Bereaved Cambridge residents will soon be able to access free, informal bereavement support, as Arthur Rank Hospice opens its doors in January to host a new Grief Kind Space, in association with national bereavement charity, Sue Ryder.
Annalie Graham, Bereavement Lead at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is supporting the opening of the Sue Ryder Grief Kind Space which will be held at The Bistro, Arthur Rank Hospice, every Friday from 10am until 12 noon from 10 January 2025.
By innovatively collaborating – with Arthur Rank Hospice hosting the space and Sue Ryder providing trained Grief Kind Space Volunteers – the two charities hope together they can tackle the isolation and loneliness felt by many people following a bereavement.
Annalie said:
“Almost every home in the UK has, or will experience the loss of someone, and research from Sue Ryder, who we are working with to open our Grief Kind Space, found that 86% of people who had been bereaved said they felt alone in their grief.”
“By working together, we hope we can fulfil this unmet need by offering a safe, welcoming and supportive place for anyone who has been bereaved to share their experiences of grief, helping them to feel heard and less alone.”
“We’re opening doors to the weekly drop-in session from January, which we know can be a time many people who are grieving can find difficult.”
The Sue Ryder Grief Kind Space at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is a collaboration between the Cambridge-based hospice and national healthcare charity Sue Ryder and is one of 31 Grief Kind Spaces having opened across the country to support grieving people.
Laura Venning is the Sue Ryder Grief Kind Space Coordinator for Cambridgeshire. She said, “Sue Ryder Grief Kind Spaces are free and friendly and the feedback so far from people accessing them is extraordinary.
“Attendees have told us how coming to the space each week makes the week ahead easier to face. Many have also shared with us how family and friends just don’t understand what they are feeling, but the people they meet at the Grief Kind Space do and it’s of enormous help to them.”
Terry (not their real name) regularly attends a Sue Ryder Grief Kind Space and says it has given them the opportunity to share their feelings about their bereavement. Terry shared “At the space you’ve suddenly got a license to share your feelings. You can come and say nothing, or you can say everything, because it’s okay either way. It has given me the opportunity to talk with people who know exactly what you are going through.”
The Sue Ryder Grief Kind Space at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity takes place every Friday between 10am and 12 noon from 10 January at The Bistro, Arthur Rank Hospice, and is open to anyone over 18 who has experienced a bereavement. There is no need to register and no need to book.
“You don’t need to have received any support or care from Sue Ryder or Arthur Rank Hospice Charity previously either,” adds Annalie.
“Whether you want to attend regularly for the full two hours, or pop in to connect with others in a similar situation for a quick chat when you need to, you will receive a warm welcome from our team of Sue Ryder trained volunteers, who are there to support anyone who has experienced any kind of loss at any time.”
For further details on the Sue Ryder Grief Kind Space at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, and a list of other spaces operating across the area visit www.sueryder.org/spaces
