Grief and Bereavement Network
A place for peer support and discussion
Welcome
Grief is a natural response to loss but can often feel overwhelming. People experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness, which can disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to loss. Coping with the loss of someone or something you love is one of life’s biggest challenges, but you don't have to go through this alone.
If you are experiencing grief or bereavement and the complications of coping with balancing this with work and home life then this network may be for you. It is a peer support and discussion group as well as a resource bank for its members. All staff should be assured that this network will offer a safe, welcoming and confidential environment.
If you are experiencing grief or bereavement and the complications of coping with balancing this with work and home life then this network may be for you. It is a peer support and discussion group as well as a resource bank for its members. All staff should be assured that this network will offer a safe, welcoming and confidential environment.
Our aims:
- To provide a safe place for all bereaved staff to share experiences of grief and to be offered peer-to-peer help, support, guidance and compassion
- To offer resources to employees to help them in their grief journey
- To provide a platform for employees to meet and share their stories, experiences and resources for coping with grief and find fellowship, understanding, support and guidance
- To invite speakers or external agencies to work with the network to develop knowledge and understanding of grief and bereavement where possible and appropriate.
Private Facebook group
Are you a member of staff who is experiencing loss, grief or bereavement? Join our private Facebook group to access online resources, peer-to-peer support and discussion and a safe place to explore feelings and coping strategies.
Visit the private Grief and Bereavement Network Facebook group.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Good Grief Events
Good Grief Festival was first held virtually in October 2020 and since then has hosted 150 free events attended by over 25,000 people, including talks, interviews, webinars and workshops.
The festival recognises that death and grief have been taboo subjects in our society for too long which can leave many people feeling alone and unsupported at what can be the darkest time of their lives. The Good Grief Community aim to normalise the conversation around grief and show that it is a natural – and even transformative – part of life instead of something to be feared and avoided.
Good Grief hosts a highly engaging programme of events with the aim to bring people together to gain insight, hear stories they can relate to and hopefully find support and healing as part of the Good Grief community and as of Autumn 2022 Good Grief have also launched The Grief Channel on YouTube where you can access over 120 talks from Good Grief festivals and events on-demand and for free.
Grief support classes
The national bereavement charity Sue Ryder, in association with GOOD, have launched Grief Kind Classes containing advice from bereavement experts to help people better support each other when they are grieving. These classes have been specially designed as part of Sue Ryder’s national Grief Kind campaign, launched in 2021.
Grief Kind has helped over 100,000 people since launching and these classes form the next stage in the campaign. The classes are 25 minutes of content, divided into five videos structured around frequently asked questions about how to support someone who is grieving.
The Adventure of Grief: Dr Geoff Warburton at TEDxBrighton
Psychologist, writer and innovator, Geoff Warburton has spent the last 25 years studying love and loss. Geoff challenges conventional apathy about grief and loss by offering an approach that evokes curiosity, openness and compassion.
The grieving process: coping with death
There is no right or wrong way to deal with the loss of a loved one. The grieving process is rough and it's different for everyone. It's not just a matter of coping with a loss, but coping with change – and that takes time.
- The Miscarriage Association – if you have been affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy, we hope you will find here the information and support that you need to help you through.
- Sands – supports anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. We offer emotional support and information for parents, grandparents, siblings, children, families and friends, health professionals and others.
- Marie Curie – provides care and support through terminal illness. Every day of your life matters – from the first to the last. That's why the right care at the end of your life is so important.
- NHS Choices – bereavement resources.
- Mind – Provides information on the effects of bereavement, where to go for support and suggestions for helping yourself and others through grief.
- Royal College of Psychiatrists – information is for anyone who has been bereaved, their family and friends, and anyone else who wants to learn more.
Local support groups and resources
- WAY (Widowed and Young) – the only national charity in the UK for people aged 50 or under when their partner died. It's a peer-to-peer support group operating with a network of volunteers who have been bereaved at a young age themselves, so they understand exactly what other members are going through. This website also has a fantastic useful links section.
- Cruse Bereavement Care – Cruse's vision is that all bereaved people have somewhere to turn when someone dies.
- BCS Plymouth – the Bereavement Counselling Service (BCS) is a charity which offers specialist bereavement counselling in response to complicated grief and traumatic loss.
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – exist to meet the needs and break the isolation experienced by those bereaved by suicide. They are a self-help organisation and aim to provide a safe, confidential environment in which bereaved people can share their experiences and feelings, so giving and gaining support from each other.
- Bereavement Advice Centre – there are many practical issues to manage when someone dies; Bereavement Advice Centre supports and advises people on what they need to do after a death.
SHINE: Self Help INspiring E-resources
SHINE is created by students, counsellors and researchers and is packed full of resources to support you and those around you.
Watch, read, listen, find apps and useful links to the best online resources and information about mental health and well-being.
Togetherall
Togetherall is a safe, online, peer-to-peer community where people support each other anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing. Togetherall is designed to help you take control of your mental health and start to feel better. You will have access to a 24/7 online community and professional support from trained counsellors. Togetherall provides a safe space online to get things off your chest, explore your feelings, get creative and learn how to self-manage your mental health and wellbeing.
Togetherall is free and totally anonymous, so no one will know you’ve chosen to use it unless you tell them!