Cruse Bereavement’s support partnerships

Funeral Arranger Lisa Hutchinson outside James Brown & Sons Lisburn Road

Funeral teams launch bereavement support partnership with Cruse

As families try to come to terms with the loss of loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic, 17 funeral homes across Northern Ireland have partnered with Cruse Bereavement Care to help provide extra support to bereaved people.

The partnership with Funeral Partners Northern Ireland will help Cruse recruit and train 20 new Bereavement Volunteers at this much needed time. Online support sessions will also be provided to bereaved families.

These sessions will address specific challenges presented by the pandemic, including the highly sensitive and emotive issues around funeral restrictions and not being able to be with loved ones at their time of death. Sessions will also cover understanding your grief and understanding your child’s grief.

Cruse Bereavement Care thanked Funeral Partners for this new partnership which will help Cruse continue to provide vital support to bereaved families in Northern Ireland as they navigate their way through the pain of loss in 2020.

The partnership was initiated by Funeral Arranger Lisa Hutchinson, at James Brown & Sons Funeral Directors in Lisburn Road, Belfast, who wanted to find a way to provide greater support to those coping with bereavement during the pandemic.

Through Funeral Partners, it covers funeral homes in Antrim, Bangor, Belfast, Carrickfergus,

Paul Finnegan Director of Cruse Northern Ireland Derry/Londonderry, Donaghadee, Dungannon, Glengormley, Holywood, Larne, Newtownards and Portadown.

Paul Finnegan, Director of Cruse NI, said: “Grief is being felt across the country on an unimaginable scale due to the impact Covid-19 is having

James Brown & Sons, Central Belfast .............................................................................................028 9045 1021 Houston & Williamson Funeral Directors ...................................................................................028 9074 3540 John Gray & Co Funeral Directors, Bangor & Holywood ........................................................028 9127 1148 Doggarts of Newtownards Funeral Directors, Newtownards............................................. 028 9181 3382 Mulholllands Funeral Directors, Carrickfergus & Larne..........................................................028 9335 1585 Shields of Donaghadee Funeral Directors ...................................................................................028 9188 2825 Joseph Poots & Son Funeral Director, Portadown.....................................................................028 3835 2154 Holmes of Dungannon Funeral Directors, Dungannon.......................................................... 028 8775 2212 Adair & Neeley Funeral Directors, Derry/Londonderry ...........................................................028 7131 1321 Bairds of Antrim Funeral Directors, Antrim................................................................................028 9442 8230

on those who have been bereaved, whatever the circumstance. This partnership will help ensure that the bereaved families using Funeral Partners branches are offered support when they need it most.”

Julian Hodgkinson, Regional Development Director for Funeral Partners in Northern Ireland said: “Being unable to offer any physical comfort to the bereaved in the way we have become used to has been extremely difficult for us this year as caring is at the very heart of our business.

“We believe this support service is being offered to the community at a truly critical time. Processing grief and loss can be almost unbearable for some in normal circumstances and this has been heightened beyond comprehension during the pandemic. We are privileged to be able to help those who are grieving at this difficult and challenging time with Cruse Bereavement Care.”

Directors and Arrangers working for Funeral Partners Northern Ireland will also be offered the opportunity to be among the new Bereavement Volunteers specially trained by Cruse, which will enable the team members to provide specialist support to the families we serve.

Funeral Partners is interested in further expansion in Northern Ireland and would be happy to have an informal and confidential chat with any Funeral Directors who are considering selling their businesses. Contact Chief Executive Officer Sam Kershaw, directly on 07834 531822 or email: sam.kershaw@ funeralpartners.co.uk or Acquisition & Mergers Director Steve Wilkinson on 07528 970 531 or email: steve.wilkinson@funeralpartners.co.uk

www.funeralpartnersnorthernireland.com

If you are interested in joining an online bereavement support session in Northern Ireland, please contact your local Funeral Director for more information

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