Thanks to the generosity of its members and their guests, the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) raised approximately £5,000 at the Association’s Annual Gala Ball for Grief Encounter. Grief Encounter supports bereaved children and their families to help alleviate the pain caused by the death of someone close.  The sum raised adds to the £20,000 the CHSA has already raised for Grief Encounter.

Contributions of all sizes being valuable to Grief Encounter, the funds are being put to good use: £50 pays for a one-to-one counselling session; £100 provides a grief kit for a bereaved family; £500 pays for a bereaved family to attend a residential weekend; £1,000 pays for a dedicated trauma specialist to conduct an initial response for one week with a school following the death of a student; and bereaved children and their families.

The CHSA’s Gala Ball took place in May at the Staverton Park Estate and Golf Club. 

David Garcia, Vice President of the CHSA and the driving force behind the Gala Ball, said: “We were delighted to host the Gala Ball again after the pause of the pandemic. Bringing together our members and their guests, it was a wonderful highlight event. The evening was packed with brilliant entertainment, including ‘The Singing Waiters’, table magicians and the live band, CHOICE.  

“Putting something back is at the heart of our ethos.  A huge thank you to all our members and guests who contributed on the night and to our sponsors who made the whole event possible!”

Around 45,000 children experience the death of a parent or sibling in the UK every year, with an additional 10,000 children having experienced bereavement as a direct result of Covid-19 in 2021.Bereavement is devastating at any age, but for a child it is life-changing. Grief Encounter offers a lifeline, providing free, immediate, one-to-one support that help children and young people with the confusion, fear and loneliness they often feel following the death of someone close.