During 1997, a variety of professionals and voluntary services in the Bedfordshire area recognised that there was a growing number of children and families asking for bereavement support.

They were also aware of a number of children who had been referred to a variety of specialised services dealing with learning, behavioural or emotional difficulties but who had an underlying unresolved grief problem.

These groups, which included the Bedfordshire & Luton Community NHS Trust, Macmillan Service, the Pasque Hospice, CRUSE and Hospice at Home formed and developed two separate, community based bereavement support programmes for children and their families, and these became known as CHUMS in Luton and Barneys in Bedford.

Over the following years, the two groups worked closely together, sharing expertise and ideas.

In July 2000, the two services shared a nomination in the prestigious NHS Nye Bevan Awards and were regional runners-up, a tremendous achievement for a voluntary organisation.

This confirmed the decision to merge the two services which had been seeking funding for a full time worker for some time.

From November 2000, Luton Health Action Zone (HAZ) offered short term funding to run the service in Luton and a full time service Facilitator was employed.

Ongoing negotiations led to confirmed funding from the three Bedfordshire Primary Care Trusts and Macmillan Cancer Relief effective from April 2001, and this funding has enabled the Service to employ the Facilitator on a permanent contract as well as a part time administrator.

These appointments have enabled the Service to reach far more children throughout the county, develop its work with parents, offer teaching to a wide variety of professionals and develop its volunteers.

At present, the Service has numerous volunteers throughout the county, from a wide range of backgrounds, including nursing, social work, teaching and many others, giving a wide base of experience to pass on to the children to whom they offer support.