Tel: (02) 9290 2355
Fax: (02) 9290 2445
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Our street address:
The Compassionate Friends
NSW Inc.
4th Floor, Room 404
32 York Street,
SYDNEY NSW 2000
AUSTRALIA
International dialling:
Tel: 61 2 9290 2355
Fax: 61 2 9290 2445
The Compassionate Friends
History
How it all began
The Compassionate Friends (TCF) was founded in Coventry, England, in 1969 by Canon Dr. Simon Stephens OBE, RN, who was then assistant to the Chaplain in the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital.
Simon had noticed that the intensity and duration of parental grief was much greater than that of others who lost loved ones. He brought together two couples whose children had died at the same time, hoping that they might comfort one another. In their mutual grieving, they discovered that by listening to one another, by understanding how each other felt, their grief was lessened and they were able to support and help one another as no one else could do. In time the two couples reached out to other grieving parents , and The Compassionate Friends was founded.
Growth of The Compassionate Friends
Developed in England, The Compassionate Friends grew throughout the United Kingdom and other countries. Today The Compassionate Friends has branches throughout the World supporting bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents.
The first Australian branch commenced in Melbourne in May 1978 and was founded by Margaret and Lindsay Harmer. In 1979 Diane and Brian Dunbar founded TCF in NSW after they heard Simon speak when he visited Melbourne for the inaugural meeting of TCF in Australia.
The first Compassionate Friends Bereaved Parent Support and Information Centre was opened in Melbourne in 1982. In Australia, a network of chapters has now been established.
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