About Us
Meet the Founders
Andy’s Angels was founded by Kayla Shepherd and her daughter Millie
Millie’s dad Andy died suddenly on the 28th September 2017 and during their grief journey Andy’s wife Kayla and daughter Millie have found ways to support their own grief and each other’s, through counselling and art therapy.
When Millie was 10 years old her grief changed and it was then that she had so many unanswered questions about what happened to her dad, while Kayla answered many of Millie’s questions she also reached out to established charities for support for Millie, waiting lists were long and there was nowhere to take Millie to be around other children who she could talk about how she was feeling.
How Kayla founded Andy’s Angels
In February 2020 I had an idea to use my lived grief experience to help others, so one day I was reflecting on my daughters grief journey, looking for ways to help and support her and other children when I had a light bulb moment which involved thinking about the MASSIVE impact, losing a loved one had on many children all over the world. These children needed a safe space to come to be together!
Very soon after my initial light bulb moment Covid-19 hit and we were all immersed in a new world of uncertainty. Managing home schooling, a training business and a whole household of family that this virus would affect too was a challenge but the idea of helping children that were grieving grew and the name Andy’s Angels struck an emotional chord
Fast forward to Feb 2021, still navigating my family’s boat through the Coronavirus storm, one day I started playing around with a logo website to see what type of logo could be possible for a charity, 1 hour later Andy’s Angels logo and ‘Wherever you will go’ tag line was born.
Having a logo made it all so real, I then just ran with all my ideas that I had been keeping in my head over the Covid period.
The purpose of Andy’s Angels is to provide a Grief Play Café, a safe space for children and their families to come to while they are navigating their way through their own grief journey. As grief has no time limit neither does our Grief Play Café, anyone can access our sessions regardless of how long their loved one has been gone.
So our Grief Play Café sessions first launched on the 26th September 2021 with a session running one Sunday a month.
See Our Cafe dates
Then in January 2024 we launched our Intergenerational Bereavement Choir.
See Our Choir
Charity Patron
Kerry Ellis, best known for her starring roles in Wicked, Les Misérables, and We Will Rock You, shared her enthusiasm for the new partnership:
“I recently had the pleasure of meeting Kayla and Millie by chance at one of my performances, I was blown away by her Millie’s voice. We then got chatting and I got to know about the charity and the work they do, the following day by chance I bumped into Kayla again at charity event. I parked my car outside her stall literally by chance I couldn’t believe it! We were destined to meet and destined to have a connection. I love what the Choir brings to people and how coming together with music can bring comfort and maybe some joy.
I’m honoured to become a patron of Andy’s Angels. What Kayla and Millie have created is truly inspiring, a place where young people can explore their emotions and find comfort through creativity. Music and connection are such powerful tools for healing, and I’m thrilled to support the charity’s incredible work.”
Over the last three years we have been building relationships with as many other local organisations as we can so that we can signpost to other support services.
Our vision is to also link our charity with a selection of local businesses that would might be a supportive resource/service to anyone grieving, which means all the other day to day pressures can be less stressful for those grieving.
In August 2023 we endorsed ‘Understanding and Supporting Grief and Bereavement’ training, collaborating with Dandelion Training and Development, this training is part of our offer to all new Volunteers.
See our Events at the Grief Play Cafe
Wherever you will go, Andy’s Angels will travel the grief journey with you.
Update:
Andy’s Angels submitted an application form to the Charity commission on Monday 29th March 2021 and on the 22nd April 2021 Kayla and her Trustees launched Andy’s Angels as a Community Organisation, while waiting for their charity status.
On the 7th June 2021 the Charity Commission issued Andy’s Angels their Charity status and registered charity number.