Simon Says Child Bereavement Support

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Simon Says Child Bereavement Support

Charity supporting bereaved children and young people (to age 18) in the county of Hampshire.

03/09/2026

We would like to give a BIG shout out to our young fundraisers at Doves Nursery who raised an amazing £206.65 for Simon Says.

Nursery Manager, Caroline told us:

“Our children who are leaving us to start school enjoyed a topic about boxes towards the end of last term. One of their activities linked to this was to decorate a plain match-box size box. They took the boxes home and filled them with money - coins and some paper money too!”

Thank you Doves Nursery. Your donation really will make such a difference to the lives of the bereaved children and young people we support. ♥️

[Image description: Photograph of a large piece of plain paper with text that reads "Doves Nursery's Leavers have raised £206.65 for Simon Says. Summer 2026.” The paper is surrounded by small, delicate, decorated boxes. The boxes are varied in design, with some adorned with glitter, rhinestones, stars, and drawings of gingerbread people and cartoon faces. Text below the photograph reads “Thank you Doves Nursery.”]

01/09/2026

We host 8 monthly Support Groups across various locations in Hampshire for bereaved children and young people. They are free of charge to attend following registration.

They provide children and young people and their families with safe, creative and compassionate spaces where they can explore their grief. Groups are gently guided by volunteers through organised activities, games, and stories.

Three core 'Golden Threads' guide everything we do during sessions, and our Support Groups are built around the following foundational elements:

Treasuring Memories

Coping With Big Feelings

Growing Hope

[Image description: Close up of photograph of a memory jar made by one of our children. It is a clear jar filled with layers of green, yellow, pink and red coloured salt in it with a black lid. Overlaid on the photograph is a quote from a service user that reads “Alice is an anxious child since the passing of her mum. Simon Says always provide activities that she enjoys, and gets her talking about topics that are difficult for me to talk about with her. She always comes away a little more at ease with her situation. I enjoy the interaction with the other parents who provide reassurance that you are not alone in your struggle.”]

30/08/2026

Today is National Grief Awareness Day.

We wanted to gently remind you that grief does not follow rules, a timeline or expectations. There is no ‘right’ way to grieve.

Whatever your bereavement and however long you have been grieving, your feelings are valid.

Please visit our website for advice and support. 🩵

[Image description: A motivational quote overlayed on a photograph of a cloudy sky. The sky is a gradient of blue at the top, transitioning to lighter shades of blue and then to warm orange and yellow hues. The clouds are large and fluffy and are illuminated by light. Quote reads “There is no 'right' way to grieve.”]

29/08/2026

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to Team Tetstall.

Ellen Tetstall and her children raised an incredible £3,469 for Simon Says by completing the Itchen Navigation Trail in memory of her husband Rick, to raise funds to help other bereaved children and young people.

Our Family Support Lead, Amanda, together with Nicky, our Chandler’s Ford Support Group Lead Volunteer, were delighted to welcome the family to our Romsey office for a cheque presentation. We presented the children with certificates of thanks which they can keep as a memento of their fundraising tribute to their father, Rick.

Thank you to everyone that supported and donated to their fundraiser. ♥️

Simon Says Fundraising Page
St Faith's CE Primary School
The Nest Wi******er

[Image description: Group photograph of Ellen and her four children with Amanda and Nicky, stood outside our office, which has a wooden facade. It is a sunny day. All are are smiling broadly at the camera. The children are each holding a certificate. They are stood behind a giant Simon Says cheque which is resting on the ground.]

28/08/2026

Our Helpline and our office will close this evening for the bank holiday and will open again on Tuesday 1st September.

We have advice and resources on our website. We will also be posting content on our social media channels throughout the holiday period.

[lmage description: Saffron yellow coloured slide. Text reads “Our helpline and our office will be closed for the Summer bank holiday. Closed 31 August 2026. Reopening 1 September 2026 at 9am.”]

26/08/2026

We know that for bereaved children and young people, returning to school can be very difficult.

For some, settling back into the structure and routine of school, catching up with their friends, and continuing their studies can be a relief.

For others, whether their bereavement is recent, or happened a while ago, going back to school, or starting a new class or new school can be very daunting.

However they are feeling is ok.

Here are 3 ways to help support a bereaved child or young person returning to school:

1. Speak to their school. Let them know about the support that your child or young person will need from them. It might help to agree with the school that your child or young person has in place, a trusted member of staff that they can talk to during the school day when they need to. This person will know, and understand what is going on and can be there to listen.

2. Write a crib sheet. Some of their friends might not be aware that their important person has died. They might ask your child or young person questions about their important person that they do not know how to respond to. It might help to sit together and write a crib sheet containing the answers that they are comfortable to share, so that they know what they are going to say in advance. Reassure them that they do not have to talk about anything they are not ready to.

3. Help them to feel less anxious about being away from you. Separation anxiety, being anxious about being away from their family or caregivers, is quite common when a child or young person has been bereaved. If they are anxious about going back to school and being separated from you there are a few things you can do to help. You could give them a photo, a trinket, or a small toy to take to school with them which will remind them of home. You might also plan activities to do together for when they return home, like going to the park, or watching their favourite film.

[Image description: A photograph of a group of children in the foreground, dressed in school uniforms, focusing on writing at their desks. The background is blurred to create a soft focus. Text overlaid on the photograph in all caps reads “Supporting a bereaved child or young person returning to school.”]

24/08/2026

From 1st September 2026, every school in England must teach children about death, grief, and bereavement.

Why now? The statistics are clear. 1 in 29 school-age children have been bereaved of a parent or sibling. That equates to at least one child in every classroom.

Our Simon Says Champion Schools Programme aims to empower staff with the confidence, knowledge, and resources necessary to offer vital support to bereaved pupils when they need it most.

By providing an environment where bereavement is understood and sensitively addressed, schools can significantly impact the emotional well-being and academic success of their bereaved pupils.

Join our supportive network of schools across Hampshire and become a Simon Says Champion School:

https://www.simonsays.org.uk/professionals/school-professionals/simon-says-champion-school/

[Image description: Blue and orange ombré background. A quotation box with text that reads "Grief comes into the classroom, it sits down and tries to focus and often we don't even know it's there.” Below this a medium profile photograph of Debs Adams our Education Lead. She is outside on a bright day with trees and a field in the background. She is smiling warmly at the camera.]

21/08/2026

If you are planning to increase your company’s visibility and make a real difference in your community, why not become our Simon Says Charity Golf Day Headline Sponsor in 2027?

Sponsoring our Charity Golf Day offers your organisation the opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting difference to bereaved children and young people across Hampshire.

By aligning with our trusted and well-established local charity, your brand will be showcased to a wide audience, demonstrating a genuine commitment to community wellbeing and social responsibility in Hampshire.

For more information please send us a DM or email our dedicated event organiser Stefanie at [email protected]

Thank you.

Simon Says Fundraising Page
Stefanie Hunt

[lmage description: Vibrant blue background. Headline text reads “Headline Sponsor Opportunity. Simon Says Charity Golf Day. June 2027.” A large white oval shape frames a photograph of four golfers stood on a golf course, each holding a golf club. They are smiling and looking towards the camera.”]

18/08/2026

Making a donation to Simon Says ensures no child or young person in Hampshire has to face the death of someone they love alone.

Help us continue to give grief a voice and offer hope for the future.

Donate to our Silver Anniversary Fundraising Campaign here:

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/simonsays25

Thank you. 💙

[lmage description: A quote from a service user on a dark blue background. Text reads "I rate this place 10/10 because it's fun and I like being here. I like being able to talk and do stuff about my dad.”]

16/08/2026

From shopping through easyfundraising to following us on social media, there are plenty of ways to support Simon Says in your day-to-day life.

We rely entirely on donations and support from individuals, businesses, foundations and organisations to provide our services completely free of charge to bereaved children and young people across Hampshire.

Here are 5 free and easy ways to support us.

[Image description: Grey blue coloured slide. Headline text in all caps reads "5 free and easy ways to support Simon Says." Underneath this text are 5 boxes each containing an idea. Box 1 reads "Shop through easyfundraising." Box 2 reads “Follow us on social media." Box 3 reads "Display one of our collection pots.” Box 4 reads “Nominate us for a supermarket charity scheme." Box 5 reads “Nominate us to be the charity of the year."]

Address

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 15:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 15:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 15:00

Telephone

+441794323934

Website

http://www.simonsays.org.uk/, https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/simonsays25

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