Marsh charity The Joseph Salmon Trust expands into Mirfield

Jul 27 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A CHARITY set up to help bereaved parents is expanding its good work.

The Joseph Salmon Trust – set up to help families in Huddersfield meet some of the costs associated with the death of a child – is opening its services to the people of Mirfield.

Neil Salmon, who founded the charity with wife Rachael last year, said: “The trust is hopeful of helping more people in the months and years to come and, while we would never wish the loss of a child on anyone, we are pleased that we might be able to offer a little help in what is always a desperately sad and difficult time.”

Neil and Rachael were inspired to set the trust up after they lost their three-year-old son, Joseph, to pneumonia in 2005.

The charity gives cash donations to help families with funeral and other costs.

It is believed to be the only charity of its kind in the UK.

The trust has already given about £20,000 worth of help to 13 families in the Huddersfield area.

Mr Salmon, 33, said: “Moving to Mirfield seemed to be a logical step from various points of view.

“One was that much of the population of Mirfield are readers of The Examiner, a medium which has been instrumental in raising awareness of the trust.

“Another reason was that geographically it is right next door to Huddersfield, and, while expanding the trust’s area, does not feel like too much, too soon.