LOSING a child can be heartbreaking but now a charity that offers support to families that are grieving has its first permanent base in the county.

TV presenter Helen Skelton joined youngsters from Brunswick School in Penrith and teenagers from Appleby Grammar School at the new offices of Child Bereavement UK.

Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals both when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, and when a child is facing bereavement.

Helen, a mum-of-two-boys who grew up in Kirkby Thore, said: “I know people who have had to use this service and anything that makes life easier for them when they have lost a child has to be a good thing.

“The advice the charity offers is invaluable.”

The charity, which offers a peripatetic bereavement service across Cumbria, now has an administration and resource base which also provides a space for bereavement support practitioners to see children, young people and families.

The new base is on Wordsworth Street in Penrith.

The charity welcomed Helen, who has been a supporter in the past, to their new premises in The Bridge, a youth cafe within the Methodist Church.

Helen, who used to work for BBC Radio Cumbria, now works as a television and radio presenter having presented programmes including Blue Peter, Countryfile and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

She has just written her second children’s book and is currently taking a career break to look after her two young boys.

She said: “The charity has a beautiful garden with bunting.

“The environment is nice and that makes it a bit less painful.

“It’s a place that you hope you would never have to go, but those that do get a great deal of comfort and satisfaction from the help, advice and guidance that they receive.

“Some people are getting a positive experience from it and that’s what counts.

“We have to help those that need it most and the charity is now able to do that. The level of support they offer is just amazing.

“One thing that I was particularly impressed with was an amazing video called One More Minute.

“It showed Prince William and Rio Ferdinand talking about what they would say to people they have lost if they just had one more minute with them.

“It was very powerful and very emotional.”

Seb Farrell, Child Bereavement UK’s fundraising manager (north) said: “To have Helen Skelton come along to our open day and support our services in Cumbria was wonderful.

“We have a great team supporting families across the county.

“We’ll now also be able to support children, young people and families from our new base in Penrith.

“We are delighted to finally find a home for the charity here in Cumbria.”

Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement.

Every year the charity trains about 10,000 professionals, helping them to better understand and meet the needs of grieving families.

Staff were on hand at the open day to tell people more about the charity and its work.

They met families and education and health professionals interested in finding out more about the training available to those working with bereaved parents, children and young people.

The charity would like to hear from volunteers and those that are able to fundraise. For support call 0800 02 888 40 or email www.childbereavementuk.org.