Eden's Trust Newsletters

December 2014

Hello to all Eden’s Trust Supporters,

It has been one year since our last newsletter and in that time, so much has happened. Our biggest news is that we were awarded Comic Relief funding. This is huge recognition of all the work we do. However, please remember that without all your support and spreading the word of what we do, without your continued fundraising efforts, we would struggle to exist and that existence is important for bereaved parents and their families.

Begin to Heal

Our Begin to Heal ten week support groups are now well established and we run them two to three times a year. Our aim is to run a minimum of three Begin to Heal groups in 2015.

The Healing Place

In October 2013, we started The Healing Place drop in groups. They have become so successful that we now run them twice a month – on the first and third Monday of every month.

New in 2014 ‘Say Hello'

Eden’s Trust started once-a-month drop in support groups for siblings who have lost a brother or sister. This came about after a conversation with a very close friend of mine who explained that she felt so isolated when her brother passed away because, not only did she lose her brother, but her parents were in such shock, they were unable to function or be parents for a very long time. All the family and friends rallied around to support her parents and even though she knew they needed it, she had also suffered a terrible loss and it was a double whammy as her parents could no longer be there for her. After discussion with other bereaved parents and with their surviving children, plus my children, the realisation hit me that there was a great need here and we had missed it. ‘Say Hello’ was born from this.

All our groups run at Wanstead House in East London at the moment but we are preparing to start new groups in South London in 2015. We are in the process of looking for a venue, interviewing for the right psychotherapists/counsellors to facilitate our South London Groups and marketing what we are doing in the local area. I really wish that our services were not needed, but sadly they are. Keep an eye on our social media pages (Facebook and Twitter) for further information on our groups and the locations, but also to find out what we are doing to raise essential funds to run our groups, and to stay informed about our charity Zumba classes from which all proceeds go to Eden’s Trust, of course!!! We would be really grateful to everyone who feels able to share our Facebook posts and retweet our tweets, to help spread the word to those who need our support.

Fundraising and Awareness Events
Richard Clark’s 25th Birthday

6 December 2014

The Clark family very bravely held an open house tea and cake party at their home to celebrate what would have been Richard’s 25th birthday. What a bitter-sweet day – we released balloons as we wished Richard a Happy Birthday. So, so sad, watching other people going through the same pain and remembrance rituals as I do with my family and friends. Through their pain, the Clark family found the strength to make this a fundraiser for Epilepsy Action, CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), and Eden’s Trust. Eden’s Trust was given £1000 raised from this event. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

Elli Galvani radio interview on Betar Bangla 1503 AM

23 November 2014

To raise awareness, I was interviewed on Betar Bangla radio with over 250,000 listeners. The discussion covered what shaped my values before having Eden and how these altered after the loss of Eden and how our charity, Eden’s Trust, was born from this painful experience.

Waitrose Charity Scheme

October 2014

Eden's Trust was nominated as one of the charities for the Waitrose, Buckhurst Hill Community Matters Token Scheme, which shares £1000 between three charities every month. We received an incredible £460! Trustees Jennie and Phil Lawley officially collected the cheque. Our huge thanks go to Waitrose, to everybody who shops there and chose our charity to give their tokens to, and to the Verma family (you know who you are) and Jennie and Phil, who put us forward for the scheme.

Kathy's Wing Walk

Kathy, one of our Zumba for charity students, did a spectacular wing walk on a bi-plane to raise money for Eden's Trust. Built in 1942, the plane was used to train pilots in the Second World War. Kathy raised £100 for Eden's Trust. It is amazing and incredible that people continue to support us and help us to evolve and help others.

FIFA World Cup 2014 Sweepstake at Redbridge Tuition Service

July 2014

Thank you so much to Suzanne Eccleston and all the staff and pupils at the Redbridge Tuition Service for donating £31.82 by organising a sweepstake for the FIFA World Cup and donating the money they raised to our charity.

Fundraising and Awareness Events
Non-Uniform Day at Gilbert Colvin School

June 2014

Gilbert Colvin School held a non-uniform day and raised a fantastic £274.20. Thank you to Debbie Wiles and Kim Fenn for organising this and a massive thank you to all the students, teachers and parents of Gilbert Colvin for raising this great amount of money. This means so much to Eden's Trust.

Grand Charity Quiz Night

Saturday 14th June 2014 This great event at Grange Hill Methodist Church raised £400 for Eden's Trust! Thank you so much to all who took part!

Eden's Trust Zumba Session at Redbridge Green Fair

Sunday 25th May 2014

At the Redbridge Green Fair in beautiful Valentines Park, we held a fun Zumba taster session to raise awareness of the Trust in the local community.

Electric Run™

Saturday 26th April 2014

This exciting event was a night time 5k run/walk experience with an arty twist, featuring electronic dance and LED/glow décor! Big thanks to Lucy Palmer and Nadia Quigley-Lewis who took part in the event and raised £35 for Eden's Trust.

Free Pilates Class

Saturday 12th April 2014

Eden's Trust held a free Pilates class at the Jack Carter Centre in Ilford to say thank you to all the students who support the charity by coming to classes. The class was led by Lorraine Jay.

The Brighton Marathon

Sunday 6th April 2014

A totally inspirational day where we cheered on our amazing runners, Andrew Knight, Jon Pigrem and Robin Monaghan of Anderson Acoustics. The guys trained so hard and with such dedication, and when they arrived at the finish they were so full of positive energy. They did Eden's Trust truly proud and we can't thank them enough.

Presentation of Fundraiser Proceeds at The Ursuline Academy Ilford

Friday 7th February 2014

I attended the Academy where students gave a presentation that moved me to tears. Their highly successful Christmas Market raised over £1800 for Eden's Trust.

Christmas Market at The Ursuline Academy Ilford

Thursday 19th December 2013 This wonderful event raised over £1800! We are incredibly grateful to Dominika Slowik who is a student at the school and who gave a very powerful presentation that led to the school choosing Eden's Trust as the charity to receive all proceeds from their annual Christmas Market this year. The market was an event for students and their parents and this much-needed generous support from the Academy has given Eden's Trust a real boost as we continue to expand our provision of support groups for bereaved parents.

Christmas

When Christmas approaches, I dread it, I miss my little girl Eden. For bereaved parents, siblings, families, it does not matter if we are alone or surrounded by our other loved ones - children, family, friends – there is always someone missing and that person’s presence, their absence can never be replaced. It does not mean that being with other loved ones does not help – it does, but that hole, that emptiness of someone special not being physically there with us to share, hurts really badly. Some of us are alone at Christmas; spare a thought and a prayer please. I ask you to read the below which is from ‘The Compassionate Friends’ website…it speaks volumes.


‘Christmas is one of the most difficult times for any family that is grieving for the child that was such a vibrant part of their lives. The pressure to celebrate and the pain of missing someone so special at this time can be unbearable. Other things that bereaved families struggle with at this time of the year are insensitive Christmas cards, with messages such as "Have a great Christmas" with no mention of the person who has died or the difficulties the family are experiencing. And family get-togethers, office parties etc where there is tremendous pressure to be festive. These things are all much more manageable if some understanding of the situation is shown to the bereaved person. It is estimated that in the UK alone, over 6000 young people under the age of 20 die each year leaving behind 20,000 to 30,000 newly bereaved parents and siblings. The vast majority of families who have lost a child keep that person with them for the rest of their lives and need to have them acknowledged, especially at Christmas. But in our culture talking about a young person who has died is one of the last taboos. Despite best intentions, many people do not know what to say and a common reaction is to say nothing at all. But that is the worst thing and leaves many bereaved families feeling isolated. So please if you know someone who has lost a child or young person, don't be frightened to "SAY THEIR NAME AT CHRISTMAS."


“If you mention my child’s name, I might cry, but if you don’t, you will break my heart.”


I found a little poem that I thought said a lot as I truly believe our children who have passed, continue to be with us and will be with us at Christmas and always.


Christmas in Heaven, what do our children do?

They all come to earth to spend it with me and you,

So save them a space, one empty chair.

You might not see them, but they will be there….


Peace and Love Elli (Eden’s mum)

November 2013


Hello to all Eden’s Trust Supporters,


I would like to start by saying thank you for liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. Social media is a powerful way of letting the world out there know of who we are and about the work we do and we’d be really grateful to everyone who feels able to share our Facebook posts and retweet our tweets, as this will help to spread the word as much as possible to those who need our support.

Begin to Heal

We completed our first ‘Begin to Heal’ twelve-week support group/workshop at the end of August. Following on from the group, the decision was made to run our courses for ten weeks. One of the things about Eden’s Trust which I felt was important from the very beginning was that we should keep the groups small in order to be able to provide a safe and comfortable environment and to ensure the right level of support is given to all attendees. We therefore have a maximum of 10 people to a group, but WILL run the groups with a minimum of two people. Because of this, we are able to cover the course effectively in ten weeks.


Our second ‘Begin to Heal’ support group (comprising ten weeks) commenced at Wanstead House on 17th October and is going really well. Watch this space to see how the group progresses.

The Healing Place

Another exciting piece of news – in October we started a new monthly drop-in group, ‘The Healing Place’. One of the questions that arose from our first ‘Begin to Heal’ workshop was “What do we do now that the groups have finished? We have forged friendships and built trust within the group. Can we not still meet and be supported?” From this, the idea of ‘The Healing Place’ was born. These groups take place on the first Monday of every month and provide an opportunity for bereaved parents to come along, share and be supported in a safe environment with our trained facilitators.

2014

So, as things stand at this moment in time, we will be running four ‘Begin to Heal’ workshops/courses from Wanstead House in 2014, as well as the monthly ‘The Healing Place’ drop-in groups, and we will be starting a new ‘Begin to Heal’ group in central London from January 2014. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for further information on our groups and the locations, but also to find out what we are doing to raise essential funds to run our groups, and to stay informed about our charity Zumba classes from which all proceeds go to Eden’s Trust, of course!!!

Fundraising Events

1. Schubert’s Trout Quintet with The New Camerata Ensemble – Sunday 20th October 2014 raised over £800.00 and was a fantastic event that took place in the Great Hall of Forest School. Our thanks go out to David Hulbert, who organised this incredible event, to Forest School for allowing us to hold the concert on their beautiful grounds, to all the people who made the most amazing cakes for us to sell, to the helpers and supporters on the day and to Starbucks in Wanstead who came up trumps for us for the second time and provided coffee for 100 people.


2. The Big Cut! – Friday 1st November 2014 raised over £1,100. This event was organised solely by one of our trustees, Cherry Burns. Her two daughters Tia and Skye, had approximately 8 inches of their hair cut. Their hair went to another wonderful charity, The Little Princess Trust, which provide wigs and hair pieces for children who have lost their hair to cancer. People donated money to The Big Cut! which went to Eden’s Trust, to help keep our groups going. My eternal gratitude goes to these two young ladies who asked to have their hair cut off for Eden’s Trust and The Little Princess Trust.


Next event: Zumbathon with Nadia QL – Saturday 16th November 2014, at The Whittington Park Community Association- Cost: £10.00 to enter the Zumbathon and you can also download a sponsorship form so that others can sponsor you while you Zumba away for charity. See our Events page for details.

Trustees

One of the most wonderful things that came out of our support groups was that some of the bereaved parents have come on board as trustees. They felt so strongly about what we do and the support they received, that they wanted to help. I am proud to say we have taken on six new trustees – thank you for joining Eden’s Trust and for taking some of the workload from me.

Anniversaries & Special Occasions

For bereaved parents, anniversaries are things we dread the most. Birthdays, holidays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, holidays, religious and cultural days. Christmas is now coming up. I personally am beginning to feel low already and we are still only in November. I never know how the day will go. Will I do what I normally do and cut off from the world for the day, or will I be in the right head space to spend time with people I care about who have supported me in the last seven years since my Eden passed away? At this moment in time, I really don’t know. All I do know is that I have to be kind to myself and hope that people understand. For all bereaved parents, I know it does not matter whether you have been bereaved for 20 years, or six months, the pain is always there; a little easier to bear with time, but always, always still there, an emptiness that can never be filled. Try to be with someone, if you can, on these days – it helps if there is somebody there to support you in the most difficult of times.

Message to Eden

My Eden, my twinkle in my eye who is now my twinkle in the sky! I love you Eden, as all the other parents who have lost their children love them... with every single breath I take. I miss you more than anything at times like Christmas. I miss you jumping up and down on the bed and excitedly saying, ‘Can we go downstairs and open our presents mummy?’ The excitement etched in your face. I miss your love, I miss your huggles, I miss your kisses, I miss you my baby, more than the world!


Until our next newsletter...


Peace and Love


Elli (Eden’s mum)

September 2013

Hello to all Eden’s Trust Supporters,


I felt it was time to give you the low down on the good work Eden’s Trust is carrying out.


We finally found our first venue for the ‘Begin to Heal’ Support Groups/Workshops and commenced in June 2013 (5 months later than planned, but well worth the delay to ensure everything was just right).


My eternal gratitude goes out to all those who helped to make this real. I only wish there were not a need for charities such as Eden’s Trust to exist, but they are needed, so we will do everything in our power to support those who need it.


I felt it was time to give you the low down on the good work Eden’s Trust is carrying out.


To those who took the huge and incredibly brave step forward to attend the groups, share their story and pain, and listen to other’s stories and pain (you know who you are) – thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have found new friends who really know exactly how I feel and are there for me, as I am for them. We worked hard for 12 weeks to come out of ‘the other side of bereavement’. Do check our website for the feedback from the first course run by Eden’s Trust.


Our first group finished last month and it was incredibly positive, considering the reason we were all there. We called it ‘the group that nobody wants to belong to’. It started at Wanstead House, 21 The Green, London E11 2NT. People came together to share and support each other. We all had this one thing in common – we had suffered the loss of a child and continue to have this void and pain inside that never goes away but becomes a part of us and has to be accepted in order to survive and continue with life, albeit differently. Eden’s Trust provided a forum for people who have been bereaved for many years, a few months or anywhere in between to meet and work together on moving forward, not away! IT WORKED!!! We learned from each other how best to survive and ACCEPT there was nothing we could do to change what life had thrown at us. We were taught ways to work at bereavement, and, trust me, the work was extremely hard and at times, very emotional.


The Eden’s Trust programme is not only a support group, it is also a workshop. Wanstead House will continue to run these workshops, the next one commencing October 2013 and then January 2014. Next year, we aim to start a second group near Liverpool Street which will be more accessible for people working in Central London.


We are also starting a monthly drop-in support group, ‘The Healing Place’, at Wanstead House, which is an open session for anyone who has suffered the loss of a child to come and share and also for those who have gone through the 12 week program, so there is some continuation for them. The first session will be on Monday 14th October at 7.30pm, thereafter, following monthly, on the first Monday of every month. I know only too well this is a massive step to take, to attend a group for the first time can be quite daunting especially if you are on your own, but it is a step in the right direction. Call me and I shall come out to meet you and go in with you – you will be welcomed and supported.


We are also starting a monthly drop-in support group, ‘The Healing Place’, at Wanstead House, which is an open session for anyone who has suffered the loss of a child to come and share and also for those who have gone through the 12 week program, so there is some continuation for them. The first session will be on Monday 14th October at 7.30pm, thereafter, following monthly, on the first Monday of every month. I know only too well this is a massive step to take, to attend a group for the first time can be quite daunting especially if you are on your own, but it is a step in the right direction. Call me and I shall come out to meet you and go in with you – you will be welcomed and supported.


Fundraising

Our fundraiser on 14 July 2012 raised over £3,000.

This year, we have not been able to organise another big event as most of my time was spent on getting the support workshops and support groups off the ground. However some kind supporters of Eden’s Trust arranged small fundraisers and raised much needed funds – thank you so much for all your hard work.



The following fundraisers happened in 2013:

February 2013 – Tea Party

April 2013 – Psychic Afternoon

August 2013 – Garden Party


Upcoming 2013 Fundraisers:


20 October 2013 - Chamber Music Concert with the New Camerata Ensemble performing Schubert’s Trout Quintet with soprano Jo Parton (further information on our Events page).


November 2013 = 3 Hour Zumbathon (yes, 3 hours!!). Details and date to appear on our Events page soon.


Out of the most terrible loss, together we have planted a little seed which is now growing into a mighty oak. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and from the heart and soul of the girl of my dreams - EDEN. Eden used to say to me ‘when I was a twinkle in your eye mummy’, before following with one of her many questions from her incredibly inquisitive, beautiful mind. She meant before she was born. Well, that twinkle in my eye has become a twinkle in the sky! I love you Eden, as all the other parents who have lost their children love them... with every single breath I take.


Until our next newsletter...


...Peace and Love


Elli (Eden’s mum)


August 2012

Hello to all Eden’s Trust Supporters,


Eight weeks have passed since our fundraiser on 14th July 2012. Sincere apologies for not getting this out to you all sooner. I hope you understand that July is the month of Eden’s birth and death – so it is a very difficult month to get through, to say the least. I am now in a better place and would like to share with you all the positives that have come from the charity pampering day and zumbathon night, both of which could not have happened without your support.


We are a small charity and only had funds of £800. This figure is now up to £3,500 which is absolutely amazing. This money will cover our first three support/survival groups for those who have lost a child.


Each group will run for 12 weeks where eight people per group who need support will meet weekly with a trauma councillor to share and support each other, create friendships with people who have suffered the loss of a child and have this void and pain inside that never goes but becomes a part of us and has to be accepted in order to survive and continue with life, albeit differently. We will provide a forum where we can meet people who have been bereaved for many years, for only a few months or anywhere in between. The best thing is that we can learn from each other how best to survive and just ACCEPT and to know we are not alone!

The aim is for the groups to start January 2013 – we are looking for therapy rooms /venues in and around London to hold these groups so please call me on 07814 550375 or send me an email if you know of anywhere that we can use for our groups.


Let me now take the time to thank all the volunteers who provided their services and worked so hard to make Eden’s Trust fundraising day and night a success. To the therapists Josie Hodgson, Nikki Georgio, Katia Pazienza for their beauty treatments, Richard Levy for his tarot and psychic readings, Annie Hawkins, Vibeke Santos, Shelley Reynolds for their massage treatments, Louise Pitch and Teresa Federico for their reflexology, Laura Roberts for her Indian Head Massage, Tom Watson for his Qi Gong, Jin for her Henna Hand Painting, Tom Reynolds for his photography. Contact me (info@edenstrust.org.uk) for details of the above therapists and their professional services.


To all the volunteers who prepared some fantastic savoury and sweet dishes to sell on the day, Lynette Armstrong, Robbie Galvani, Lulu Vercoutre, Tina Georgio, Nadia Quigley-Lewis, Laura Britton, Bernie Fazarelli – thank you all.


To Starbucks in Wanstead for supplying us with coffee on tap and thermal cups for the day, Pat-a-Cake is South Woodford for their delicious cup cakes, Jane Dowling at Fitness for Everybody for her £200 fitness voucher for the raffle, Just Hire for the loan of their tea urn and ice buckets, Celtic Manor Spa Resort for our wonderful first prize in the raffle and for all the other donations toward the raffle.


To all the volunteers who gave of their time freely: Emily Collingwood who also had the Body Shop stand and provided much needed prizes for the raffle, Barbara Grehs for all her marketing support and help on the day, to Jo Glasgow, Anna Barclay, Tina Georgio, to Louis Hodgson-Galvani, Helayna Barclay, Theo Barclay, (for running the Eden’s Trust T-shirt stand), Robbie Galvani, Nadia Quigley-Lewis who so kindly did most of the shopping for the day and refused to take the money back that she spent, Peter Louis, Shelley Reynolds, Tanya Pazienza, Sonia Pazienza, Janine Yarnell for selling her gorgeous jewellery and helping with the day, Steve Brown.


Last but not least, to Niki Britton and the Zumba Girls and Zumbarette followers for making the Zumbathon a success.


I could go on and on, but you all know who you are – please know that I am truly grateful and know that without you, Eden’s Trust would not have taken the first step to becoming a working charity which is really going to help people.

Out of the most terrible loss, together we have planted a little seed which is going to grow into a great mighty oak. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and from the heart and soul of the girl of my dreams - EDEN.


I shall let you know in the October Newsletter, how the Eden’s Trust Zumba Classes are going and how much we raise through these and through the sale of bracelets and t-shirts.


Watch this space!


Peace and Love


Elli (Eden’s mum)