46,300 children are estimated to experience the death of a parent each year. That’s 46,300 children whose lives will change immeasurably forever. As one in every UK classroom will experience the death of someone close by the time they reach 16 years old, this is a very real and present problem facing young people today.
Quooker’s MD Stephen Johnson, is all too familiar with grief, after his mother Sandra Johnson died when he was only 18 months. His personal experience of early loss and the impact this has had on him in later life, drove him to raise money for Grief Encounter, a charity that exists to support young people facing similar situations.
Johnson set himself an ambitious, groundbreaking mission of walking more than 35 marathons over the 31 days of August this year. His daily step count averaged 70k which saw Johnson walk for 10-12 hours per day, every day, for an entire month, walking over 1000 miles. It is the equivalent of walking from Land’s End to John o’ Groats and back again, Manchester to Saudi Arabia or, if he was to walk upwards, beyond the International Space Station.
An incredibly impressive feat all done for a cause close to his heart. His aim is to raise awareness of the impact on children of the death of someone close whilst raising vital funds for Grief Encounter so that no one will suffer alone.
Grief Encounter has been providing free, professional and specialist bereavement support for nearly two decades. Its mission is to give every child and young person access to the best possible support following the death of someone close. Working closely with individuals, families and schools, the charity offers a way through the anxiety, fear and isolation so often caused by grief. As Grief Encounter is an open access-charity, it is funded entirely by the generosity of its supporters.
Johnson has an ambitious target of £50k and is currently just under £40k. Johnson covered the entire cost of the challenge so every penny donated can go directly to the invaluable work of Grief Encounter.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/stephen-johnson-1719393474476
Suzy Turner, Grief Encounter’s CEO comments, “Grief is not a choice. When it happens in childhood it is a forced change, thrust into the developing years, when understanding of the world, and how to stay safe and happy, is developing too. Stephen is a grieving adult bereaved as a child, whose commitment to a world where no child grieves alone is steadfast. Stephen’s support will raise vital awareness of the needs of grieving children.
He is committed to raising vital funds that make sure children and families get access to the help they need, when they need it, so that they can find hope and healing. He is the epitome of why the experiences of our children in the first 48 months of their lives matter, how the death of a parent during these tender years shapes the child and adult, and how making memories is a lifetime work for good.”
Commenting on the challenge completed, Johnson comments, “The death of a parent is not only incredibly distressing, but it is one of the highest risk factors to your health and wellbeing through to adulthood. No child should face grief alone and it is my hope that by raising awareness and funds for the vital work of Grief Encounter, more children will benefit from their life-giving support. The challenge ahead was single handedly the hardest thing I have ever done. It was physically demanding and draining but it was also mentally exhausting. I have learnt more about my own resilience than ever before. I am so grateful to everyone who has donated, but I am determined to reach my target. Any donation made is going to an incredibly cause.”
