“A space to talk” – Rochdale funeral home launches bereavement group

Cutgate Funeralcare

A Rochdale funeral home has launched a bereavement group and is encouraging those who may be grieving a loved one to attend.

Co-op Funeralcare Cutgate, on Edenfield Road, hosted the first meeting on Thursday 19 December and future meetings will be on the last Thursday of every month at 3pm-4.30pm from 30 January.

The initiative is designed to help those who may be feeling isolated, and to give local people a chance to connect with others in a relaxed setting.

The sessions will be run by Susie Hughes-Jones, funeral arranger at the Cutgate branch, who will be focusing on topics including: managing anniversaries; good grief rituals; the normality of grief; creating new routines; building new relationships; managing emotions and returning to work after a bereavement.

The group, which follows confidentiality rules, is open to anyone over the age of 18. Those needing extra support will be signposted to additional services and resources.

Susie said: “Most people assume our job as funeral arrangers stops as soon as the service is over – this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Looking after families following the funeral is an incredibly important part of our role, which is why we felt launching a bereavement café was the right thing to do. I hope that this bereavement group will bring comfort to those who are grieving.

“Grief can be lonely and isolating, so we’d like to invite anyone who is struggling with the death of a loved one to join us – we’re here to help.”

To book a place on the group, or find out more, please contact Co-op Funeralcare Cutgate on 01706 643215 or cutgatefuneralcare@coop.co.uk