There have been so many special moments in 2025 and as a charity we continue to receive amazing support from businesses, donors and our families.
Without you all we would not be able to provide all of our support free of charge.
To everyone who has supported us this year, thank you!
We asked our team to share their favourite memories from 2025.
Scroll down to hear from our fundraising team and bereavement counsellors on what they wanted to share with you all!
DONNA HODGES, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER
“Our Forever Loved Funds have been nothing short of inspiring this year.
Families, in memory of their precious children, have poured their love, creativity, and determination into fundraising- even in the hardest of times.
Together, these funds have raised the equivalent of 314 one‑to‑one bereavement counselling sessions.
We are so grateful, and we feel honoured to get to know and remember the children behind each fund. Forever loved, forever remembered.
The Forever Loved Funds are not only a testament to the children remembered, but also to the strength and compassion of the families who carry their legacy forward.”
Nick Hodges, co-founder
“For me, my standout memory was our corporate Open Morning.
It gave us the chance to celebrate achievements and outline the plans and visions for the future. Bodie’s House was full of our loyal partners and supporters who had the opportunity to hear from our fantastic team and see a little bit more of work we do to support families from a behind the scenes perspective. A very proud moment that demonstrated how far we have come but how much desire there is to keep moving forward”.
emily burns, lead bereavement counsellor
“My highlight of 2025 has been launching our peer support group for bereaved Grandparents.
As a team we have heard from the families we work with that grandparents have desperately wanted and needed support, as they are often feeling grief after the death of their grandchild and powerlessness as they watch their own children in unimaginable pain.
The group has been so well received, and the grandparents who have attended so far have been so genuine, open and engaging. We have already done some wonderful activities, including glass decorations, “the elephant in room”, and making memory wreaths, and have some exciting activities planned already for 2026.
It has been so exciting to be able to offer this support and heart-warming to see the group grow, bond and care for each other.”
RUTH JOHNSON, FUNDRAISING AND COMMUNICATION MANAGER
“I was Addie’s personal chauffeur during 2025, collecting him, driving him back and forth to be decorated and then waving him off as he went to join his mini herd in the Highcross shopping centre during the summer!
Addie has beautifully showcased how bereaved siblings feel and how they can be better supported. I loved seeing his transformation, working alongside two incredible businesses who supported the project but most importantly being able to give the children and young people we support a platform to share so honestly how they feel as a bereaved sibling.
Working alongside Loros by being one of their Community Learning Programme Partners for the #StompRoundLeicester art trail has already helped raise our charity profile so more families know about the support we offer and how to access it if they ever need us.
I love walking into Bodie’s House and seeing Addie, this is just the start of his journey, and I can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store for him!”
Nicola RHODES, LEAD BEREAVEMENT COUNSELLOR
“This year has truly been remarkable, filled with countless highlights and achievements.
As a team we have worked tirelessly to make great things happen, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished.
The standout moment for me was securing funding for the Bereavement Education Post. It feels like a dream come true to finally be at the stage where this role can be developed and launched in early 2026.
We first identified the need for this unique position back in 2022, and to now be so close to making it a reality is simply fantastic. The impact this role will have in supporting schools across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland following the death of a pupil will be truly invaluable. I can’t wait to see it develop and grow.”
LUCY CERVASIO, CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER
“My favourite event of 2025 was our annual golf day at The Belfry.
This event always makes me so happy because everyone has the best day!
We get the most amazing feedback from the teams taking part, often asking to reserve a team for the following year before they have even left the golf course. We find that our guests not only have loads of fun playing golf, having a few drinks and enjoying some great food, but they are also really engaged when we give our charity updates in the evening. This means a great deal to us because this is when we share our vision for the future and the impact their support has on the families we support.
When you put so much effort into an event, it feels wonderful to receive such brilliant feedback.
Nick, Ruth and I are excited for the next one in 2026!”
nicola tyers, bereavement counsellor
“There have been many amazing achievements throughout this year.
There are two highlights that stand out for me.
Setting up and launching the grandparents group
This began at the beginning of this year with planning and scoping what the group would look like and what we could offer our grandparents in the way of a peer support group. Invites went out to our families and the interest and uptake was good.
The groups first session was in September; it was well attended and well received, with our grandparents being open and engaging in conversations and in the activities we had provided.
It has been amazing to be able to offer this support to bereaved grandparents, the group has already grown, and the feedback received has been positive and showed how important this group has become in providing an opportunity for grandparents to come together and share their grief, as well as remembering their grandchild.
My second highlight is that our families have been offered the opportunity for a 2-night residential trip to Edale YHA in 2026.
It is exciting to be planning this and choosing activities for our families to experience”.
harriet sheikh, team administrator
“The highlight of my year has been collating the feedback and insights we gather from our families.
This allows us to see the impact we have on the community we have built here at The Bodie Hodges Foundation.”
Watching the hard work and commitment from both our fantastic fundraising team and our passionate counsellors come together to create something so special is an honour to be a part of. Seeing the true care and compassion that goes into all aspects of supporting our families is something I’m proud to be involved in”.
george corbett, bereavement counsellor
“It has been a very busy year at The Bodie Hodges Foundation and there have been lots of wonderful successes.
I am very proud to be supporting our student counsellors on placement with us. It has been brilliant to have such amazing, dedicated, and skilled counsellors join the bereavement service. They are all doing such fantastic work supporting our families.
A proud moment. A big thank you from me!”
Fiona one of our student counsellors shared:
“Everyone has made me feel so welcome since I started my placement with them in April. The support I have received has been so helpful in my learning and I have so enjoyed getting to know everyone”.
