ANTIQUES Roadshow expert Henry Sandon has shown his support for a £1 million appeal for a Worcester-based bereavement charity.

Mr Sandon, who is one of the longest serving patrons of the Trust and lives in the city, visited the offices of Noah's Ark in Lowesmoor on Friday, January 18, to see how the appeal was going.

He said: "Another property has been needed for a long time. It is a great idea to raise money for it and I hope Noah's Ark does well."

When Mr Sandon was 10 years old, he was evacuated during the war and is now also part of the Evacuees Reunion Association Evacuees - which in turn believe a charity such as Noah's Ark would have been needed then.

"I missed my parents a lot during that time. There were some of us who coped alright but others who had a dreadful time.

"There was no such thing as support for us but perhaps it might have helped.

"The association does think that if there had been something like this then it would have been a great help."

A bereavement co-ordinator showed Mr Sandon some of the methods they used to help children whose parents or loved ones had died, which includes making worry dolls, memory trees and colourful salt sculptures.

"It is wonderful what they do with the youngsters to help them now and the ideas they come up with are great," he added.

Mr Sandon became a patron when the Trust was started 10 years ago by Rachel Weekes, the then Countess of Coventry who was married to the late 11th Earl.

"We had known them for a few years and it is a great honour to be a patron and to be asked to be one," he said.

"The Trust and Worcester News are doing a tremendous job with the appeal. These people are devoting their lives and their time to helping the youngsters and their parents."

Mr Sandon believes the appeal, which is trying to raise £1m so the charity can buy its own property or furnish one that is given to it and would need a peppercorn rent, would help children and their families throughout the two counties.