Bodie Hodges Foundation
People: Improving people’s mental wellbeing
Chips and a Chat meets monthly and offers a safe environment where bereaved dads can come together. The group enjoys a social activity with no pressure to talk as listening is just as supportive.
About this cause
The Bodie Hodges Foundation is a local Leicestershire-based charity that supports families who have been bereaved of a child. The charity was established in 2013 by Nick and Donna Hodges after the death of their ten-month-old son Bodie. They wanted to offer support to other bereaved families as their experience highlighted how isolating losing a child was. The charity has now become well-regarded regionally for its sensitive, effective professional bereavement services and support groups to adults and children in their darkest hour of grief. Our vision is to give hope to families bereaved of a child by providing a range of specialist services that encourage them to rebuild and remember. All our services are free of charge to ensure that no bereaved families are left to grieve alone.
Bodie Hodges Foundation website
How this cause brings people in the community together
Our Chips and a Chat group will continue to provide a space where bereaved dads can meet and feel heard. The aim of the group is to offer peer support for bereaved dads – a space which allows men to share their experiences, feelings and thoughts with other dads with a similar lived experience. We always have a social activity such as pool, darts, shuffle boarding as a focal point of our meetings. Due to the caring, empathic nature of our group, members can share memories of their child in an environment where everyone feels valued and respected as soon as they walk through the door. There is no pressure to talk or share as sometimes just listening to others going through the same can be enough.