[Photo of Penelope Wilton]
Photo credit: Rafe Abrook, www.rafeabrook.co.uk
The Good Grief Trust launched #GoodGriefUmbrellaDay, on February 10th, to coincide with National Umbrella Day.
The new national campaign is to raise awareness of the 900+ tailored bereavement services under our umbrella.
We provided cemeteries and gardens of rest, hospices and funeral directors with free umbrellas for their visitors to borrow when they need them.
CEO Linda Magistris, explains: “As the death toll continues to rise and the pandemic continues to put increased pressure on front line staff, it is vital everybody who is struggling with grief knows there is a breadth of immediate support available under our umbrella.”
Dame Penelope Wilton
We are very proud that our Patron, actress Dame Penelope Wilton, (Afterlife and Downton Abbey), supported our launch.
In the Netflix series Dame Penelope plays Anne, a widow and friend to Tony (co-star Ricky Gervais). Her character is famous for offering wise words of comfort to Tony, all while dealing with her own grief.
Dame Penelope has kindly joined our charity as Patron for The Good Grief Trust. She said: “Grief is unique and the more choices we can give the bereaved the better. I am honoured to become a patron for a charity that offers just this.”
Umbrella Day Partners
Amongst the many organisations pioneering the scheme, we are very pleased to be working with the Woodland Burial Company in Chesterfield, and Mortlake Crematorium in West London.
Natasha Bradshaw, the Superintendent and Registrar at Mortlake Crematorium told us: “Many of the bereaved feel isolated and abandoned once the formalities of a death – such as a funeral - are over. We support this scheme because it helps remind them they are not alone and there are organisations that can help them.”
We also spoke to Claire Lyons, the General Manager of Woodland Burial Company: “We have no buildings in our established woodland, Granville’s Wood, so this is a perfect addition to our community shed. We are open 24hrs a day, so people can visit their loved ones in the early hours and listen to the dawn chorus if they wish. With the unpredictable British weather, it’s lovely to know that our families can grab an umbrella and continue their visit. These messages of hope remind us all, that while we may feel lonely in our grief, we are not alone.”
Show your support
If you would like to show your support, individuals can buy their own Good Grief Trust umbrella, or a Good Grief Trust umbrella pin badge from the Good Grief Trust shop.
Thank you to Talon for supporting the launch, and for creating large and small scale digital board advertising our charity across the UK.