After loss of son, local family creates heartfelt support for others

The family of a Sidmouth man who died unexpectedly last year are working with Devon and Cornwall Police to support bereaved families with dignity and care.

Chris Wade passed away in June 2023. In the wake of his loss, his family set up a not-for-profit initiative called Compassionate Boxes, aimed at helping other families through the painful process of having a loved one’s belongings returned after their death.

Earlier this month, the group hand-delivered 30 Compassionate Boxes to Exeter Police Station. The boxes, which include items such as a leaflet, a lavender pouch, knitted hearts, a poem, and a shoe bag, will be used by Serious Collision Investigation Teams to return possessions to grieving families in a more sensitive and sympathetic manner. Special boxes for children also include a knitted teddy bear.

PC Steve Greenway, from the Serious Collision Investigation Team in Exeter, said: “The roads policing team deal with serious collisions every week and, sadly, many of these result in a tragic loss of life which is devastating for the friends and families of those involved.

We recognise the importance of sympathy and compassion and will be making the boxes available to teams across the force area so that they can be used to return belongings to loved ones.

We hope that the boxes will offer comfort to bereaved families and would like to thank Compassionate Boxes for their kind donation which will make a huge difference to those who have lost a loved one as a result of a collision in Devon and in Cornwall.”

The boxes will be distributed to Serious Collision Investigation Teams based in Plympton, Bodmin and Exeter.

Marian, a member of the Compassionate Boxes team, said: “Belongings being collected are a reminder of the person that families are grieving for.”

To learn more about the project or to support the initiative, visit: www.compassionateboxes.co.uk