Bereavement support

Loss affects everyone differently so we offer different levels of bereavement support. From access to GriefChat, a live online bereavement support service, to guides and resources, to our Link group bereavement course, all are designed to help make this difficult time a little easier to deal with.

This is always a personal choice, and you should never feel that you need to do this. Some people will look at visiting the chapel of rest as an opportunity for a personal and private goodbye, others may prefer to have their lasting memories to be of the person when they were alive.

Funerals offer a structured and communal space to acknowledge the death, express emotions and begin the process of healing. The importance of being able to share the loss with others, as you unite, is something that will also help with your grief.

The length of time someone grieves will depend on you, your circumstances, and the type of significant loss you’ve experienced. Grieving never truly stops because our lives are forever changed when we lose someone we love. Over time, however, we can learn how to cope with our new reality.

Anyone over the age of 18 who has been bereaved and feels that they need some help is welcome to come on a bereavement course. If you would like to attend, you can complete the online application form on our Bereavement Course page.

We investigate the feelings of loss and share these experiences of loss and bereavement together; we also discuss practical help and support too.

The cost of this course is completely free to everybody, and we have deliberately aimed to make it accessible for all.

Our bereavement course takes place over six consecutive weeks, and we ask for your full commitment to attending each week.

Invitations to our courses are sent to our clients 3 months after the funeral. If you are not an AB Walker client, we always state that a period of approx. 3 months must be passed before you are eligible to partake in the course. Once we have received your completed form, a member of the bereavement team will contact you to assess your suitability/needs for the group. Following this, we will be able to offer you a place on the next available course.

We do not offer 1-2-1 counselling, however, we can signpost you to other providers of such services.

You can also use GriefChat, a live instant chat service, on the Supporting You section of our website. This service allows you to talk directly to a specially trained bereavement counsellor online.