Market Drayton bereavement support group finds new home in lockdown with support of family company

The Just About You Support (JAYS) group was set up by Market Drayton woman Debbie Howlett in 2015, after the deaths of her own husband and five-year-old son, Symon and Jay, in a tragic accident in 2007.

She said that it helps her to keep the memories of her loved ones alive and to support others.

She explained that this year meant the group was disrupted, as were so many other aspects of life.

"I set up a bereavement group in Market Drayton a few years ago, which has been run from Christ Church, Little Drayton.

"I have two groups, an adults' and a juniors'. During this last lockdown we weren't able to use the church, so I found a venue which we could use – the Phoenix Centre, in town.

"Well, this has turned out to be the start of something else for us. The juniors seemed more comfortable there. We do crafts with them, as a way for them to talk about their loved one no longer here.

"The juniors were talking so much more in the centre. Having the tables, which we could all sit around, made it easier. I had a good feeling about the place.

'We owe the church a lot – but it feels right to have a move'

"We then had the adults' meeting there too, and the same thing again – more relaxed and able to talk more freely.

"So I asked them all how would they feel about moving, they were all up for it.

"Don't get me wrong, we owe the church a lot. We have helped lots of people out, in the five plus years we have been there – but it feels right to have a move.

"I'm so excited, I feel we can help more people there.

"Our only issue was, the church didn't have a fee to use it, we just used to leave a small donation. The Phoenix Centre charges, that was my only problem.

"We don't have an income, I couldn't pay for the use of the centre. Then, the day after I had discussed about the move, I got a phone call from JR Williams Funeral Directors.

"They offered me some money to help start off the cost of us moving to the centre. I was so overwhelmed, amazed, grateful, happy and excited. We can definitely make the move.

"So from January 2021 JAYS bereavement groups will be at the Phoenix Centre."

Fundraising

She said that the donation from the funeral directors will keep the group at the centre for at least six months, with the adults sessions on the third Thursday of each month from 7pm to 8pm and the juniors on the fourth Thursday from 6pm to 7.30pm.

Beyond that, Debbie is hoping to organise some fundraising activities to keep the groups at their new home.

"I really am so grateful to JR Williams Funeral Directors for their generous donation but it won't last forever. In time we will do some fundraising, when it is safe to do so, but in the meantime if anybody else would like to help us, we would be so grateful."

If you could help, contact Debbie on debi.howlett@hotmail.co.uk or 07917 194122.

The funeral directors were already helping Debbie, printing notices for the group.

Angela Ball from JR Williams Funeral Directors said: "It's a cause close to our hearts and we wanted to quietly support it."