Events to support the bereaved during National Grief Awareness Week

Events to support the bereaved during National Grief Awareness Week

For bereaved people grief can be all-consuming, isolating and difficult to talk about even with those closest to them.

That’s why St Helens Borough is supporting the Good Grief Trust’s National Grief Awareness Week (2-8 December) with a series of collaborative events between the council’s Bereavement Service, Library Service and the Friends of St Helens Cemetery, for bereaved residents. 

The national campaign and the local events in support of it aim to normalise grief by getting the public talking, to break the taboo and make grief an easier topic to discuss.  

Councillor Andy Bowden, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, including bereavement services, said: 

“Everyone experiences bereavement in their lives, but most of us still find it difficult to talk about how it affects us, how it makes us feel. That’s the reason we are holding these collaborative events between our services and the Friends of St Helens Cemetery. We have to get people talking so that we’re all better able to process the most painful feelings that loss brings and move forward with our grief.” 

The events are free to attend, just drop in: 

  • Saturday 4 December – The Tree of Remembrance Service St Helens Crematorium Chapel, 11am – hosted by the Friends of St Helens Cemetery Volunteer Group and supported by St Helens Borough Council 
  • Tuesday 7 December – St Helens Crematorium Chapel will be open for anyone wanting to visit and have a cuppa and a chat to the Friends of the Cemetery and members of the Bereavement Services Team between 5pm-7pm 
  • Wednesday 8 December – The Steve Prescott Bridge will be lit orange along with many other national buildings, in support of anyone who has experienced grief. 

Warm Connections Coffee in local libraries: 

  • Thursday 2nd December – Chester Lane Library, 10.30am-12noon 
  • Thursday 2nd December – Moss Bank Library, 2pm-3pm 
  • Friday 3rd December – Rainford Library, 10.30am-11.30am 
  • Friday 3rd December – Haydock Library, 10.30am-12noon 
  • Friday 3rd December – Peter Street Library, 2pm-3pm 
  • Friday 3rd December – Thatto Heath Library, 2.30pm – 3.30pm 
  • Monday 6th December – Rainhill Library, 10am-12pm 
  • Monday 6th December – St Helens Library, 10.30am-12noon 
  • Monday 6th December – Parr Library, 11am-12noon 
  • Monday 6th December – Eccleston Library, 2pm-3pm 
  • Tuesday 7th December – Newton-le-Willows Library, 10.30am-12noon (includes a walk with Sports Development) 

For more information about the campaign and how to find bereavement support, please visit the Good Grief Trust website www.thegoodgrieftrust.org.

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