St Giles Family Support and Bereavement Services

St Giles Family Support and Bereavement Service

Bereavement affects families and individuals in different ways. Many people will manage their own grief with the help and support of family and friends. Others may find it beneficial to seek outside help, to talk about feelings and what has happened to them with someone they have never met. Often people cope very differently, which can lead to feelings of isolation, and not everyone will have family or friends to support them. The way to understand grief is to try and understand the person who is experiencing it, and the relationship he or she had with the person who has died.

St Giles Family Support and Bereavement Service is made up of a dedicated team of professionals and trained support volunteers, who offer bereavement support services which cater for both children and adults.

Support for Children and Young People

Phoenix at St Giles offers support to children and young people under the age of 18 in a variety of ways. We can support children and young people one-to-one or with their siblings. We offer family support for those who have children of primary school age. Understanding the grieving process and the possible changes of behaviour associated with it in children can be confusing and sometimes upsetting for adults. We are here to offer support and guidance during difficult times. Please visit our website for more information: www.stgileshospice.com/phoenix

For Adults

Currently our support for adults includes talking to someone face-toface, on the telephone or online.

Usually, in partnership with other organisations, we run a number of Bereavement Help Points. However, for safety reasons these are temporarily closed and instead we are offering an online Bereavement Help Point. These sessions aim to provide an informal time to talk with other bereaved people and there will be a trained volunteer on hand to facilitate the support. If you would like more information about this please contact us on 01543 434536.

Families whose loved one received support from St Giles are invited to one of our Time to Reflect and Remember services. These ceremonies, which last approximately 45 minutes, provide an opportunity for you to remember those from your family and community who have died and are followed by refreshments. These are currently online, until services can safely be resumed in person again.

There is also an opportunity to have the name of your relatives or friends entered into our Memorial Book. This book is on display in our Memorial Book Room and Chapel; pages are turned each day to remember our patients who have died on that date in previous years.

Contact us

If you or a member of your family feel you would like to talk to someone about these services or any aspect of bereavement support, please contact us on 01543 434536 or email us at sct@stgileshospice.com.