Bereavement Support in Morecambe Bay
The death of a loved one can be among the most difficult moments that any of us will face in our lives, and it often falls on those closest to the deceased and grieving the most to organise the funeral.
The government have produced a leaflet which shares important information to help bereaved families, friends or next of kin make important decisions during this national emergency and guides you to the extra help and support that is available. www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-the-bereaved
Across Morecambe Bay there are many organisations that offer bereavement support and it is important that following a death we are able to signpost and guide people for appropriate help.
Most people who experience loss will only require low level support, which involves providing people with information on the grieving process, practical help with tasks, and social support. Family, friends, and colleagues will provide much of this support. For those offering support, this is a time of “watchful waiting;” active listening; reminding people that grief is normal; exploring the emotions they may feel, the person’s thoughts about that and how everyday behaviour or skills might be affected. This level of support will also include community groups, churches and religious and spiritual organizations (all faiths and none), hospital and hospice bereavement teams, online forums and national support.
We have listed information about the options available to enable you to get additional support which you can access by using the drop down boxes
Organisations Offering Bereavement Support in Morecambe Bay
Age UK Lancashire : www.ageuk.org.uk/lancashire/about-us/news/bereavement-support/
Amparo support following suicide (Lancashire): Tel. 0330 088 9255 listening-ear.co.uk/amparo/
At a Loss: The UK's signposting website for the bereaved www.ataloss.org/
Child Bereavement UK: Includes online support including Live Chat via the website Tel. 0800 02 888 40 www.childbereavementuk.org/
Churches together in Cumbria (CTiC): Signposting to a church or minister www.churchestogethercumbria.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Care: Tel. 0808 808 1677 www.cruse.org.uk/
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Facebook: Cruse Bereavement Care Cumbria
Cruse Bereavement Care Lancashire: Tel. 01772 433645 www.cruselancashire.org.uk/
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Facebook: Cruse Bereavement Care Lancashire
Dying Matters: www.dyingmatters.org/
Every Life Matters (Cumbria): Support for people bereaved by suicide: www.every-life-matters.org.uk/affected-by-suicide/
Grief Chat: Tel. 01524 782910 www.griefchat.co.uk/contact-grief-chat/
Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria: www.healthierlsc.co.uk/suicide/bereaved-suicide
Interfaith and Multifaith: www.interfaith.org.uk/
Kooth: Offers emotional and mental health support for children and young people aged between 11 – 24 years and is available up to 10pm every day online
https://www.kooth.com/
Marie Curie: Tel. 0800 090 2309 www.mariecurie.org.uk/
National Bereavement Alliance: nationalbereavementalliance.org.uk/
National Bereavement Partnership: Tel. 0800 448 0800 undefined
NHS Bereavement Helpline: Tel. 0800 2600 400 www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/bereavement-advice-and-support/
From 10th August, the bereavement support service, Sudden www.suddendeath.org/ have taken over running the NHS Bereavement Helpline.
Sudden is a not-for-profit service hosted by the support charity, Brake. The helpline number will remain the same (0800 2600 400) but Sudden’s service will take and have responsibility for all calls to the number going forward, offering up to ten weeks of phone-based support from day one.
Samaritans: Tel. 116 123 free from any phone 0330 094 5717 local call charges apply https://www.samaritans.org/
Sands: Support for anyone affected by the death of a baby Tel. 0808 164 3332 https://www.sands.org.uk/
School Resources: localoffer.cumbria.gov.uk/kb5/cumbria/fsd/advice.page?id=2imoH2hBqTs
www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/916175/eps-bereavement-and-loss-covid-19.pdf
St John’s Hospice: Tel. 01524382538 www.sjhospice.org.uk/bereavement-support/
St Mary’s Hospice: Tel. 01229 580305 www.stmaryshospice.org.uk/our-care/for-families/bereavement-support/
Suicide Bereavement Support Cumbria: Tel. 07572 975 721 or 07896 703 757 www.sbs.org.uk/
Suicide Bereavement UK: Tel 01706 827 359 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: https://suicidebereavementuk.com/immediate-support-resources/
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide: Tel. 0300 111 5065 uksobs.org/
The Good Grief Trust: www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay: Tel. 01524 512406 www.uhmb.nhs.uk/our-services/services/bereavement
Way Widowed and Young: For people aged 50 or under when their partner died: www.widowedandyoung.org.uk/
Winstons Wish: Tel. 08088 021 www.winstonswish.org/about-us/
Bereavement and the Coronavirus
The following is a list of nationally produced online information which families and carers can be signposted to during the Covid-19 outbreak about grief, funerals and support in exceptional times.
Child Bereavement UK: www.childbereavementuk.org/coronavirus-supporting-children
Compassion in Dying: helping people prepare for the end of life. How to talk about it, plan for it, and record your wishes Tel: 0800 999 2434 coronavirus.compassionindying.org.uk/making-decisions-about-treatment/
Cruse Bereavement Care: www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/coronavirus-dealing-bereavement-and-grief
Books for children: www.cruse.org.uk/about-cruse/publications/recommended-books/books-for-children
Dying Matters: aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life. www.dyingmatters.org/page/updated-resources
Faith Action: www.faithaction.net/campaigns/coronavirus/
Humanist UK: humanism.org.uk/2020/04/20/humanists-uk-welcomes-updated-guidance-on-funerals-during-the-pandemic/
Interfaith and Multifaith: www.interfaith.org.uk/news/covid-19
Irish Hospice Foundation: hospicefoundation.ie/bereavement-2-2/covid19-care-and-inform/
Marie Curie: www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/coronavirus
National Bereavement Alliance: nationalbereavementalliance.org.uk/covid-19/
nationalbereavementalliance.org.uk/keeping-in-touch-when-someone-is-seriously-ill/
Network Health: Network for Pastoral, Spiritual & Religious Care in Health
Oxford Health: Coping with the Coronavirus - Bereavement (one of a series about Coronavirus and mental health): www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/OH-008.20-Coronavirus-and-bereavement-Local-v2.pdf
Quaker Social Action Organising a meaningful funeral when people cannot attend: quakersocialaction.org.uk/we-can-help/helping-funerals/down-earth/information-and-guidance/coronavirus-organising-meaningful
School Resources: localoffer.cumbria.gov.uk/kb5/cumbria/fsd/advice.page?id=2imoH2hBqTs
www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/916175/eps-bereavement-and-loss-covid-19.pdf
St John’s Hospice: Specific coronavirus support for families not know to the hospice: www.sjhospice.org.uk/coronavirus-bereavement
Way Widowed and Young: a national charity in the UK for people aged 50 or under when their partner died: www.widowedandyoung.org.uk/news/offering-support-through-the-coronavirus-outbreak/
Mental Health & Wellbeing during Covid-19: www.every-life-matters.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ELM006-COVID-19-public-info-a5-booklet-AW-online-1.pdf
These lists are not exhaustive and we are not endorsing or approving any specific organisation.
A PDF version of this information is available for you to download and print if required along with a large print version.
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Other Formats
If you would like to access this information in an alternative format, then please contact us on Tel. 01524 519369 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
You can find information about services available in Cumbria by accessing the North Cumbria CCG website.
Suicide Bereavement UK
Dr. Sharon McDonnell, Managing Director of Suicide Bereavement UK and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Manchester and Shirley Smith Founder of If U Care Share Foundation and member of Support After Suicide Partnership were interviewed by BBC News about the launch of the report, entitled ‘’From Grief to Hope: The Collective Voice of Those Bereaved or Affected by Suicide in the UK (18th November, 2020).
Link to BBC recording: https://youtu.be/me2bM_EGthU
Link to the national suicide bereavement report: https://suicidebereavementuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/From-Grief-to-Hope-Report.pdf
Link to key resources for those bereaved or affected by suicide: https://suicidebereavementuk.com/key-resources/