Welcome.


Hi everyone and welcome to Bristol Grandparents Support Group blog. Although we are Bristol based we have grandparents from all over the UK and beyond as members.

It is estimated that over one million children in the UK are denied contact with their grandparents due to family breakdown which may have been caused by divorce/separation, alcohol/drug dependency,domestic violence,bereavement or family feud.
Every child has the right to have contact with their grandparents
if they wish and unless proven unsafe for them to do so. To deny contact from a parent or grandparent has to become as socially unacceptable as drink driving.
I hope to keep you up to date with what is going on in BGSG and I shall continue to campaign for the rights of children to have a loving and meaningful relationship with both parents and their extended family. So please join in as good to hear your views, not just mine!
I also will support via Skype.
There is no membership fee to be part of Bristol Grandparents Support Group.
Esther Rantzen says, " To every grandparent, links of love can never be broken in our hearts."

Please contact during office hours.
07773258270


Sunday, 5 September 2010

Response email from Bishop of Bristol-Dec 2008


Dear Jane,



Thank you so much for your letter.



I have just spent the past few days over Christmas with my own lovely
grandchildren and I cannot begin to think what it must be like for you and
many others like you, who, for a variety of reasons are not able to have
contact with your grandchildren.  Yes of course I am supportive of your
overall cause because I am a great believer in family and do not like it
when family breakdown occurs as it so frequently does in our present
culture.
In the context of my message in the Cathedral at Midnight Mass I added to
the list of those who would find Christmas a struggle, “the many
grandparents who will not  see their grandchildren, because they are
refused access by their parents.”
I think you may have a fighting chance of getting a support group off the
ground, though I doubt in the current climate that a change in Family Law
is tenable because of the governments proper pre-occupation with
protecting children from harmful adults.  
I would suggest therefore, as your letter implies, that the creation of a
support group is your best contribution at the present time.  Possibly the
bigger vision is an investment in helping families in breakdown to get
help in getting back together, rather than a change in the law which I
think would not be a tenable vision in today’s world.
You and those who find themselves in your predicament have been on my mind
this Christmas.  I do sincerely hope that despite your situation you
managed to find some enjoyment this Christmas.



As ever,



+Mike
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