What types of grief support events do you provide?
We host a range of bereavement support events, predominantly designed in a group format. Our offerings include themed support groups, such as those centred around partner loss or parent loss, informal social gatherings, workshops, and therapy groups tailored for those who have lost a loved one to cancer. Each event is crafted with the intention of uniting individuals who share similar experiences of loss, providing a supportive space for collective grieving, and offering opportunities to learn how to navigate and support oneself through the grieving process. Join us as we foster connection, understanding, and healing within a compassionate community.
We also run a buddy service called Connect, which puts people with similar losses in touch with one another for 1-2-1 conversations. We find this can help create a deep connection with someone in a similar position who ‘gets it’.
It’s important to note that while we offer the Connect buddy service, we don’t provide one-on-one therapy. There are dedicated organizations that specialize in therapeutic services, ensuring you receive the specific support you need. Our focus is on immediate connection without the delays of long waiting lists, as we understand the urgency of support during challenging times. Your well-being is our priority, and we’re here to facilitate meaningful connections when you need them most.
Is the support online or in-person?
In short, we provide both. Our facilitated support is online, which includes our support groups, therapy groups and workshops. This allows us to support people across all corners of the UK, and our purpose is to make our support accessible to all.
We recognise that people are also keen to connect in person with others locally who have been through cancer loss, which is why we have expanded our Walk and Talk events nationwide. These gatherings, facilitated by our dedicated volunteers, aim to unite individuals through brief walks and conversations. Our Walk and Talk events are hosted in various locations across the UK, offering opportunities for local communities to come together. Explore our calendar to stay updated on upcoming events and join us in fostering meaningful connections during these walks.
What happens in a support group session?
Our support group sessions are designed to be secure, inviting, and non-judgmental spaces where individuals can engage in challenging conversations. What sets these gatherings apart is their foundation in peer support, shaped by the very people who participate. Recognising the unpredictable nature of grief, we prioritize addressing whatever emotions or topics emerge on the day rather than adhering to set agendas. This approach, based on real-time experiences, fosters authenticity within the groups, creating a dynamic and genuine environment for those navigating the complexities of grief.
In a typical session we spend time sharing experiences… memories, thoughts, feelings, worries and more. Only those that want to talk do so – we do not force people to speak beyond inviting them to share their name at the start of a session.
Even though we’re all about peer support, you’ll find some friendly faces from our team at every support group. They’re there to kick things off officially, create a safe and welcoming space, ensure everyone who wants to share gets a chance, guide you to additional support if needed, and, most importantly, to listen and support you with compassion. You’re not alone—we’re here for you.
Why was The Loss Foundation started?
The Loss Foundation was set up after a personal experience brought to light the lack of support available for people grieving the loss of a loved one to cancer. Our Founder, Dr Erin Hope Thompson, lost her father to cancer in 2008, and witnessed the struggle that her family members experienced coming to terms with their loss. Erin was struck by the lack of support for people who lose their loved ones to cancer. After all, when a loved one passes away, those left behind are often left with no support and no idea which direction to turn.
After receiving a start up cheque for £500 and recruiting a dedicated and hard-working team, running focus groups, speaking to other professionals and support groups, The Loss Foundation was born in November 2010 and became a registered charity in 2012. Our support group sessions started in April 2011.
What is the purpose of The Loss Foundation?
To provide UK-wide bereavement support for any adult who loses a loved-one to cancer.
Do you provide support for children?
We do not provide support for people under the age of 18. This is because there are wonderful charities providing bereavement support for young people. We recommend reaching out to: Child Bereavement UK, and Winston’s Wish,
Do you provide any 1-2-1 therapy?
We do not provide any 1-2-1 therapy as there are other organisations that provide that type of service, and we know that if we were to go down that route we would be inundated and most people would end up on a long waiting list. We do not want you to have to wait for support.
If you are looking for a 1-2-1 counselling or therapy we recommend reaching out to your GP to find out about options local to you.
We do provide therapy groups (not a 1-2-1 service), which are highly popular. These tend to run annually or bi-annually, and involve attending 8 therapy group sessions over 12 weeks, alongside others with a similar loss and facilitated by our Clinical Psychologists. These groups target the difficulties people often experience as part of cancer loss, for example, learning to manage the difficult thoughts, memories and emotions that often come with grief.
Can I volunteer for The Loss Foundation?
Yes, of course! We are always happy to hear from others who would like to join our team.
You can check our Join our Team page for information on available roles. Roles varies from joining us as a Trustee on our Board, facilitating support groups, hosting our Walk and Talk events, and more.
If you are interested in volunteering with us to run our support events please email hello@thelossfoundation.org with your CV and letter of interest.
I’m in desperate need of help and struggling. Can The Loss Foundation help me?
We are so sorry to hear you are struggling. We absolutely want to help you as much as we can across the events that we provide.
Please note that we are not a crisis service, so if you are in need of immediate support please do reach out to Samaritans who provide immediate listening support (they can be reached on 116 123), or contact your GP.
Can I donate and how will my donation be used?
Yes, donations are always welcome, and will go towards funding our bereavement support services and spreading awareness of our support. If you would like to make a donation you can click here or press the Donate tab at the top of the page.
You can give a one-off donation or sign up to donate monthly via Direct Debit.
Many thanks for your generosity.
Do you only support people bereaved by cancer?
Yes.
We have learned that specificity is something that people value in the support they receive. We know how scary it can be to seek support, and that people are more likely to attend support services if they are closely aligned to their specific loss. It’s our users who let us know that having support closely aligned with their experiences is what encourages them to show up and keep coming back. That’s why we proudly remain a cancer bereavement charity. Similar to organisations like SOBS for suicide loss and SANDS for baby loss, specific bereavement charities play a crucial role in fostering communities for those with shared losses. The value in that connection is immense.
I’m nervous about attending. Is it ok if I don’t want to talk?
It is very normal to feel nervous about attending a support event. It can be anxiety-provoking to seek support, and to share / hear from others. Beyond inviting you to introduce your name and let us know who died at the start of a session you will never be forced to talk, so it’s perfectly ok to just come along and listen and see how you feel.
The positive feedback we receive about our events reaffirms that people feel incredibly well-supported in our community. Our dedicated volunteers undergo training and continuous professional development to ensure they deliver the highest quality of support. While we understand that bereavement support isn’t one-size-fits-all, the feedback overwhelmingly indicates that the majority of attendees feel genuinely supported at our events. We carefully read and consider every piece of feedback, making constant adjustments to make our events as accessible and supportive as possible.
We encourage you to give one of our events a try—think of it as an opportunity to prioritise your well-being. Just show up, and from there, we’ll take care of the rest. Your comfort and support are our top priorities.
Is the support free?
All of our services are free of charge, except our weekend retreats which requires people to pay their way (please note the retreats are not profit making for us, we only charge people to cover the costs of the event and we seek grants to subsidise those costs.)
Can I join for support if I am based outside of the UK?
We are a UK based charity and all of our services are targeted at those living within the UK. However, we recognise that people based in other locations will need support too, and if you are able to make it to one of our online events you would be welcome to attend.
What training does your organisation provide?
Explore our diverse training events, including convenient pre-recorded sessions that enable professionals to enhance their skills related to grief at their own pace. In addition to these, we offer customised trainings tailored to the specific needs of organisations.
Our training and consultancy services are dedicated to equipping individuals with the tools to better support those navigating grief, facilitating challenging conversations, and implementing psychologically informed interventions for bereavement.
Join us in fostering a more compassionate and understanding approach to grief support through our comprehensive training offerings.
You can find more information on our Training page.
