CALA Homes (North) has donated £500 to Sunrise Partnership to fund four puppets which will be used during loss and bereavement sessions for children and young people across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
The charity, based in Aberdeen, offers free, confidential support to children and young people aged 18 and under who have been affected by loss and bereavement. Support is available in the form of one-to-one sessions, one day ‘Bereavement Days’ and ‘Seasons for Growth’ groups.
The charity was formed by six trustees and advisors with backgrounds in social work, complementary therapy, teaching and counselling to fulfil the need for bereavement support for children in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Prior to Sunrise Partnership, there were no local bereavement organisations specifically for children which offered ongoing direct support to any bereaved child.
The donation was made as part of the housebuilder’s £10,000 community bursary scheme which was launched last year to mark 140 years since the company was established as the City of Aberdeen Land Association.
Manager at Sunrise Partnership, Eileen Wheeler, said: “The four new puppets we have been able to purchase with CALA’s donation will be an important resource for our sessions.
“Using puppets tends to be less threatening for children and young people than asking them to speak directly about situations and how they’re feeling.”
Vivian Bisset, sales and marketing manager at CALA Homes (North) welcomed Eileen to the luxury housebuilder’s Oldfold Village development in Milltimber to hear more about the vital work the charity undertakes and see the puppets purchased with the donation.
Vivian said: “It is great to know that bereaved children in the area can seek the support of the experienced and dedicated staff at Sunrise Partnership.
“We are very pleased to enable the charity to purchase the new puppets and hope that they will prove useful in the sessions it provides.”
The CALA Homes (North) community bursary will support 12 different charities and community groups across Aberdeen and the surrounding area this year by funding vital equipment and services. Beneficiaries include Grampian MS Therapy Centre, Grampian Deaf Children's Society, Aberdeen Science Centre, and SensationalALL.