Willow Burn Hospice welcomed guests yesterday afternoon to celebrate the launch of our new children’s book, Will O’Burn and the Friends Who Remember, at a special event bringing together families, schools, charities and healthcare professionals.
Hosted by Anna Foster from BBC Radio Newcastle, the event featured an engaging interview with author Victoria Downes and illustrator Helen Turner, who shared the inspiration behind the book and its important message about helping children talk openly about bereavement. Guests also enjoyed a light-hearted game of 'ears and tails' and the chance to walk the green carpet for photos with mascot Will O’Burn.
Commissioned by the County Durham hospice, the illustrated story follows Will O’Burn as he learns how his animal friends each cope differently with grief. It complements the charity’s children’s counselling service and aims to support families navigating difficult conversations around loss.
She said: “The purpose of this book is to bring comfort to young people struggling and feeling sad, and for adults who don’t know what to say to their children, it can be read together and some of the interactions Will O’Burn has with the other animals can be used as a way of understanding their own grief and prompt conversations that might otherwise be tricky.
“Initially, because Will hasn’t experienced grief, he doesn’t understand how the other animals feel, but as the story develops, he gets to know that grief affects people in different ways, and the characters feel a wide range of emotions.
Helen Turner, whose mother was cared for at Willow Burn Hospice, spoke about the personal significance of the project: “When my mum died, there was a build-up to the time where we knew we were going to lose her and it was such a busy time. It wasn’t until everything quietened down that it hit me that we had lost a massive part of our lives. That’s when the grief set in.
“As a family, we experienced a range of emotions including being sad and angry at different times, and that is a big message we wanted to get across in the book that grief hits everyone differently.
“I always wanted to give something back to Willow Burn Hospice for the amazing care my mum received, but I never thought I could ever return. As it turns out, I’ve been back so many times since we lost my mum because it’s this amazing place that helps make the worst times more bearable.
“What we all want to achieve through this book is to let people know it’s ok to talk about loved ones who have died to keep their memory alive. There’s a misconception that talking about death is taboo and we want to help change that to help families through the grieving process.”
Rachel Quince added: “We know we can’t reach every child across County Durham who may need bereavement counselling but what we can do is provide a resource like this that helps children and young people begin to understand and express their feelings.
This book gives families something accessible and practical that they can use together, whether a child is experiencing loss themselves or supporting someone close to them.
It forms an important part of our Compassionate Willow Burn strategy, which is all about helping our community feel more confident in talking about death, dying and bereavement, and ensuring that no one feels they have to face those conversations alone.”
Will O’Burn and the Friends Who Remember is now on sale at Willow Burn Hospice, its shops and online.
