Hospice reveals impact of DIY SOS bereavement centre project

Treetops Hospice has said a children’s bereavement counselling and therapy centre created by the DIY SOS Big Build for BBC Children in Need team a year ago has made a significant impact since opening.

This month marks the first anniversary of the DIY SOS team, along with an army of volunteer tradespeople, completing the new centre at the Risley hospice. The project took just 10 days to complete.

Since opening, the centre, which is called ‘The Saplings’, has supported more than 330 bereaved children with one-to-one counselling, and through non-talking group therapy.

Jules Kirk, therapeutic services manager at Treetops, said: “We support children as young as seven years old who are struggling after the death of a loved one.

“Many of our younger clients have experienced unexpected or traumatic bereavements, including accidents, suicide and murder.

“Some children are also still feeling the effects of the pandemic, having a detrimental effect on their mental health and their ability to cope after the death of a loved one.

“The Saplings offers a supportive environment for children and their families, putting them at ease from the moment they step through our doors.”

The Saplings centre includes three bespoke counselling rooms, a multi-functional space, and a complementary therapy room.

Treetops is the first hospice in the UK to offer therapies such as Reiki and massage for bereaved children.

Jules said: “We’re seeing a steady increase in the number of children and young people being referred to our counselling services.

“We’d love to hear from qualified counsellors and complementary therapists who would like to join our volunteer team so we can support even more children and young people when they need us the most.”

The Saplings was the 10th DIY SOS Big Build for BBC Children in Need, which has been supporting the hospice since 2010.

During the Big Build, BBC Radio 2 presenters and other celebrities visited the site including Richie Anderson, Zoe Ball, Rev Kate Bottley, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Scott Mills, Jeremy Vine and Owain Wyn Evan – and Pudsey the bear.

The final televised show was broadcast in November 2023 and is still available to view on the BBC iPlayer.