The free Southern Co-op service helping thousands of people cope with grief and loss

Since 2000 Bereavement Care, part of Southern Co-op and its The Co-operative Funeralcare funeral homes, has supported more than 60,000 people suffering with grief and loss, plus numerous organisations.

We understand how hard it can be to lose someone close to you and have developed a unique bereavement care service to help and support you through this difficult time.

Bereavement Care is a free service designed to support your emotional, practical and social needs, providing access to one-to-one bereavement counselling, friendship/social and support groups, walk and talk groups, life coaching and memorial services.

As well as supporting people who are coming to terms with a sudden death of a loved one or a terminal illness, Bereavement Care also helps people struggling with other losses, whether that’s going through a divorce, coping with redundancy at work or the loss of a beloved pet.

The service is available for people in Portsmouth and along the south coast, saving long waiting times for mental health services on the NHS. It means the invaluable service not only helps individuals, but also eases some of the strain on the NHS.

The Bereavement Care team also works with key workers including carers, doctors, nurses and teachers through training sessions to coach them on the practicalities of dealing with a death and loss of any kind.

It particularly helps medical professionals understand how to help grieving families and give the best bedside manner and support to those suffering.

Bereavement Care opened on May 15, 2000 after Steve Pearce, who is now Chief Operating Officer for End of Life Services at Southern Co-op, gave the idea his backing as it fits with the company's values about giving back to the communities in which it serves.

At the time there wasn’t anything specific on offer to emotionally support the bereaved within the funeral industry and especially for the emotional welfare of colleagues.

The pioneering free service has expanded over the years, offering support for anyone in the community - not just people who have used The Co-operative Funeralcare services.

Today Bereavement Care is run by a team of professionals and volunteers, with extensive knowledge and experience in counselling, bereavement and coaching.

In 2001, support groups began where people could sit around a table and have the opportunity to talk about how they felt. Then in 2004 a friendship group began in Portsmouth, which is still running now. Members socialise together and go out for meals.

Bereavement Care also started to run workshops on bereavement for care organisations such as nursing homes, schools and colleges.

Today the team takes on all aspects of bereavement support and delivers educational sessions working across the south coast. As well as face-to-face groups, they also offer digital services through Facebook and Zoom.

Bereavement Care offers additional workshops covering subjects such as anxiety and loss, resilience, multicultural, mental health and mindfulness.

Free bereavement services

1-1 bereavement support

You will be supported by a qualified counsellor, trainee counsellor or a befriender/listener in a private and confidential space. We offer face-to-face, telephone, email and online support free of charge.

Wellbeing groups

Our wellbeing groups provide a time and place where you will be able to meet other people experiencing the effects of bereavement. The people you meet will have a shared understanding of how you may be feeling. The groups are either face-to-face or online.

Friendship groups

The purpose of groups is to provide a time and place where you will be able to meet with other people who are experiencing the effects of bereavement and will understand something of how you are feeling. The groups meet socially once a month in different areas or online.

Testimonials

‘I found the sessions very helpful and I learned from listening to others in the group that the feelings I was having were very natural. I continued with the group and felt that I was getting stronger and understood my feelings more each month.’

‘I feel the whole experience has given a purpose to my life, something that feels missing when you have a bereavement. I call the group my second family, as there is always someone to talk to when you feel down. They have also helped me to laugh again. Without Bereavement Care I would not have gotten through this on my own.’

For FREE help and support please go to www.bereavementcare.uk, email [email protected] or call 08081 691 922