The vision for Calvin’s Cabin grief retreat originated from a place of deep pain, as well as hope and healing, after the sudden death of my son, Calvin, during the pandemic in 2020. Calvin was a loving, kind-hearted young man who often quietly reached out a helping hand to other people. After he died, it was the healing power of God, demonstrated through acts of kindness showered on our family which helped me move towards healing and hope for the future. This included time spent in a safe, beautiful space away from home to tend my grief. It is hoped that time dedicated to active grieving in Calvin’s Cabin will similarly be a gift to hurting hearts and minds.
‘Come aside by yourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile’
This Bible verse from Mark 6 v31, inspired the vision to create a peaceful, luxurious retreat, where people can escape from their daily responsibilities and stresses for a few days to allow themselves to breathe, to give space and voice to their grief, without worrying about other people.
One of the most striking features of the Cabin is a beautiful mural, created by the artist Linda Hoskins. It is an abstract landscape in calming colours with dark threads representing the grief people carry with them, along with glimmers of hope and healing. Linda has called her work ‘Promised Shalom’, in the hope that guests staying in Calvin’s Cabin will experience peace, or at least the promise of peace and healing in the future.
Calvin’s Cabin is a legacy to a very special young man who touched many people’s hearts during his short life. He would have loved to see people blessed in this way.
About me
In addition to my own life-changing experience of grief, I have trained as a Grief Educator (with grief expert David Kessler) and taken courses in Traumatic Loss and Grief and Mental Health First Aid. I am a trained ‘Experienced Friend’ through the Canmore Trust, a suicide prevention and postvention charity based in Scotland.
I am not a counsellor or therapist, but can offer guests the gift of vulnerability and a listening ear.
