Winston’s Wish, the charity for bereaved children, is looking at whether it can step into the gap left by the closure of Noah’s Ark Trust and provide services to the children the charity helped.

Paul Winter (pictured), chair of Winston’s Wish, told civilsociety.co.uk that the trustees are investigating how Winston’s Wish might be able to engage with previous stakeholder groups of Noah’s Ark, which has closed due to lack of funding.

Civilsociety.co.uk reported last week that a last-ditch appeal for funds to keep Noah’s Ark afloat had failed, leaving 14 staff out of work and 900 bereaved children without services.

Noah’s Ark operated from offices in Worcester and Hereford, not far from Cheltenham-based Winston’s Wish, which currently provides help and support to families in Hereford and Worcestershire bereaved through murder or manslaughter, suicide or military.

Winston’s Wish CEO Fiona Talwar-Lomberg added: “As a well-established specialist child bereavement charity within a neighbouring county, Winston’s Wish has been looking carefully at how to develop its current services in order to meet the needs of bereaved children and their families within the Hereford and Worcestershire area.”

Winston’s Wish wants to hear from supporters of Noah’s Ark Trust and beneficiaries that were using its services to see how it might step in and fill the gap.