launched an appeal to try to raise £450,000 over the next two years to buy a building – Bodie’s House – which will become the home of the Foundation.
Donna said: “It is hard to put into words what it means to us, as a charity, to be able to launch a capital appeal to purchase Bodie’s House.
“Our vision to create a child bereavement community within Leicestershire is now within sight and it means that we can offer more support to grieving families and offer ways that we can some together and support each other.
“We are also really excited about increasing our offer to children and young people, as well as getting involved in creative ways to grieve.”
The new appeal was launched at a recent fund-raising sports dinner, which featured guest appearances by former football star John Barnes and Britain’s Got Talent finalist Jamie Raven.
Also in attendance was Harvey Watson, Site Manager of Great Glen Crematorium, who surprised Bodie’s parents by making the £3,000 donation.
Great Glen Crematorium is part of Westerleigh Group, the UK’s largest independent owner and operator of crematoria and cemeteries, with 35 sites in England, Scotland and Wales, all set within beautifully-landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide pleasant, peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.
All Westerleigh Group’s sites run a metal recycling scheme whereby, with the consent of families, metals recovered during cremation are recycled and any funds raised through doing this is used to support local charities and other worthy organisations.
Mr Watson said: “It was an honour to be able to help kick-start the £450,000 appeal by making a donation to the Bodie Hodges Foundation, which makes such a huge difference to the lives of people in the most difficult of circumstances.
“The loss of any loved one is a difficult and distressing time for those they leave behind, but the loss of a baby can be particularly heart-breaking.
“The Bodie Hodges Foundation provides extremely valuable support to families who have been bereaved of a child of any age, and also promotes organ donation.
“In 2016, they opened Bodie’s Boathouse, a luxury, lakeside, three-bedroom lodge which families from the East Midlands can visit for a week-long stay.
“Being able to buy Bodie’s House will enable the Foundation to provide even more support and comfort to families, and we’re very proud to be able to support them in any way we can.”
If you want to find out how you can support the Bodie’s House appeal, visit: www.bodiehodgesfoundation.co.uk/capital-appeal
