Grant for all – Counselling

On the 5th July 2025, my husband, two daughters and myself arrived home after having spent the day at the beach with family. We had had the most amazing day.

We got back home to hear the fire alarm sounding from our house. My husband went into the property to investigate as we were unsure as to why the alarm and carbon monoxide alarm were both going off. my husband could smell smoke but couldn’t work out which room it was coming from. My two children have then alerted me to flames burning upstairs in my eldest daughter’s bedroom. The flames were suddenly increasing in size and engulfing the upstairs bedroom window. I called the Fire Brigade.

It was all a blur.

My children were hysterical and all the neighbours came out to help. Thankfully my next door neighbour took my girls into their house to calm them down and care for them.

Long story short – my eldest daughter’s (Darcey) bedroom had been obliterated where the fire had gone through the floor boards and ruined the joists as well as the calling. All her belongings and furniture has been destroyed -all her clothes, books, football trophies she has won over the years, her football posters, football kits, make-up, her memory box she had since a baby, her furniture, her Teddy (since birth -she is 12yrs old). Absolutely everything she had was burnt and destroyed. The rest of the upstairs had significant fire and smoke damage where my youngest daughter lost all of her personal possession, clothes, cuddly toys, posters, bed, wardrobe, games, books as well. We lost everything upstairs that night – computer, clothing, bedding, toiletries , pictures, beds, wardrobes, carpet etc. It was a horrendous time.

The day after, we had to go to Asda to buy underwear and school uniform for the girls-it was just awful. A nightmare!

We initially stayed with my in-laws for two nights then moved into my Dads address for 5x weeks. We struggled to get accommodation as landlord and estate agents would only consider us if we signed a two year tenancy agreement which the insurance company wouldn’t agree to plus didn’t think it would take them long to sort the house out. Eventually we found suitable accommodation and to date we have been here just under 7x months now.

The work on our house has yet to start but we have just agreed on the scope of work which is a positive steps for us.

The girls have been so resilient and so amazing during these last 8x months and I couldn’t be prouder.

My eldest was very angry after the fire where as my youngest was fragile and needed lots of reassurance especially at bedtime. I was concerned about my daughters mental health and was fearful of both the long & short term effects of witnessing the house fire would have on them. I was recommended a therapist who specialised in childrens trauma and The Police Children’s Charity kindly offered to pay for these counselling sessions -up to £1000 per child. My eldest had 3x sessions and my youngest had 5x sessions -each £50 each.

My husband and I are so very grateful for the kindness and generosity shown by The Police Children’s Charity who offered us financial support in helping to improve the mental health of our children following such a traumatic and horrific event.

Thank you Police Children’s Charity-we all do appreciate the support and kindness shown.