Earlier this year, we launched our brand new Children’s Bereavement Service. This new initiative gives children and young people aged 5-16, who have been affected by the death of a loved one at St Luke’s, access to tailored bereavement counselling and art therapy.

By donating to St Luke’s Christmas Appeal, you’re not just helping children through today’s grief, you are supporting and nurturing them for their future.

Meet Abbie Parry, St Luke's Art Therapist

"My name is Abbie, and I am proud to work as an Art Therapist in the Therapies and Wellbeing team along with my colleague, Deb Solomon, a Counsellor at St Luke’s.

A dedicated children’s bereavement service within a hospice is not just support for the present, it is a vital investment in a child’s emotional wellbeing for the rest of their life. Grieving children often struggle to manage their pain, and without tailored support, this unresolved grief can develop into anxiety, depression, or behavioural issues later in life.

By providing a safe, compassionate space where children can explore their emotions, ask difficult questions, and begin to process loss in a healthy way, St Luke’s plays a critical role in shaping resilient, emotionally aware individuals.

Early intervention through specialised bereavement support helps children feel seen, heard, and understood, empowering them to build coping strategies, strengthen relationships, and face future challenges with confidence and compassion.

Creative therapies play a vital role in palliative and end of life care. Since the Children’s Bereavement Service began, I’ve seen first-hand the difference it’s making to the children we support.

Our sessions help children who are feeling sad and missing their loved one to build resilience, talk about their feelings and understand that it’s ok to feel that way."

Esme remembers her Nanny with the support of St Luke's

Christmas Appeal 2025 - Esme and her nanny

Esme and her family

Read Esme's story

In March 2024, 8-year-old Esme’s beloved Nanny spent four days at St Luke’s In Patient Centre at the end of her life.

The care she received was wonderful. However, the gap she left behind after she died was huge. Esme shared a deep bond with her Nanny and often felt overwhelmed with emotion.

Esme's Mum Lisa attended the St Luke’s group counselling sessions to help manage her own grief, which is where she heard about the new Children’s Bereavement Group and its Art Therapy sessions. The group sounded like it could help Esme and give her a way to express her emotions in a safe, creative environment.

“All the arts and crafts made me forget about feeling sad. Sometimes I like to keep my feelings a secret, but sometimes I like to express them so I can get them out of me and feel better. When the other children said their feelings out loud, it made me want to do it too.” Esme

What your gift to St Luke's could provide

Over the next five years, we want to become a leading provider of children’s bereavement support in our city; ensuring that no child faces grief alone. However, as a charity, we need your help to do this.

Help children manage anxiety

Your support could contribute to providing ‘Worry Monster’ toy/doll, designed to help children manage their anxiety and fears.

Provide art materials

Your support could contribute to providing art materials to help children understand and express their grief through art.

Bereavement support

Your support could contribute to counselling sessions for a child who has recently been bereaved.

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Did you know...?

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We are a charity

Only 23% of our running costs are covered by NHS funding, meaning this year we need to raise over £11million to continue providing our care – including this new service for children like Esme, whose story you can read on this page.

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Every 22 minutes

In the UK, a parent dies every 22 minutes, leaving behind a dependent child. In Sheffield, there are limited counselling services to support bereaved children and young people. You could help change that.

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*Statistics from Childhood Bereavement Network 2019.

Donate today and impact Sheffield's future

The benefits that childhood bereavement services bring are clear. It helps children to make sense of what has happened and what is happening now.

Your donation will help us provide a safe creative space and be part of changing the outcome of these statistic for the children of Sheffield.

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Crime

*Experiencing the death of a parent before the age of 26 increases the risk of being convicted of a violent crime.

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Bullying

*Children report being bullied as a direct result of being bereaved.

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Education

*Bereaved children have lower average exam scores than their peers, and are more likely to be unemployed at 30.

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Other ways to support St Luke's this Christmas