Swindon residents will be able to access free and informal peer-to-peer bereavement support from Sue Ryder, when the charity launches its brand-new Grief Kind Space in Swindon.
Carrie Connolly, Grief Kind Spaces Area Coordinator, Wiltshire, is supported the opening of the Grief Kind Space on 14 October in Swindon at Village Hotel Swindon on the Shaw Ridge Leisure Park.
She shared her hope that the initiative would help reduce the isolation and loneliness felt by many people following a bereavement.
Carrie said, “Almost every home in the UK has, or will experience the loss of someone, but Sue Ryder’s research* has found that 86% of people who had been bereaved said they felt alone in their grief.
“Our Grief Kind Space in Swindon will offer a free, friendly in-person drop-in session providing a safe, welcoming and supportive place for anyone who has been bereaved to share their experiences of grief, helping them to feel heard and less alone.”
Further research by the charity revealed an acute need for more informal bereavement support, which carved the way for the creation of Grief Kind Spaces.
Carrie added, “When we asked 8,500 bereaved people what type of support they wanted, they told us how important it was for them to be able to access more support within their communities.
“That’s why we’re starting to roll out Sue Ryder Grief Kind Spaces across the country, giving people who are grieving access to informal, in person, peer-to-peer support.
I hope through our Grief Kind Space here in Swindon, along with more Grief Kind Spaces opening across the country this year, we can meet this unfulfilled need.”
The Grief Kind Space in Swindon launched on Monday 14 October and will run weekly from 10am-12 noon at Village Hotel Swindon, Shaw Ridge Leisure Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon SN5 7DW.
“Our Grief Kind Space will be welcoming, inclusive and open to anyone who is over 18 and has experienced a bereavement,” shared Carrie. “Whether you want to attend regularly to connect with others in similar situations or drop in for a quick chat.
“You don’t need to register and there’s no need to book. You don’t need to have received any support or care from Sue Ryder previously either. Just pop in to receive a warm welcome from our team of trained volunteers, who are there to listen if you have experienced any kind of loss at any time.”
Village Hotels Swindon General Manager, Mark McMajon, said: “We are delighted to be able to support such an important service for the Swindon area. This initiative fits perfectly with our ambitions as a brand and our wider Village Green ESG programme. Through Village Green we strive to have a positive impact on the communities we operate in, both environmentally and socially. Opening our doors to grieving families is one small way of helping our local community and we are delighted to be involved.”
For details and locations of existing Sue Ryder Grief Kind Spaces visit www.sueryder.org/Spaces
For anyone who is grieving, Sue Ryder offers free online support at sueryder.org/grief
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*Survey of 2,005 UK respondents (aged 16+) and 503 UK respondents (aged 16+) who have been bereaved, which was conducted 09.07.2021 – 13.07.2021
**Sue Ryder research 2021: ‘A better route through grief: Support for people facing grief across the UK’
About Sue Ryder:
At Sue Ryder, we can’t make life’s most difficult moments easy, but we can carry some of the load. For more than 70 years, we have been a source of strength and support for anyone living with a life-limiting illness or grief.
Dying and grief are universal experiences, but too many people face them alone. We are a safe and reassuring hand you can reach for. From providing care and support for someone at the end of their life to helping someone manage their grief, we know there is no one size fits all when it comes to how we cope and the help we need. We campaign for everyone who is approaching the end of their life or grieving to have access to the right support, at the right time. And we seek to break down the barriers to talking about dying and grief – so we can all be better prepared and better equipped to be there for each other.
We can make a positive difference during even the darkest of times. Whether in the last months, weeks or days of life, or living with grief, we help people live the best life they possibly can. We are there when it matters.
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