New faces join team at Winston’s Wish

Winston’s Wish, the leading childhood bereavement charity in the UK which has an office based in Springfield Road, Horsham, is delighted to welcome two new members of staff to join its clinical and fundraising teams in West Sussex: Louise Fernandes and Susan Dove.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Aug 2014, 13:52 BST
Susan Dove SUS-140108-125008001Susan Dove SUS-140108-125008001
Susan Dove SUS-140108-125008001

Louise Fernandes

Louise joins Winston’s Wish as a Senior Practitioner in the Family Services team and will be a great asset to the charity, having previously worked with children in a number of roles.

Her most recent experience is with the Hillingdon social services adoption team, looking after children with particularly complex and traumatic family histories. Louise is also a qualified teacher with experience in both primary and secondary schools.

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Louise Fernandes SUS-140108-125021001Louise Fernandes SUS-140108-125021001
Louise Fernandes SUS-140108-125021001

Having recently graduated with a master’s degree in Art Therapy at Hertfordshire University, Louise has gained further insight into the importance of creativity as a mode of self-expression, exploration and communication.

Louise is excited to get started in her new role: “I’m looking forward to bringing creativity and energy to the team here in West Sussex, who are hugely experienced in bereavement work.

“I was drawn to Winston’s Wish firstly because it is a children’s charity and secondly because of the creative way of working with children and families, which I feel I can contribute to within my role. I will work with an art therapy focus, supporting and providing therapeutic interventions to bereaved children and families”.

Susan Dove

Susan takes on the role of Community Fundraiser at Winston’s Wish, having worked in the same role at The Royal British Legion where she was responsible for supporting volunteers and fundraising for the Poppy Appeal across West Sussex.

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Susan has also volunteered for the Royal National Institute for the Blind as a co-ordinator and fundraiser, and was inspired by the tremendous efforts made by so many individuals, schools, organisations and businesses fundraising to support charities in their local communities.

This experience will stand her in good stead as she readies herself to support a number of innovative Winston’s Wish fundraising initiatives such as the Great British Brekkie and Wish Upon a Star campaigns.

Susan acknowledges that she joins Winston’s Wish at an exciting time of growth and innovation:

“As Community Fundraiser in the South East region, I have a large area to cover – Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight – and am very much looking forward to the challenge.

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“It’s an exciting time to be joining Winston’s Wish as they develop their childhood bereavement services across the UK”.

Each year, the charity supports over 30,000 bereaved children and young people through an array of dedicated services. These in-depth support programmes include support following death as a result of accident, illness, murder, manslaughter, suicide and also through military service.

Winston’s Wish depends almost entirely on voluntary donations for its income and the expansion of the community fundraising team will play a vital role in raising the £2.4 million required each year to fund the charity’s work.

Report and pictures contributed by Winston’s Wish.