Katharine House is all about ensuring that care for people with life-limiting conditions is as good as it possibly can be, and this includes providing a listening ear for family and friends.

Coping with the loss of someone special is difficult and can be painful. Grief may leave you feeling sad, lost, guilty, confused, relieved and exhausted, all at the same time. There may be many changes and adjustments to be made and you might have questions or feel you need practical and emotional support.

If you think that talking to someone would help, or you just want to find out how we can help support you, please call email Mel Mobley, Bereavement and Counselling Lead, on 01295 811866 or email [email protected]. 

Alternatively, complete our bereavement form and email it to [email protected].

We are here for everyone from within our catchment area (north Oxfordshire, south Northamptonshire and south Warwickshire) in addition to family and friends of people under the care of Katharine House.

Download the bereavement form

What happens after I’ve asked for support?

The bereavement team will contact you within 2-3 weeks following your application and arrange for an assessment call. The assessment will enable the team to provide you with help tailored to your specific needs.

At present, most of our support is on the telephone, but we are giving more face-to-face support at home, in an open space or here at the hospice.

We're here to help you

Coming to terms with the loss of someone close is difficult. The feelings you may be experiencing are completely normal, but you don’t need to feel alone in coping.

“We also received amazing bereavement support from Katharine House. I’m so glad that I did it and will be forever grateful. To have that bereavement support as part of the charity is incredible. I was told that if there was ever a time – whether it was in two weeks, six months, two years – that I felt wobbly and needed to talk to someone, they would be there. Knowing that there was that support on hand made a big difference.” Amelia's story

Things just aren’t the same when you lose someone you care about, and everyone copes with loss and expresses grief differently. You might find that daily tasks become more difficult, or that you can’t concentrate for as long as you could because you’re thinking about everything that is happening or has happened. In these situations it’s difficult – but still vital – to make sure you’re supported and are able to look after your own wellbeing.

If you are worried, unsure, or just think you need to offload your feelings and want to talk confidentially to someone who can help you come to terms with your feelings, or you just want to talk things through with someone honestly and openly, our trained volunteer bereavement support workers will always try to meet your needs through a relationship that is built on trust. They will listen, support, and offer advice however they can.

It’s important that you feel comfortable. Each member of our team has been specifically trained and DBS checked. They are always professional, sensitive, and confidential, and will discuss the best ways to support you. You can either come to see us at the hospice, or we can visit you in your own home if you prefer.

Bereavement café 

The bereavement team are running a monthly bereavement café on the first Wednesday of each month between 5pm and 7pm. Spaces are limited so booking is essential. To find out more about the café and how to join, please see the bereavement café page.

Bereavement support outside the hospice

Outside of the hospice, you can also find support from the following organisations:

• Sobell House Hospice bereavement service, with which we work in partnership. The service supports bereaved couples and families in south Oxfordshire.
• Your local service at Cruse and the Good Grief Trust for support with bereavement.
• If you are under 51 and bereaved, Widowed and Young (WAY) are able to provide bereavement support.
• If you are seeking support for a child or adolescent, contact the Oxfordshire charity See Saw.
• Marie Curie offers a range of support services for young people with life-limiting conditions.

Partnership with the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH)

On 1 April 2021 our partnership with the OUH came into force. This means that the management of our clinical services has now been transferred to the Trust. Read more on our What we do page.

Katharine House Hospice

• To find out more about the work we do, read What we do or explore the section about Our care.
• To explore fundraising events, visit Fundraising events, Challenge events and Supporter events.
• To receive regular news about development at the hospice and ways to support us, please sign up to our digital newsletter.