Littlehampton bereavement group given ‘more time to talk’ with support from local charity

F A Holland (Co-op) Funeralcare’s bereavement support group will be extending its vital, free community sessions to twice a month after receiving additional funding from local charity, Littlehampton District Lions Club.

The group, which began in August, was created by funeral arranger Tracey Harriman after many clients confided in her about the difficulties they faced in coping with the death of a loved one. Struggling to find local resources to signpost people to, Tracey took it upon herself to set up her own support group to help those in need.

For the initial set-up, resources from the Co-op Community Fund enabled Tracey to hire a room once a month at Creative Heart Cafe, on Beach Road, where she now runs the sessions.

The additional funding comes from the Littlehampton branch of the Lions Club International Charity, an organisation of volunteers that help others and support a wide range of good causes. As a member, Tracey applied through the charity’s ‘Dream Scheme’ for the extra financing which allowed her to host the group twice a month to meet the increasing demand of those looking for additional support.

Tracey said: “Working in funeral care, I am constantly in contact with bereaved families who ask about support with processing grief, and the team and I want to help as much as we can.

"We understand how difficult it can be to deal with the death of a loved one, which is why I created the support group. The additional funding has been so important in enabling us to provide people with a safe space to discuss their feelings with others who are in a similar situation on a more regular basis.

“There is no obligation to speak, but sometimes I think even just being in a room with like-minded people can do the world of good. All members are invited to join a WhatsApp group which allows them to reach out for support in between meetings.

“The important thing to remember is we all grieve differently, there is no ‘one size fits all’ so I’d encourage anyone in the community who is currently trying to navigate the death of a loved one to get in touch – we're here for you.”

The group meetings will take place on the second and fourth Friday of every month, between 10:30am and 12:30pm. To find out more, please contact Tracey on 01903 713939 or visit her in branch at F A Holland (Co-op) Funeralcare on Terminus Road.

Co-op Funeralcare offers a range of advice and support, from arranging a funeral to supporting families in dealing with grief. In partnership with Cruse Bereavement Support, Co-op has also created a collection of online guides to help support those dealing with grief who may not feel ready to join a support group.

To access the full collection of guides, click here.