At Peach Care Services, our commitment to the Milton Keynes community extends far beyond the exceptional domiciliary care we provide to our service users. We believe in nurturing the holistic well-being of our entire community, particularly its most vulnerable members.
Today, we are incredibly proud to announce our official partnership with Harry’s Rainbow, an outstanding local charity dedicated to supporting children and young people who have been bereaved of a parent or sibling.
To mark the launch of this vital partnership, Stephanie Newell, our HR Manager and Children Lead, is taking on an extraordinary challenge today: the Harry’s Rainbow Firewalk! As she bravely steps across the hot coals, she is raising vital funds and awareness for a cause that is deeply aligned with our core values.
Who Are Harry’s Rainbow?
Founded in Milton Keynes, Harry’s Rainbow is a beacon of hope for families navigating unimaginable loss. Odette Mould and her family established the charity following the tragic loss of her five-year-old son, Harry. Recognising a profound lack of tailored support for Harry’s twin sister, the family channelled their grief into creating a dedicated service for bereaved children.
Today, Harry’s Rainbow provides a crucial lifeline to children across Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. They offer regular support groups, activities, trips, and bespoke resources that give children the opportunity to meet others who have experienced similar losses. In a world that can suddenly feel incredibly isolating, Harry’s Rainbow provides a safe, nurturing space where children can smile, play, and process their grief alongside peers who truly understand.
The Critical Impact of Childhood Bereavement
To understand exactly why we have chosen to support Harry’s Rainbow, it is essential to look at the broader landscape of children’s mental health and social care in the UK.
According to national data, it is estimated that 1 in 29 school-age children in the UK has been bereaved of a parent or sibling. That equates to roughly one child per classroom. The profound impact of such a loss cannot be overstated.
The Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted have increasingly highlighted the intrinsic link between a child’s emotional well-being and their long-term development. Under Ofsted’s current Education Inspection Framework (EIF), there is a rigorous emphasis on “Personal Development” and pastoral care. Inspectors actively look at how institutions support their most vulnerable children—including those dealing with severe trauma and bereavement—ensuring they are given the emotional tools required to thrive.
When a child loses a primary caregiver or a sibling, their entire foundation is shaken. Without early, targeted intervention and compassionate support, these children are statistically at a much higher risk of developing long-term mental health challenges, struggling with educational attainment, and experiencing severe anxiety.
Charities like Harry’s Rainbow step directly into this gap. They provide highly specialised, person-centred emotional support that government-funded services and local authorities often struggle to deliver promptly due to resource constraints.
Why Peach Care Chose Harry’s Rainbow
As a CQC-regulated care provider, we weave empathy, dignity, and safeguarding into everything we do. Our services encompass both children and adults. Our ethos has always been to protect and nurture the family unit as a whole.
The decision to choose Harry’s Rainbow as our official children’s charity was proudly championed by our Managing Director, Elvis Idegbekwu. To drive this initiative forward, Elvis chose Stephanie Newell, our HR Manager and Children Lead, to officially lead the charge in supporting the charity. In her role, Stephanie is fiercely dedicated to safeguarding, developing, and promoting the well-being of the younger members of our Peach Care family.
Stephanie recognises that excellent care is holistic. By supporting Harry’s Rainbow, Peach Care Services is actively investing in the mental health and emotional resilience of the next generation in Milton Keynes. We want to ensure that no child in our local community has to walk the dark, complex path of grief alone.
Cheering on Stephanie’s Firewalk!
Partnering with a charity is about much more than just making a statement; it requires action. That is why Stephanie is leading by example today.
Taking part in a Firewalk requires immense focus, courage, and a willingness to step entirely out of one’s comfort zone—qualities that the bereaved children supported by Harry’s Rainbow have to draw upon every single day.
As Stephanie takes on the coals today, the entire management and care team at Peach Care Services is standing behind her, cheering her on. Her bravery officially ignites our ongoing commitment to fundraising, volunteering, and advocating for this phenomenal charity over the coming year.
How You Can Support
We are incredibly proud of Stephanie and absolutely delighted to stand alongside Harry’s Rainbow. But we cannot make a substantial difference without the support of our wonderful Milton Keynes community.
If you would like to support Stephanie’s brave Firewalk and contribute to a charity that changes children’s lives, please consider making a donation. Every single pound raised goes directly towards funding memory boxes, therapeutic support groups, and vital family trips that bring light back into the lives of bereaved children.
Click here to visit Stephanie’s JustGiving Page and make a donation!
Together, we can help ensure that when the worst happens, the children of Milton Keynes have a rainbow of support waiting for them.