She has been named as her inquest was opened. Our thoughts are with her family and friends.
Charmaine George and her son Ewan (Image: Charmaine George)
A woman who was found dead at a Cornish beach was a grief campaigner who lost her son in the same spot. Charmaine Lyn George was discovered on the shoreline off Lighthouse Hill at Portreath beach after being spotted by a member of the public on October 5.
At the time, Devon and Cornwall Police, HM Coastguard rescue teams from Portreath and St Agnes along with a crew from St Agnes RNLI lifeboat and paramedics were called to the scene and Charmaine’s body was recovered. A spokesperson for the police said Charmaine’s next of kin had been informed and her death was not being treated as suspicious.
She has now been identified publicly at the opening of an inquest into Charmaine’s death, which was immediately adjourned by assistant coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Guy Davies, to determine the legal cause of her death.
The brief inquest opening in Truro on Thursday (October 22) heard how police attended the beach following a welfare check call by a member of the public.
Officers had limited access to the beach and called on HM Coastguard to attend. Charmaine was sadly pronounced dead at the scene and her body was recovered and her next of kin were informed.
Mr Davies said investigations remained ongoing and the medical cause of her death had not yet been ascertained. He said a full inquest is likely to take place next year.
Charmaine, who was born in Islington, London, was a travel agent, but more importantly she was a grief campaigner who was honoured nationally for her charity work.
A year after losing her son Ewan, 18, who was found beneath cliffs at Portreath in 2020, Charmaine opened a grief café and later worked with the Good Grief Trust to create new Good Grief Pop Up Cafes in Cornwall and beyond.
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Charmaine George and her son Ewan (Image: Charmaine George)
Following an inquest into Ewan’s death, the coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to support a conclusion of suicide.
In 2021, the Good Grief Trust was invited to The Sun’s Who Cares Wins Awards where Charmaine won The Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero Award, for starting her cafe.
Following Charmaine’s death the charity paid tribute to the 52-year-old from Pool, near Redruth.
In a post on its Facebook page the organisation said: “Charmaine had tragically experienced the death of her young son Ewan and was passionate to help others find vital support.
“In 2021, we were extremely proud to be invited to The Sun’s Who Cares Wins Awards where Charmaine won The Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero Award, for starting our Cafe.
“What a proud evening for Charmaine and for us all.
“She helped to improve access to vital support services with the launch of our Good Grief Pop Up Cafes in Cornwall, and helped many others find a way forward with their life, after losing someone they loved.
“We send her daughter Libby, and her family and friends, all our love and support at this incredibly difficult time.”
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