Bereavement support
Find out about how Jessie May will support you and your family after the death of your child
Families have told us that loss, grief, and bereavement can begin the moment a child is diagnosed with a life-limiting condition. That’s why we’re here to offer support from the very start—if and when you feel it would help—and we’ll continue to be here whenever you need us.
Jessie May’s community is a club that families might hope they never need, but when they do, they’re so glad that it exists.
We work with the whole family, providing much needed practical support and emotional scaffolding when your child enters end of life care. We can offer help before, during and after your child’s funeral.
Support can look different for everyone, so we offer a range of options: home visits and phone calls, relaxed coffee catch-ups, countryside walks with other bereaved parents, or one-to-one time with Michelle, our trained bereavement support coordinator.
We can also connect you with other organisations that may be able to offer additional support and guidance.
There are special events just for our bereaved families, and as part of the Jessie May family, you’re always welcome to our family events—whether it’s at our Christmas parties, fun days, or simply when you feel ready to reconnect.
Peer support group
The Purple Group
The Purple Group coffee morning is a peer support group created by a bereaved parent for other bereaved parents. It’s a space to come together, share experiences and memories, offer advice, or simply find comfort in the presence of others who truly understand.
There’s no pressure to speak—you’re welcome to just listen. The group meets four or five times a year and is entirely informal, with no set agenda. It’s there for you to take from it whatever feels right.
Celebrate lives
Tree of Light
Each December, we hold our Tree of Light event to remember and celebrate the lives of all the children.
Set in a peaceful, non-religious space, the event features music and readings that offer time for reflection. Families are invited to write a message to their child on a star, which is then hung on a tree illuminated with soft lights.
More than a donation
In Memory Giving
You can celebrate the life of someone special and honour their memory by supporting Jessie May in their name.
Through life, death, bereavement and grief Jessie May are there for families for as long as they need us – support for weeks, months and years.
Whether it’s donations in lieu of flowers at their funeral (most funeral directors will oversee this for you, just let them know you’ve chosen to support Jessie May), or a tribute page that allows friends and families to donate and share memories of your loved one (which you can do through our partnership with Much Loved
Each donation you make in memory of a loved one is more than a donation, it’s a lasting impact—helping to support families during the most difficult times of their lives, where seriously ill children can still be children, and families can make memories to look back on when they need them most.
Support Jessie May
Your contributions will help children with life-limiting conditions and their families through their toughest times.
