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During an event for bereaved military children and young people, hosted by charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex listened to young people talking about what it’s like growing up without a parent and he shared with them: “I didn’t speak about losing my mum for well over ten years. I thought, what is the point in talking about something that you can’t change? I was wrong, talking about it changed my life.”
Prince Harry is a Global Ambassador of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Yesterday (9th May 24), The Duke of Sussex, who served in the Army for 10 years, attended a heartwarming event in London that brought together 50 children and young people who have experienced the death of a military parent for an unforgettable afternoon.
Prince Harry, a long-standing supporter of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, surprised the children, aged 6 to 22 years, when he joined their event, then spent time chatting to them as well as joining them for games such as Edible Races, Flipper Challenge and Bucket Head. The Duke also spent time with the children’s parents. The event provided a safe space for the young people to connect with one another, build friendships, and create lasting memories.
Following the lively session, Prince Harry spent quality time with a smaller group of nine members from Scotty’s Council. This dedicated group of young people, who represent the charity’s other members and provide a voice for bereaved military children and young people, discussed their experiences of growing up without a parent and the invaluable support they receive from Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
Molly Reynolds (20) has been a member of Scotty’s since 2018, following the death of her father, Sergeant Antony Reynolds, who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). She was 14 when he died by suicide. After chatting to The Duke, Molly shared:
“My favourite part of the day was definitely getting to sit in a circle with Prince Harry and some of the other Members Council and have a chat with him about losing a parent. It was very nice because it felt very personal and like he understood what we were going through.”
Reflecting on the event, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex said:
“It was an honour to meet so many of the wonderful families Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports. I have long believed in the mission of this charity, and I truly believe the work they do to foster community and create space for young people to connect, grieve, but also have fun together is life-changing. I am a huge supporter of their work, and very proud to be their first Global Ambassador.”
Scotty’s currently supports over 670 bereaved military children and young people, aged 0 – 25 years. Services offered include access to one-to-one child bereavement support, guidance to parents and carers, personal education and learning assistance (including grants), development opportunities and fun activities such as holiday respite breaks and group events. These are all designed to remind the children and young people supported by Scotty’s that they are not alone. The charity has a long-term goal of supporting over 1,000 bereaved military children and young people annually by 2030.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers would like to thank events company Sharky and George for providing the fun and games, Paul Tibbs Photography for capturing the event, John Rourke for supporting with filming and CC1 Norfolk for providing first aid.
To find out more about Scotty’s Little Soldiers, go to https://www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk/
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