THE REALITY OF THE WORK

Every day at the Road Victims Trust (RVT), we meet people whose lives have been shattered by the sudden and traumatic loss of a loved one on the roads. It is a privilege to walk alongside them, offering care, guidance and hope at the most difficult time in their lives.

In the first seven months of this year alone, RVT has received referrals relating to 93 fatal and life-changing collisions, involving 302 individuals affected by trauma and grief. Behind each number is a family, a friend, a colleague, a neighbour — real people facing unimaginable pain.

The Reality Behind the Work

At the heart of RVT’s service is a small team of dedicated staff, supported by an incredible 73 trained counselling volunteers — each giving the greatest gift they can: their time. Together, they provide more than 3,000 hours of free counselling every year to people facing the darkest period of their lives.

Our counselling volunteers complete a five-week in-house specialist training programme, designed and delivered by our brilliant RVT staff. This ensures that, in addition to their core counselling training, they have the skills and understanding to support individuals after a sudden, traumatic loss.

Equally important, both our clinical staff and counselling volunteers receive specialist clinical supervision. This forms a cornerstone of our safe and effective approach, providing a professional, confidential space for reflection and guidance from a senior practitioner. Clinical supervision enables our counsellors to:

• Safeguard the welfare of clients
• Maintain the highest ethical standards
• Process their own reactions to the information that is shared
• Support their ongoing professional development

This safe, structured space allows our team to reflect on their work, manage their own emotional responses, and continue delivering high-quality, trauma-informed care.

At RVT, we are deeply committed to supporting our clients, staff and volunteers alike — and while this level of supervision is essential, it also carries a significant financial cost.

This is what makes RVT unique: professional, trauma-informed support delivered with deep compassion, at no cost to the people who need it most.

Why Funding Matters

Despite the scale and impact of our work, post-collision support is not fully funded. Much of what we do relies on the generosity of others — Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) funding, individual donations, fundraising events, corporate partnerships, and charitable grants.

We are fortunate to have received long-term, committed support from the OPCCs in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire, whose partnership is central to enabling us to deliver this service. Their trust in our work and continued investment demonstrates the importance of specialist post-collision care within the wider system of victim support.

And sadly, the demand for our service is not decreasing. It remains stubbornly high year after year, as families, witnesses, and drivers continue to need our help following fatal and life-changing road collisions.

In just the first seven months of this year, RVT has received referrals in relation to 93 fatal and life-changing collisions, involving 302 individuals affected by trauma and grief. More referrals mean more counselling hours, greater emotional complexity, and increased demand on our staff, volunteers, and resources — yet core funding remains limited.

There is no central government funding made available for post-collision support. I hope that the government’s forthcoming Road Safety Strategy will pay sufficient attention to the importance of post-collision care — and consider appropriate funding for all the organisations involved in delivering this vital support.

This lack of centralised support means we must work even harder to ensure we can meet the growing need. Balancing demand with the resources required to deliver safe, compassionate, and professional care is an ongoing challenge — one that we face with commitment, but also with concern.

A Gentle Call to Action

As a charity, we are proud to deliver life-changing support, but we can’t do it alone. If you believe in what we do — in the value of providing free, specialist, trauma-informed support to those affected by the most devastating of circumstances — there are many ways you can help:

• Join us at the Bedford Charity Chase on Sunday, 28 September 2025 — run, walk, or simply come along and cheer.
• Donate, if you can. Every contribution directly funds counselling, clinical supervision, and practical support.
• Partner with us — whether you’re an individual, a company, or part of an agency that shares our values.
• Share our story — the more people know about RVT, the more lives we can reach.

Walking Together

We are immensely proud of what RVT achieves, but we know there is still more to do. Every life lost on the road has a ripple effect — on families, workplaces, schools, and communities. The emotional impact is profound, and the need for compassionate, professional support has never been greater.

Together, we can ensure that no one faces the aftermath of a fatal or life-changing road collision alone.

Read more about the Bedford Charity Chase here:thebedfordcharitychase.org

“In the first seven months of this year, 93 fatal and life-changing collisions have resulted in 302 individuals being offered our specialist support. Behind every number is a grieving family.”

Paul Cook
Chief Executive