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 too.

As government guidelines surrounding COVID-19 change, the support the bereavement team are able to offer will reflect these changes.

Our bereavement support at this time is as follows:

• We are taking referrals from family and friends following a bereavement and will follow up the referrals 6-8 weeks following a bereavement by contacting you and initially arranging for an assessment call. The assessment will enable the team to provide you with the help tailored to your specific needs.

• We are supporting people on the telephone but hope that this will gradually change to enable face-to-face contact in a socially distanced way in the near future.

• A monthly bereavement café online (see below).

How do I access this service?

Please complete the form below, then email a copy for the attention of Mel Mobley to [email protected], or telephone the hospice on 01295 811866.

We endeavour to respond to enquiries and messages within five working days, but during busy periods this may be longer.

Download the bereavement form

Bereavement café online

We are running a monthly Zoom bereavement café on the first Wednesday of each month between 6 and 7pm. To find out more about the café and how to join, please see our bereavement café online page in Living Well groups.

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.

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.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help support you, please call or email Mel Mobley, Bereavement and Counselling Lead, on 01295 811866 or email [email protected]. 

Bereavement support outside the hospice

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

• 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.
• Marie Curie offers a range of support services for young people with life-limiting conditions.