March Newsletter
Ukraine appeal - thank you!
Thank you to everyone who donated supplies to the Ukraine donation drop at the Quintessentially Foundation office in London.
At least 3 million people have fled their homes to escape the conflict in Ukraine. Homes have been destroyed. Families have been separated. Lives have been lost – and the lives and livelihoods of many more civilians continue to be threatened.
At Ukraine’s borders with Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova, huge numbers of people are arriving with only what they can carry. People urgently need food, water, shelter and medical care.
Our incredible community came together to fill two vans with much-needed supplies, from first aid kits and power banks to hygiene products and thermal layers, which are now enroute thanks to UkayExpress and to the Meest Ukraine humanitarian aid hub in Lviv.
You can see live updates of the QF supplies' journey to Lviv on our Instagram @quintessentiallyfoundation.
Reflecting on the QF Bike Ride 2021
As we gear up for this year’s QF Bike Ride, we wanted to reflect on the impact from 2021.
Fifty cyclists set off on a big challenge – to cycle 500kms over four days and to raise funds for Grief Encounter, The Ruth Strauss Foundation, and Quintessentially Foundation. The ride went from Carlisle through to the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Peak District and ended in the Cotswolds; collectively the riders raised £300,000.
Grief Encounter
In the UK, 1 in 29 children under the age of 16 will suffer the death of a parent. Rebuilding a new life after the death of a loved one is hard for everyone, but especially for children and young people. The emotions experienced by a grieving child can have life-altering and long-lasting negative impacts on a child’s development.
Grief Encounter help children through their darkest days, alleviating the pain caused by the death of someone close them. Their vision is that every bereaved child and young person in the UK receive the best possible, professional grief support.
The charity provides a wide range of free, bespoke, professional support and resources. This consists of tailored face-to-face counselling, e-counselling, group workshops, residential camps and more. In addition grieftalk - Grief Encounter's free, confidential and national helpline - is open weekdays 9am-9pm and available to anyone suffering from grief. Since its launch in 2019, over 12,000 contacts have been made via grieftalk.
Funds raised from the QF Bike Ride 2021 have been used to support core costs at Grief Encounter. At a time when there is increasing demand on their services, this money gives them the freedom, confidence and ability to continue their vital and extraordinary work.
Check out this special Thank You video from the team at Grief Encounter.
The Ruth Strauss Foundation
Established in 2019 by Sir Andrew Strauss following the death of his wife Ruth after a terminal non-smoking Lung Cancer diagnosis, The Ruth Strauss Foundation’s (RSF) mission is “to ensure that every family with a child facing the death of a parent is offered the professional emotional support they need to prepare the family for the future.” The funds raised by the 2021 cyclists went towards further developing The Ruth Strauss Family Support Service and their Training Programme for Healthcare Professionals.
The RSF Family Support Service offers terminally ill parents with support and guidance to prepare their children for parental death, dying and grief. The Ruth Strauss Support Service has made parents feel “more emotionally prepared, less alone and supported in talking to their children.”
The RSF Training Programme for Healthcare Professionals aims to provide cancer & palliative care nurses with the “confidence, skills, and ability to assess and address the support needs of patients when their cancer cannot be cured, and how to look after themselves in the process.”
A huge thank you to all the riders and support crew who made the 2021 ride an enormous success. We look forward to keeping you updated on the progress of these incredible organisations as well as Quintessentially Foundation's new child poverty initiative which will launch in late March 2022.
Dates for your diary:
Sunday 27 March 2022 (8.30am - 12pm)
The QF Cycle Club Spring Ride through the Surrey Hills.
Sign-up here.
Sunday 22 May 2022 (7.30am - 3pm)
The QF Cycle Club 160km Ride
London-Brighton-London
Sign-up here.
Tuesday 29 November 2022
The Fayre of St. James's, London
To register please click here.