New Weston bereavement support group needs volunteers
By Prue_Reid | Friday, November 02, 2012, 15:32
HEALTH chiefs in North Somerset are looking for people to help set up a support group for people who have bereaved as a result of suicide.
NHS North Somerset is seeking people with such experience to set up a group to provide practical and emotional support to others across the district.
Funding for the new initiative has been allocated to meet the start-up costs during the group's first year.
The primary care trust (PCT) is hosting an event for people bereaved by suicide at the Winter Gardens on Friday, November 16, at which representatives from organisations will speak on the issue of suicide and its effect on friends and family members.
Speakers include a representative from Survivors Of Bereavement By Suicide and Cruse, the national bereavement charity.
NHS North Somerset service improvement manager for mental health, Kate Archibald, said: "The event we are organising will provide a space to hear from organisations which support people bereaved by suicide.
"There will be an opportunity to meet people over lunch and during the day who have also been bereaved and to talk about things that have helped them or, importantly, the kind of support that they would like to receive."
Kate and her team are hoping that among the attendees will be someone able to take the lead in establishing a support group to provide advice and help for anyone who has been affected by the suicide of a friend or relative.
She added; "We have funding available to finance start-up costs such as the booking of venues. "But we really want to hear from anyone who would like to take the lead in establishing a support group."
The group will meet once a month and the PCT will provide support and expertise on how to contact and bring together people in North Somerset who have had experience of bereavement through suicide.
The group will meet once a month and for further information or to register for the Weston-super-Mare event, contact Kate Archibald on 01275 546723 or via kate.archibald@nsomerset-pct.nhs.uk
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