For the bereaved families we support, Christmas is often a time filled with grief, memories bittersweet or even painful. And it’s not just memories that evoke pain: the bunny comforter, worn from love, that they cuddled as they slept; the bike in the garage that saw a different adventure every weekend; their favourite book that was read 100 times over – these treasured objects, full of memories, can be unbearable reminders of a child who is no longer here. For some of the families we support, this will be their first Christmas without their child. For others, the pain returns year after year – sharp, silent and often invisible to the world around them. On average, five children sadly die every week in our area. For many of those families, their child’s death will be completely unexpected, sudden. We meet families in the rawest moments of grief – sometimes just hours after their child has died. And that support continues through the weeks, months and years that follow.