Welsh bereavement charity 2 Wish Upon A Star has been awarded £31,873 by the Welsh Government to run a pilot project supporting families bereaved by suicide in Gwent.

The specialist service is launched today World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10).

The charity usually supports families who have lost children or young adults across Wales, but this funding is for families who have lost someone of any age in Gwent and the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area, who has taken their own life.

The service will run for a year, as it is a pilot project. Although managed by 2 Wish Upon a Star, it will be run as an independent project, with its own web page and closed Facebook Group for bereaved families to share, chat and support one another.

Rhian Mannings MBE, founder of 2 Wish Upon a Star, said of the project: “We are so grateful to receive this funding from the Welsh Government to allow us to run this pilot project in Gwent.

“Suicide affects many families in Wales every year and is an area of bereavement support that needs investment and support.

’’2 Wish Upon a Star is proud to be able to provide this support for those in Gwent for the next year and hope that families reach out to us at their time of need so we can help them through this difficult time.”

Jackie Williams, chair of Gwent Suicide Prevention Group, said of the pilot project: “As a Group, we understand the importance of specialised bereavement support for people affected by a suicide.

’’Up until now 2 Wish Upon a Star has only had sufficient funds to offer specialised bereavement support to families affected by a suicide of someone aged 25 or under. We have been grateful for this support and impressed by the feedback from their clients.

’’As a group we strongly believe that this service should be available to anyone affected by a suicide, regardless of the age of the person who died.”

Steven Maloney, Detective Chief Inspector of Gwent Police, said of the launch: “We are really dedicated to helping individuals and families impacted by suicide.

’’We know that 2 Wish Upon A Star offers great support and care during a very traumatic time for families and look forward to working in partnership with them around this pilot. We are pleased this is taking place in Gwent and hope the service will help the communities we serve”

The charity was set up in 2012 by Rhian Mannings after she lost her one-year-old son George suddenly in an emergency unit in south Wales. Five days later, her husband Paul took his own life. It supports anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death, including suicide, of a child or young person aged 25 and under in Wales.

This project is the first to support families of those over 25 and specifically for those who have taken their own lives – although it has never turned a bereaved family away, regardless of the loved one’s age at death.

2 Wish Upon a Star is an all-Wales charity providing immediate bereavement support, as well as ongoing aftercare services including counselling. It works with every health board in Wales and is supported by every police force.

There are now immediate support pathways in place in every Emergency Unit and Critical Care Unit. It also works with every coroner, mortuary, organ donation team and Wales Air Ambulance to make sure no family is missed.

The pilot project will be operational from Monday, September 14 and those wishing to contact or access the service can call 01443 853125 or email [email protected] or visit www.2wishuponastar.org