WHEN James Luke's mother, Lin, died in September 2002 - just six weeks after finding out the devastating news she had cancer - life became unbearable for the surviving members of the family.

His father, Ray, had to arrange the funeral and keep a roof over their heads while holding down his job - all the time making sure the then-nine-year-old was coping.

But through chance the pair, who lived in Ledbury, heard about the Noah's Ark Trust through friends and decided to give it a go.

Mr Luke said: "By knowing there was someone supporting James it lifted a huge burden from me. I was going to my doctor and getting help but a child sometimes needs something different."

They were taken on one of the residential weekends, held at the Malvern Outdoor Centre, which not only gives children and adults the chance to have time apart, but also to take part in activities and meet others in similar situations.

James, now 14, said: "I really enjoyed myself. I got to do lots of outdoor activities and also did things to remember my mum.
"There was a boy there called Jack who had also lost his mum and he got very emotional about some of the things we did. I would stay with him and we would talk about things together. I helped support him and it helped me too by doing that."

James, who is in Year 10 at Alcester High School, still supports the charity in as many ways as he can.

He still uses some of the methods he was taught by bereavement co-ordinators, such as lighting a candle to remember his mum.

James said: "When I was helped by Noah's Ark, I felt like I could talk to someone and I had the opportunity to make it private or do it with my dad.
"I got to know the co-ordinator very well. We took things slowly and I wasn't rushed, but they helped me a lot."


Kick start


When he turns 16 James is hoping to become a 'shipmate' - a helper to other children on the residential weekends, and he is already fundraising for the trust.

A few years after the death of his wife, 51-year-old Mr Luke trained to become a 'crew member' at the residential weekends and has since attended almost every one where he has worked with both children and parents.

"It is very important to me to help," he said. "Without Noah's Ark we would have got through it but I don't know where we would be now if we hadn't had the support.
"Noah's Ark is essential. They provide a service that isn't available anywhere else. In the dark times, when Lin died, it was very helpful and reassuring to be able to talk to someone. They really did help kick start our new lives and help build our family."

The pair, who now live in Alcester, Warwickshire, also believe the service would be improved even greater once the trust has its own property as it would not only raise awareness of what it does, but also give people a greater opportunity to use the services they, too, had to reply upon.

"It would give people ownership of what the trust does and give people who have been bereaved somewhere to go and get support," said Mr Luke.
"Their new slogan, towards a brighter future, just about sums it up. It got us through the darkest days of our life and we got to feel we were not on our own. It is very much a journey and Noah's Ark guides you through it."