MEGAN’S LEGACY
Counselling service launched in memory of tragic teenager
The family of a popular teenager who died at a music festival are launching a charity after discovering first hand the heartache of losing their much-loved girl.
Megan’s grandparents Jenny Bell, alongside her fellow councillor husband Eddie, are setting up Megan’s Rainbow Support Group after their family was left struggling to find the support they needed in the weeks after her tragic death.
The 17-year-old former St Anthony’s Catholic Girls’ Academy pupil died while attending the T in the Park festival in Scotland last summer.
Members of her family faced a wait of up to three weeks before they could see a bereavement counsellor, which then involved a round trip of more than 30 miles to Hartlepool.
Now they want to set up a support charity to help other families cope with the grief of a sudden loss as they continue to create a legacy for Megan.
In addition to her grandparents, Megan left dad Chris, 44, mum Lisa, 41, sisters Jenny, eight, and Madin dy, 10, and brother Josh, 12. Councillor Jenny Bell, a member of Durham County and Seaham Town Council alongside her husband, said: “The doctor told the family we could be seen by someone in Hartlepool and we were looking at a wait of something like three weeks.
“If we could have something once a week at a drop-in centre, where people, if they wished, to come and are quite happy to talk among themselves and share their grief. We also want to get together some people who would like to train to be listeners, so people can come and chat, somewhere they can go if they want oneto-one and something for the family as well.”
The group is aiming to achieve charity status and has begun fundraising and will be open to people from the region.
Among those to offer support is Julia Errington, wife of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue chief Stuart, who will hold a coffee morning at the service’s head quarters in Belmont, Durham, on Friday, February 17, from 10am to 11am.
An inquest has been opened into Megan’s death, with an initial hearing told the drug known as ecstasy was found in her system.
Her family have said she did not take drugs and are still searching for answers about what happened to her.
Anyone who would like to find out more about Megan’s Rainbow Support Group can get in touch with Coun Bell via jennifer.bell@durham.gov.uk.
“We would like to train some people to be listeners” COUN JENNY BELL