Harvey's story

Hi, I’m Harvey. I’m 16 and I’ve just finished my GCSEs. I live at home with my mum and my younger brother, Josh. I love playing football, I’m a goalkeeper for my team, and I also like going to the gym and hanging out with my mates.

I came to the Dove House Children’s Bereavement Group after my Grandpops passed away. It was actually my neighbour who suggested it. At the time, I was really struggling. I felt angry, sad, frustrated, just completely lost, to be honest. I didn’t know how to deal with what I was feeling, and I didn’t really know anyone else going through something like this, so I felt really alone.

I could talk to my mum, but I didn’t want to worry her. She was grieving too, and I didn’t want to add to that. I tried speaking to the wellbeing team at school, but it didn’t feel like they understood what I needed.

I was nervous before going to the group. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was worried about what it might be like. But once I got there, it actually helped a lot. It felt good to be around other young people who got it, they understood what it’s like to lose someone so important.

We did all sorts of activities in the group like card games, painting clay, memory crafts. We even had a Rapper come in to talk to us about grief, which was really cool. One session that really stood out for me was when I brought in a photo of my Grandpops and talked about him. It was emotional, but also really comforting to share those memories.

Jill and Becca, who ran the group at Dove House, were amazing. They made it feel like a safe space. I felt like I could really talk and be listened to.
Being in the group helped me feel supported and I started to connect with the others and feel more comfortable. I still find it hard sometimes, but I do talk to my mum more now. And I’ve stayed in touch with one of the other girls from the group, which means a lot.

If there’s another young person out there going through a loss and thinking about getting help from the hospice, I’d say: do it. It really helps. You won’t feel so alone in your grief, and just being around others who understand makes a big difference.
For me, the best part was meeting other people going through the same thing. What I needed most was support, understanding, and someone to talk to who wasn’t part of my family and feeling the same pain. The group at the hospice gave me that.

Harvey’s mum Natalie: “Thank you so much to Jill, Becca and all who supported Harvey and also recently his brother Josh in school.  What you do is amazing and I could never thank you enough for supporting my boys through such a difficult time in their lives. Forever grateful.”