A charity set up in memory of a 38-year-old father-of-two from Halifax is to invest in Overgate Hospice’s counselling support for those facing death, along with their families, as well as post-bereavement support for children and families.
The Nick Smith Foundation was set up after Nick, from Lightcliffe near Halifax, died five years ago just 101 days after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.
One of the aims of his friends and family who founded the registered charity was to boost support for Calderdale children facing the death of a parent, something Nick’s wife Rachel struggled to access with their children Hadyn and Georgia, who were aged five and two when he died.
The Foundation will end on its fifth anniversary in early 2023 and after Trustees have chosen to support Overgate because they wanted to support a sustainable and respected service offering counselling and bereavement support to the Calderdale and West Yorkshire community.
Overgate Hospice, set up to support terminally ill patients and their families in 1981, offers a highly regarded counselling and bereavement support service which is currently running at maximum capacity.
Tracey Wilcocks, Director of Clinical Services at Overgate Hospice, said:
“This funding from the Nick Smith Foundation will allow us to increase our internal capacity, which will reduce waiting times, and support will be offered in an appropriate and timely manner.
“When a person is closely affected by a death, whether expected or sudden, family members, carers and children should have access to information and support appropriate to their circumstances.
“There’s an urgent need to improve access to bereavement services across Calderdale, and to ensure that people who have been bereaved are not ignored or left isolated.”
Nick’s wife Rachel Smith said:
“Five years ago, when Nick died, we struggled to access counselling and bereavement support, particularly for our young children. We have been determined ever since to invest in services that change that, and we know how respected Overgate is for this and so many other things in our community.
“The money we have raised over the past five years is thanks to efforts from so many people doing amazing things and donating incredibly generously, and we know that the Hospice and its team will ensure the money we are investing with them will make a real difference for individuals and their families who are facing the worst possible news both today and long into the future.”
In a message to supporters of the Nick Smith Foundation, Overgate Hospice’s Tracey Wilcocks, added:
“Your kindness and generosity will enable us to continue caring for those in our community, at a time when they need us the most, for that we feel very privileged, and we would like to sincerely thank you.”