Crawley bereavement group celebrates five years
St Catherine’s Hospice Crawley bereavement group celebrated five years of providing the local community with expert bereavement support with a birthday celebration. Group members and volunteers enjoyed birthday cake and tea at their weekly group meeting and reflected on the past five years.
Leslie Cooper, from Horley, has attended the bereavement group since it started. He said: “The group’s been really helpful to me. I’ve met some lovely people and made some great friends. I think we work really well together and I can’t praise the hospice enough for helping to run this group and for everything that they do. Hopefully we help a lot of people here. Bereavement happens to everyone and I really think we help them through it.”
Carole Peacock is just one volunteer who helps run the group. She said: “I’m really happy to be a part of it, and to have this opportunity to help.”
Since starting, nine volunteers from St Catherine’s and the United Reformed Church have helped 155 local residents cope with the loss of their loved one, and those who’ve attended have said the group has helped them feel less alone. Annette Phillips, Bereavement Services Co-ordinator, said: “Nobody should have to feel alone, and we’re really proud that we’ve been there to help local people over the last five years. We’re keen to welcome new faces to the group and provide people with help and support so, if you’re finding things difficult following your bereavement, I hope you’ll feel encouraged to come along. No matter who you are, you’ll be made to feel welcome.”
St Catherine’s Crawley bereavement group is open to everyone and people don’t need to have received the hospice’s care to attend.
For further information, please email Annette Phillips on annettephillips@stch.org.uk or call 01293 447343. Or simply turn up to the group at the Crawley United Reformed Church which runs every Thursday from 1pm to 3pm.
