Our Mission
To support families in Essex following the devastating loss of a child.
A Message from Lucy Introducing the Henry Nowak Foundation
In her own words, Lucy shares why she created The Henry Nowak Foundation in loving memory of her son.
Our Vision
A Place to Find Comfort, Connection and Hope
Supporting families through the unimaginable loss of a child.
No parent or family should have to face the heartbreak of losing a child alone. Whether it’s a cup of tea and a chat, a quiet moment of reflection or simply being surrounded by people who understand, we want every family to feel heard, supported and cared for.
Bring Families Together
We aim to organise weekend retreats in comfortable rented accommodation, giving families the chance to meet others who understand, share their experiences and find comfort in knowing they are not alone.
A Safe Space to Talk
Whether it’s a cup of tea and a chat, a quiet moment of reflection or simply being surrounded by people who understand, we want every family to feel heard, supported and cared for.
Professional Support
We aim to provide access to professional counselling, therapeutic activities and other specialist support, helping families navigate their grief at their own pace.
Therapeutic Activities
From time in nature to creative activities, we hope to offer experiences that can help families connect, reflect, remember and find moments of peace.
A Family’s Perspective On Grief
Message from Lucy: A Mum’s Perspective
Losing a child is a pain that words can never fully explain. The dreams you once imagined sharing with them ended in a heartbeat. Waking up every day in a world that keeps moving while yours feels as though it has stood still is a very difficult pain to navigate.
Message from Henry’s Stepdad: A Father’s Perspective
There is a pain that changes you forever – the pain of losing a child.
As dads and stepdads, we are often expected to be the strong ones. The ones who keep going. The ones who put our arms around everyone else and say, “We’ll get through this.”
But what happens when the person you would do absolutely anything to protect is no longer here?
That knock on the door and the news that we had lost our Henry- something was taken from all of us that can never truly be replaced. No parent should ever have to face the unbearable reality of losing a child. There is no preparation for it, no right words, and no point where you simply “move on.”
Message from Olivia: A Sibling’s Perspective
The bond between siblings is something truly special, built on shared childhood memories, laughter, love and moments that stay with us forever.
Losing a brother or sister leaves a space that can never truly be filled. Sibling grief is often overlooked, but the pain, love and memories are just as real.
This deeply personal reflection shares the experience of losing a brother, navigating grief alongside family and finding ways to carry Henry’s memory forward.
Keeping Henry’s Light Shining
A message from Henry’s Mum, Lucy Ross.
The Henry Nowak Foundation was created in memory of Henry, a much-loved son, brother, family member and friend whose life was taken far too soon at just 18 years old.
Henry had a way of noticing people. He was the person who would sit with someone when no one else would, make people laugh and make sure nobody felt left out.
That kindness is at the heart of everything we want to do in his name.
Since that dreaded knock on my door, my life has changed in ways I could never have imagined.
Nothing prepares you for losing a child. Nothing prepares you for waking up every morning and having to face a world that carries on turning when yours has completely stopped.
I don’t think there are words that can ever truly explain what it feels like.
But from the very beginning, there has been one thing that has helped me get through each day, and that is the incredible love and support of my family and friends.
My home has been full of people. People popping round for a cuppa, sitting with me for hours, listening to me, crying with me and sometimes even making me laugh when I didn’t think I had anything left to laugh about.
Some days we talk about Henry for hours. Other days we talk about everyday things. And sometimes we just sit together, without needing to say anything at all.
There have been days when I haven’t wanted to get out of bed, when everything has felt completely overwhelming. But knowing that someone is there, that someone will turn up, put the kettle on and simply sit with me, has meant more than I could ever explain.
I honestly don’t know where I would be today without those people, and I will be forever grateful for the love they continue to show me.
But as time has gone on, I’ve found myself thinking more and more about the families who don’t have that.
What about the mum who has nobody knocking on her door? The dad who has nobody to talk to? The parents who are sitting at home, surrounded by silence, trying to make sense of a life they never imagined they would have to live?
I became aware that there wasn’t a charity in Thurrock dedicated specifically to supporting parents and families who have lost a child.
And I knew I wanted to do something about that.
That’s how the Henry Nowak Foundation came to be.
I want to take some of the kindness, warmth and support that has surrounded me and offer that to other families going through the unimaginable.
I want families to know that they don’t have to face their grief alone.
I want us to create a place where people feel comfortable just being themselves. Where they can talk about their child without worrying that they’re upsetting someone. Where they can share memories, have a cry, enjoy a cuppa or even have a laugh without feeling guilty.
Because grief is complicated. You can be laughing one minute and crying the next. You can be surrounded by people and still feel desperately alone.
And sometimes you don’t need advice or someone trying to find the right words. You just need someone to listen, someone who understands, or someone to sit beside you.
I know that nothing will ever take away the pain of losing Henry. And I would never pretend that we can take that pain away from another family.
But I do believe we can make a difference to how supported those families feel as they learn to live alongside their grief.
If we can help just one mum feel less alone, give one dad somewhere he feels comfortable talking, or offer one family a little comfort when they need it most, then that means everything to me.
I never imagined that I would be creating a charity in memory of my son. It’s not a life I would ever have chosen.
But if something positive can come from the most heartbreaking thing that has ever happened to me, then I want to try.
This Foundation is my way of making sure that the love and kindness I’ve been shown can reach families who need it just as much as I do.
And I hope, through everything we do, we can continue to make a difference in Henry’s name.
With love,
Lucy Ross
Henry’s Mum
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