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What we offer

We help people in north east Essex face incurable illness and bereavement, supporting them, their families, friends and carers.

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How you can help us

A third of our funding comes from the NHS, the remaining two thirds is raised from the generosity and support of people like you.

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Bereavement support for adults

We offer bereavement support to all those who have been bereaved in north and mid Essex, regardless of the cause of death or when or where the individual has died.

We take referrals via our website or over the phone after a death has occurred and you can self-refer directly or be referred to us by someone who is supporting you, with your consent.

Each person is affected differently by bereavement and our aim is to support you emotionally, while helping you adjust to your ‘new’ life in grief.

We offer bereavement support groups designed to provide support, information and coping strategies for people who are adjusting to living with grief. We also offer therapeutic counsellor-led groups for support after bereavement by suicide, stillbirth and neo-natal death, or the death of a child. Our groups are welcoming and run by experienced staff and volunteers. At present, all group support is provided via video link.

A male counsellor is listening to another person, the image is taken from over their shoulder.

Our bereavement support may also include one-to-one counselling and support, based on an assessment of your needs. We have an experienced team of specialist bereavement volunteers and counsellors able to provide this support. At present, all one to one support is provided via telephone.

The support we offer to you is dependent on, and tailored to your needs which we identify in your assessment based on the answers you provide in your referral.

If you would like to access our bereavement service please refer yourself online in the first instance, answering all questions as fully as possible. This will take you between 10-15 minutes to complete, so please ensure you have plenty of time available to fill this out. If you have an unreliable internet connection, please call 01206 984 274 to refer yourself.

 

Bereaved by suicide

We are currently running counsellor-led online groups for adults bereaved by suicide.

You can refer yourself or another adult for this service via our website

If you are joining the group and have been asked to fill in the 'scoring tool', please download this. Once completed, please email to bvadminteam@sthelena.org.uk

Without the help and generosity of our fundraisers and donors we wouldn’t be able to offer our bereavement support to hundreds of local people each year. We offer a number of ways that people can donate in memory of a loved one to help us to continue this support. 

If you have access to a noticeboard in a workplace or community space we'd appreciate if you could print and display this poster about our bereavement service to help more people to access our support when they need it. 

Bereavement resources

Useful documents and links

Bereavement support for adults

Guidance and support after someone dies

Hospice UK Supporting Bereavement Leaflet - talking to someone who has been bereaved

Help is at Hand Suicide Booklet

Keeping in touch when you can't be with someone who is so ill that they might die leaflet

BACP - Find a Therapist 
Part of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, this is a very good place to find a therapist. It lists therapists and their experience, speciality and qualifications throughout the UK. Each therapist sets their own fees. It is worth exploring the whole website if you are uncertain what counselling is.

Cruse
A voluntary organisation which specialises in support for people who are bereaved. Cruse can help with support, counselling, education, advice and information. Counsellors are available by phone or email.

The Compassionate Friends
A voluntary organisation throughout the UK that offers many different kinds of support to those bereaved of a child (any age) – by telephone, online and through events.

Child Bereavement UK
A UK charity that supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying or when a child is facing bereavement. It offers support online on telephone and face to face from their different regional centres across the UK.

The Good Grief Trust
For support and information.

At a Loss
Dealing with bereavement and grief during thr Covid-19 pandemic.

National Bereavement Partnership
A text and telephone helpline.

Useful phone numbers

Age Concern Colchester and North East Essex - 01206 368 420

Hospice UK - 020 7520 8200

Health in Mind (IAPT) - 0300 330 5455

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide - 07531 087 623

Samaritans (support to adults to prevent suicide and for those who need to talk) - 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org (24 hour response time)

Papyrus (support for individuals up to 35 years old to prevent suicide) - 0800 068 4141 or pat@papyrus.uk.org

Veterans Gateway - 0808 802 1212 or text 81212

Silverline (information, advice & friendship for older people) - 0800 4 70 80 90

SANDS (stillbirth & neonatal death charity) - 0808 164 3332

Social care, adult concern - 0345 603 7630

Social care, child concern - 0345 603 7627

One Support (housing & benefits advice) - 0300 123 1921

National Bereavement Partnership - 0800 448 0800

Support from funeral directors
Some funeral directors also provide bereavement support, or can signpost you to bereavement support available to you locally. Speak to your funeral director to see what support they can offer. 

Co-op funeral directors provides plenty of useful bereavement resources on their website and some of their funeral homes run bereavement groups. Find out more on their website or by calling your local Co-op funeral directors

L & K funeral directors in Clacton also offer support and advice, including ongoing emotional and practical support, for as long required. Their services are available beyond the funeral, and is complementary. They can, if requested, offer a cup of tea and a chat, on a ‘one to one’ basis. Visit their website and contact them for more information.

 
 

Additional support is available to you and your loved ones from other health and social care providers.

Find out more at the To Live With Dying website.

Make a difference

Your donation, large or small, can make a big difference, giving more local people dignity and choice at the end of life.

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Processing fees

When you make a donation to St Helena Hospice, we are charged transactional fees by other companies, including fees for processing payments made to us, looking up addresses and validating bank account details.

We are very grateful to our donors who offer to offset some of these fees with a minor addition to their total amount. This is however completely optional and we are very grateful for your support whether or not you choose to contribute to processing fees.

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About Gift Aid

We are able to claim an extra 25p on every £1 on your donation amount for no extra cost to you, as long as you are a UK tax payer; have paid enough income tax or capital gains tax in that tax year; and are donating your own money. If you pay less income tax and/or capital gains tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all of your donations in that tax year it is your responsibility to pay any difference. For more information about Gift Aid, please visit https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid
 

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