In this most difficult of years, people have great worries of their own.

We believe, nevertheless, that it is more important than ever that we help others.

The Hereford Times Christmas Appeal 2020, in partnership with the Herefordshire Community Foundation, aims to help seven LOCAL charities in each of the key towns where the Hereford Times is read.

We invited the county’s mayors (and the mayor of Hay-on-Wye) to nominate a charity to receive an equal share of the funds raised.

The nomination of Coun Kath Hey, Mayor of Hereford, is Phoenix Bereavement Services.

Phoenix Bereavement Services works with children and young people when someone close to them dies. It offers one-to-one support, family and group sessions and social outings.

Rubi Thackway and Rose Bellis, who have benefited from the support offered by the charity, are now youth ambassadors for Phoenix.

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Rubi, who is now 21, was just nine years old when her cousin Greg took his own life at the age of 16, and Phoenix Bereavement Services (at the time Noah’s Ark) provided the support she desperately needed.

Rubi said: “Lorraine (Smith) would visit me at school one afternoon a week and we’d just sit in a room together.

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“It became the perfect environment for me not to be the youngest and not to feel I needed to go round hugging people who were upset.

“I didn’t like going to the graveyard because my mum and my aunt would be so upset.

"I didn’t feel it was a place for me, but I didn’t feel confident enough to say that, so I said it to Lorraine. She was the perfect middle ground.”

Rose, who helps organise adventure days and run youth groups, lost her father to autoimmune hepatitis in 2009 when she was seven years old.

“It changes everything quite drastically,” she said.

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“Someone suggested Noah’s Ark to my mum, and she took me there.

"I was just generally a bit confused about it all. I kind of felt that because I was in the centre of it that I should be helping people who were less involved to feel better. You feel a responsibility.”

Like Rubi, Rose had one-to-one sessions with Lorraine, a relationship she feels was invaluable.

“I don’t think I would have coped without them.

"It was hard for my family to get over my dad’s death, and thinking about people who don’t have support like that makes me feel upset.”

“I really enjoy working with Phoenix, and seeing someone going from not talking to anyone to blossoming.

"Because of my experience, I feel that I’m relatable to others. It’s a really rewarding job.

These are the other six charities the appeal is helping:

Cllr Bob Widdowson, Mayor of Kington, Kington United Charities

A local charity, run to help local people at a time of crisis or need when help cannot be found elsewhere. It helps local groups such as the Kington food bank and other community services.

Cllr Kath Hey, Mayor of Hereford, Phoenix Bereavement Support Services

A charity working with children and young people when someone close to them dies, offering one-to-one support, family and group sessions, and social outings for children and young people.

Cllr Daniel Lister, Mayor of Ross-on-Wye, Ross Basement Youth Trust

Providing support to young people 11-18 years in the Ross-on-Wye district though informal drop-in sessions, professional training workshops and sports sessions.

“These very important services are at risk and as a community we need to step in and protect these vital connections to our youth and their future.”

Cllr Daniel Vesma, Mayor of Ledbury, Madison Shelbie Trust

“For the families of those who have lost their babies just before, during or just after birth, no Christmas will pass without wondering how different things would be without that empty chair,” says Mr Vesma.

“As for so many of us, the domestic run-up to Christmas is a cherished tradition in my house.

"I live for the sense of growing anticipation as more presents get hidden and the tree goes up.

"It was during such a week in 2006 that the baby boy my then-wife was carrying slipped away from us.

"He was just three weeks short of his due date. I was only in my early twenties, and the grief hit me like a train.

“Since it was founded five years ago, the Madison Shelbie Trust has directly supported over 350 parents, grandparents and siblings of babies who have passed away in Herefordshire.

“Covid has made finances even tighter than usual for the trust, so I would ask that you dig as deep as you can to help support this important local cause and the parents who they help through the darkest moments of their lives.”

Cllr Suzette Brunsdon, Mayor of Bromyard & Winslow, Helping Hands

Helping Hands, an initiative to provide food, toiletries and baby items to people encountering hardship, changed its name during the pandemic to Bromyard Food Bank and Money Advice Centre.

Allyson Reeves, a local events manager, stepped in to take over the day-to-day running of the Food Bank, which has now fed 323 adults/122 children/20 babies and 58 cats and dogs.

Alongside the food parcels, debt and money support is offered to clients, to help them out of the cycle of poverty.

Cllr Clive Thomas, Mayor of Leominster, Community Wheels

A vitally important community transport service, providing users of all ages and needs with door to door travel.

It provides an essential lifeline for many people who have no other means of transport. During the pandemic, staff went the extra mile to help the most vulnerable members of Leominster’s community, showing compassion and community spirit.

Cllr Trudy Stedman, Mayor of Hay-on-Wye, Hay & District Dial A Ride

“This organisation and their amazing volunteers undertake nearly 7000 journeys a year transporting people to hospital or GP appointments, to the bank, shopping, library visits, prescription collections and much more including organised day trips to local attractions.

During the coronavirus lockdown when they couldn’t undertake their normal people transport duties, they switched their focus to picking up prescriptions and shopping and delivering food on behalf of a local food bank.

They also stepped in to help out with transport for a resident who needed to attend regular radiotherapy treatments as they had a vehicle which enabled them to comply with the social distancing that was so important in this case.

Dial-A-Ride is more than just a transport charity, they provide a lifeline and support mechanism for their ‘customers’, one they have adapted to support people through the pandemic.

  • To donate visit www.herefordshirecf.org/donate or send a cheque to the Herefordshire Community Foundation, The Fred Bulmer Centre, Wall Street, Hereford HR4 9HP. Monies raised will be shared between all seven charities.