Free bereavement support as Sue Ryder's Grief Kind Space opens in Bedfordshire

Free and informal peer-to-peer bereavement support will be available as Sue Ryder’s new Grief Kind Space opens in Bedfordshire this week.

Debbie Playford from Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger is supporting the opening of the Milton Ernest Grief Kind Space.

She 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 Bedfordshire 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.

Debbie added: “We spoke with 8,000 people who have been bereaved last year and many told us what they really wanted was to meet and talk to others who had also been bereaved. I hope through our Grief Kind Space at Milton Ernest Garden Centre, along with more Grief Kind Spaces opening across the country this year, we can meet this unfulfilled need.”

The Milton Ernest Grief Kind Space will be open every Thursday from 10am until noon at Milton Ernest Garden Centre, Radwell Road.

Debbie said: “Our Grief Kind Space will be welcoming, inclusive and open to anyone who is over 18 and has experienced a bereavement, 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.”

For details of further Sue Ryder Grief Kind Spaces opening in 2023 visit Sue Ryder's website.

Sue Ryder Grief Kind Spaces is not a counselling service. Anyone seeking more formal support can use Sue Ryder’s existing Online Bereavement Counselling Service and other support services. For more information email [email protected]