As we come to the close of the year, we want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers. Whether you’ve been supporting bereaved families, campaigning for safer streets, helping behind the scenes, sharing your story, or simply showing up when it mattered most your commitment has made a real difference.

This December, we reflect on the collective strength of our volunteer community. Your compassion, resilience, and dedication continue to drive RoadPeace’s mission forward, ensuring that remembrance remains powerful and that the call for justice and safer roads is heard loud and clear.

We are deeply grateful for everything you have given this year. As we look ahead to the months to come, we do so with appreciation, solidarity, and hope knowing that together, we are building a future where fewer lives are lost and more voices are heard.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

During our Volunteers’ Seasonal Social earlier this month, we took some time to think about and share some strategies which have helped some of our volunteers to cope at this time of year, which can be a challenging and painful time for many.  We thought it would be a way of recognising how difficult it can be to share these experiences and ideas with you all:

“Recognise how your body feels, especially at certain, more challenging times.  Notice it, and don’t feel the need to fight against it.  Recognise that you might go on a bit of a rollercoaster, especially at Christmas – ride it, even when it’s uncomfortable. And notice when the ride slows down.”

“Listen to when you are ready to engage in certain activities, like writing Christmas cards, and don’t worry about what others might expect.  It is up to you, and what feels right to you, to decide whether or not you include you loves one’s name in cards, for example.”

“When nothing feels right, do nothing.”

 “Wellness, wellbeing time and self-care are what I rely on.  These are the first things to go in this journey of traumatic grief.  Once you can start to bring them back it makes a big difference.  Meditation, yoga, walking – movement is medicine.”

“Writing cards can be triggering.  My brother still goes on my Christmas list.  I try to keep my plans vague over Christmas – sometimes I don’t attend events.  I actively ask my friends and family for compassion and acceptance around that.”

“If you aren’t ready for Christmas decorations or a tree, you don’t have to have them – my brother threw his out of the window!”

“It’s about owning that part of yourself that can say ‘no’ – it can even feel liberating – and leave a party if it doesn’t feel good.”

“I prefer to give the money I would use on Christmas cards to charity – I couldn’t bear to write a card without my husband’s name in it.”

“I don’t commit. I can say no. I can leave early.”

“I have a stubborn streak, which can be useful at this time of year – it allows me to say ‘no’ to things, and not get whipped up in busy activity. I think of myself, my wellbeing and health.  Movement helps – even a walk down a nice street.  Keep it simple.  Look at the trees and notice the birds.”

“We make a stocking for my son – each of us puts a memory of his life in the stocking which we read out together.”

“Soothing lights.  Soothing scents.”

“Do things differently. Take the pressure off yourself and treat Christmas Day as a normal day. Have a pizza for dinner.”

There are lots of similar threads here.  We hope that you can find something useful and comforting in these ideas.

Please take care, take your time, and be gentle.

We are thinking of you with love.