Our Bereavement Services

Our Bereavement Service supports family, friends and important others of patients who have died and who were known to us at Wakefield Hospice. The support is free and confidential and individuals can self-refer by emailing the Bereavement Team by clicking 'contact us' button below. 


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Bereavement Services

Our team is well established, experienced and diverse and made up of a counsellor, Bereavement Support Workers, complementary therapist, and volunteers.

We aim to contact families six to eight weeks after their bereavement by letter or telephone, to ask if any support and advice might be helpful at this time.

Once contact has been made with the team, you will have an opportunity to discuss your circumstances and explore your current needs with the bereavement support worker and you will be advised of the therapies and support available which might feel most appropriate to meet your needs at this time.

 
This support may be:

  •  1:1  by specified appointment and time limited.
  • These may also take place remotely e.g. listening support via telephone/online Teams support.
  • Newly Bereaved Group Support - accessing regular topics and wellbeing advice. 
  • We recognise that grief is unique, it is not the same experience for everyone we support individuals in a way that is both timely and meaningful to them.

We do not have a limit on the amount of time our service can be accessed, but we do review our support regularly and if support is required beyond 2 years after initially accessing the service we might feel your needs might be best supported elsewhere and we can discuss this with you.


Children’s Bereavement Support
We also offer support for children. For more information please visit our 'support for children' page by clicking on the below.

Supporting children

Grief affects children and young people differently. This can be impacted by age, temperament, time of life and circumstances of the death. Not knowing what is ‘normal’ or helpful to say or do to support them can be challenging.

Our team can offer support to help at this time. This may include advice on funeral attendance, support and steer for difficult conversations or reassurances of what behaviours are ‘normal’ at this time. We can support a child themselves directly or indirectly.

Indirect support might take the form of advocating for a child or young person, liaising with schools, colleges or other professionals. We can also support teaching staff or wellbeing and pastoral care who might be supporting your child as they are often more easily accessible.
 

For any information on bereavement support for children and young people contact:

Lisa Henry – Bereavement Coordinator
Telephone: 01924 331400 or email us by clicking the 'contact us' button below. 

 

Contact us
 

Peer Bereavement Support Group

Our Peer Support Bereavement Group takes place on alternate Thursdays and runs from 9.30am to 12:00pm in the Seymour Suite (Day Therapy Unit) at Wakefield Hospice. 

The Peer support group runs in addition to our Newly Bereaved Group which takes place on the alternative weeks.

The Peer Support group is suited to individuals who have been bereaved within the last 2 years and are known to the hospice. Staff will be available for support, but predominantly we aim for this group to be a peer/self-supporting group.

Please express your interest by contacting:
Lisa Henry – Bereavement Counsellor/Coordinator on 01924 331400 or if you have any questions regarding our Bereavement support and listening support.

 

Newly Bereaved Group 
This group is suited to individuals who have been bereaved for less than 12 months and are known to the hospice.

Our Newly Bereaved Group runs from 9.30 to 12noon on alternate Thursdays in the Seymour Suite (Day Therapy Unit) at Wakefield Hospice. The dates and topics for both groups are on the group programme below.

View programme 

As part of this group, a bereavement focused topic takes place between 10:00am – 11:00am. This is an open discussion within the group relating to the chosen topic subject for that week alongside this, we also have a wellbeing focused topic taking place once a month.                

There is no need to book to attend this group, although it would be advisable to contact a member of the Bereavement Team beforehand (just so we can ensure that this is the right kind of support to meet your current needs).

There is also no obligation to attend every session, we understand that grief is fluid, so we encourage clients to ‘dip in & out’ as they feel fit and attend any or all of the sessions to meet their current bereavement needs.

Please express your interest by contacting: 
Lisa Henry - Bereavement Coordinator on 01924 331400

 

Bereavement Group

Our Bereavement Groups run from 9.30 to 12noon in the Seymour Suite (Day Therapy Unit) at Wakefield Hospice. 

This group is suited to individuals who have been bereaved less than 12 months and are known to the Hospice.

Groups will be run fortnightly with updated dates posted here.

Numbers are limited to keep our clients, staff and hospice safe.

Please express your interest by contacting: Lisa Henry - Bereavement Coordinator on 01924 331400 or email us by clicking the 'contact us' button below. 

Contact us





 

Bereavement service FAQ

How will I know when I don't need to come anymore?


We cannot be a 'forever service' - everyone's experience of bereavement is different and so their needs are different. We aim to help you to develop coping strategies, through emotional support and counselling, through creative activities and spiritual support, relaxation and complementary therapies. Some people find it is helpful to meet and talk with others who are going through something similar. Whatever your situation, we will discuss your needs with you and together develop a plan support that is suitable.

If you are someone who comes regularly we will periodically catch up with you to see how our support is helping you and how you are coping and we may suggest changes if appropriate.

Some people find it helpful to come every week for a while and then later, just now and again, perhaps on a bad day or during a difficult time, eg. around an anniversary or other significant date. Others come specifically for counselling, spiritual support or complementary therapy treatments. Some people come early on in their bereavement and others after some time. Everyone is different and we try to be as flexible as we can to support you as you progress through your bereavement and are more ready to move on.

Think of us as a 'stepping stone' or a means to an end, where you begin to adjust to living with your loss and finding new meanings in your life.