Hospice charity to launch grief support space at cafe

HOSPICE charity Sue Ryder is calling for volunteers to support its first “Grief Kind Space” which will be held in the Waterfront Café in Benson this autumn.

The free drop-in sessions will be held at the café every Monday from 10am to noon to give people a relaxed, informal space to share experiences of grief.

Volunteers will help provide in-person, peer-to-peer support to those in the community living with grief.

While Sue Ryder already runs several spaces across the country, this will be its first in South Oxfordshire. Carrie Connolly, Grief Kind Spaces area co-ordinator, said the spaces provide “comfort and connection”.

She said: “We introduced the spaces following research that found that 88 per cent felt alone in their grief.

“Since they launched across the country, we have been able to measure their impact by listening to those who attend. People have said it helps to be with others who truly understand what it means when a friend or family member dies.

“Sometimes it can be difficult for people to talk to their friends and family about living with grief. They don’t always understand what they’re going through and don’t always know what to say. Sharing experiences with those who do can be beneficial.”

Miral Gandhi, manager of the Waterfront Café, said: “The charity works hard all year round and I’m here to support them — I thought it was a brilliant idea.

“Benson is a little village so it’s nice to come together and support each other.”

All volunteers will receive training and no previous experience is needed.

One Grief Kind Space volunteer said: “I really enjoy my role. It gives me a lot of pleasure to be there for people. I feel like I am making a difference and I feel a sense of belonging. I meet some incredible people and hear some incredible stories too.”

Another said: “I enjoy volunteering because it allows me to offer comfort to others, make a meaningful difference and be part of a supportive community.”

To register your interest, email griefkindspaces@
sueryder.org or visit sueryder.org/gkvolunteer