Charity renews support for crash victim families

The service has been funded by the police and crime commissioner

A road safety group has received renewed funding to support children's bereavement charities in Devon and Cornwall and provide help for families affected by road crashes.

National charity Brake funds two caseworkers for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to provide practical and emotional support.

The service has been funded by the police and crime commissioner (PCC) since 2023, and the charity has supported more than 250 families in the area.

Brake's CEO Ross Moorlock said he was "delighted to able to continue to provide the very best specialist care for road victims".

'Committed'

Brake collaborates with different charities in the area which help with bereavement, including Families in Grief in north Devon and Torridge, Penhaligon's Friends in Cornwall, Balloons in Exeter, east and mid Devon and Jeremiah's Journey in Plymouth.

PCC Alison Hernandez said: "Our members have committed to doing everything they can to halve deaths and serious injuries on Devon and Cornwall's roads by 2030.

"All the work our partnership carries out is grounded in the safe system approach - an internationally renowned road safety framework which centres around five core elements, one of which is post-crash care.

"While this element is often overlooked - and is primarily focused on immediate bystander and medical treatment - the care given to those affected by the loss or serious injury of a loved one is also important."