Compassionate communities are groups of people who support each other, especially when experiencing serious or life limiting illness, ageing, caregiving, grief or loss.

Everyone has a role to play and can help make a difference, and showing empathy and listening to people’s concerns can often be enough. Offering to help with specific tasks can be a relief to people when they are struggling to cope, or perhaps signposting community projects, groups and services that are able to offer direct support can be a help. Sometimes small gestures can make the biggest impact – and a friendly smile can often make somebody else’s day more manageable.