This bereavement wall has been designed for people in the Dudley community to send their messages of support to people who have suffered a bereavement during COVID-19.
You have sent in some fantastic words of kindness but there is still space for more. Please send your messages to healthycommunities@dudley.gov.uk
You can find further community bereavement support organisations here
On 23rd March 2022 we would like to take time to connect and support the millions of people who are grieving and remembering the family, friends and neighbours and colleagues who we’ve lost during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At some point we will all experience the death of a loved one and know someone who’s loved one has died. Talking about death, dying and bereavement may not seem easy. It can feel awkward or uncomfortable to us and sometimes, we don’t know what to say or do so we avoid it. Yet we know that for people who have experienced a bereavement talking to someone who is kind and can listen well can be really helpful. Being kind, being a good listener and giving people opportunity to talk can be extremely helpful with dealing with the roller coaster of emotions that are experienced with bereavement.
There are lots of ways where the community can take part, such as, organising or joining a minutes silence, displaying daffodils in windows (drawing, prints or flowers) you may even want to change your social media picture, you could even have a coffee morning and invite others to join.
If you are planning to take part on the 23rd March, please contact us at Healthycommunities@dudley.gov.uk so we can share your plans with the community.
Take a look at the links below for more ideas
At A Loss | National Day of Reflection
Marie Curie | National Day of Reflection
Marie Curie | Wall of Reflection Print Kit
Marie Curie & Art Ventures | Childrens Colouring Activity to Print and Display
Top Church, St Thomas’s & St Luke’s, High Street, Dudley, DY1 1QD will be providing a service on March 23rd at 12:15pm. This will be a simple time of reflection and space to remember those who’ve passed away from Covid-19 and related issues.
At 1pm through to 3pm, during their Places of Welcome, there will be reflective space available for people to pop in and light a candle, write a prayer or just to sit quietly and reflect in a sacred place. There will also be a Wall of Reflection for people to write the names of loved ones who’ve passed away.
Rev Sarah Bardell
A bereavement kindness toolkit has been developed with volunteers and community groups. It is a resource to share with others, to create awareness of how to help someone who has been bereaved. You can access the toolkit here
“Thanks to the volunteers at the Hope House, Place of Welcome, Lower Gornal and to Carrie Blount, Places of Welcome & Buddying Facilitator for giving their thoughts and everyone else who provided their feedback for this toolkit.”
A wall of hearts memorial, dedicated to people who have died of Covid-19 is now in London opposite Parliament. The mural will be made up of almost 150,000 hand painted hearts and currently stretches to half a kilometre. The memorial has been co-ordinated by the campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice and was founded by Matt Fowler who lost his father, Ian, to coronavirus in April 2020. To find out more you can watch this BBC News Story
Thank you, Rachael Doyle from Public Health for providing these comforting words.
Minister, Rev Tim Coles: “If you live in Gornal and you have been affected by loss during Coronavirus please feel free to make contact with me for support” timcoles@ugmc.org.uk
Black Country Mental Health “Bereavement presents a different journey for each of us with many mixed emotions. Black Country Mental Health are promoting group work and individual support”
To find out more about how you can access these groups please contact Black Country Mental Health at enquiries@blackcountrymentalhealth.org.uk or on 01384 685061
Dudley CVS: “Please know that there are people and services out there that will help, should you need support. To access help from us you can request a referral from your GP to Integrated Plus, or contact Jason.griffiths@nhs.net directly”.
Christ Church, Quarry Bank: “We have created an online memorial, with lighting of the candles accompanied by the music of the choir. You can view this memorial by clicking the YouTube link”.
To find out more about the five ways to wellbeing click here
If you live in the Coseley area and you are feeling isolated or lonely, please watch the video below to find out more about Pom-Poms 4 Loneliness or contact Shona or Dave on 07726 210092.
Debbie Myers, Business Support Officer DMBC
Here is my quote regarding bereavement – how it was for me
“To have an unplanned life with half a soul, nothing more than an existence stumbling around in darkness, with an indescribable pain shattering the heart, mind and soul into pieces. Then one day, out of the darkness appears an unexpected life, a new life, a different life, but a life all the same”
Walking with Grief from Celtic Daily Prayer
From Dark House Baptist Church Minister Denise Dobie
Do not hurry as you walk with grief
it does not help the journey
Walk slowly, pausing often: do not hurry as you walk with grief
Be not disturbed by memories that come unbidden
Swiftly forgive: and let Christ speak for you unspoken words
Unfinished conversations will be resolved in Him
Be not disturbed
Be gentle with the one who walks with grief
If it is you,
be gentle with yourself
Swiftly forgive
Walk slowly, pausing often
Take time, be gentle as you walk with grief.
Practical things you can do – advice from the Healthy Ageing Team, Public Health, Dudley Council.
Express yourself – Talking is often a good way to soothe painful emotions. Talking to a friend, family member, trusted work colleague, health professional or counsellor can aid the healing process.
Allow yourself to feel sad – It’s a healthy part of the grieving process.
Maintain a routine – Keeping up simple things like doing the housework can help.
Sleep – Emotional strain can make you very tired.
Eat healthily – A well balanced diet will help you cope.
Looking after yourself – Make sure that you have some time to yourself and do things that you enjoy e.g. meet a friend, go for a walk, visit a nature reserve, have a relaxing bath, etc.
Avoid ‘numbing’ the pain – Things like alcohol and other substances will make you feel worse once the numbness wears off.
Please click on the image above to access a bereavement support leaflet.
During National Grief Awareness Week 2021 videos of residents were shared where they discussed what helped them in their grief. These short clips give practical tips which could help you when times are tough.
A key message from the videos is it’s good to talk. We hope to try and encourage conversations around grief, helping to make people more comfortable with the topic. This will ensure those who are bereaved feel acknowledged and understood.
Please see the short videos below.
Although the last year has been a very difficult year for many people, we know that where people have been able to talk with loved ones about their wishes for their care at the end of their life and for their funeral that this has made it easier for those who are left behind.
Dudley Council want to encourage staff to talk with their families about their hopes and requests for the end of their lives.
“Grief and death happen to everyone, so it is important that everyone talks about their wishes, writes them down and tells those they love where these details can be found.”
It can be hard to know how to start a conversation around grief, loss or bereavement. Many do not encounter family and friends who may be dying until they have reached quite an old age themselves. This makes it easier to pretend that illness and dying will not happen until some point in the distant future. This belief can make it hard to understand the need to plan ahead for the death of a loved one.
In order to support staff and the public with these difficult conversations, Dudley Council has created a short video that illustrates why it is important to think ahead, and the comfort these plans can provide for those who are left behind.
Healthier Futures Black Country & West Birmingham have created their own video too.
For staff who have experienced bereavement, supportive information is available on the public health website, Let’s Get.
In addition, anyone who has been bereaved and registered with a Dudley GP can ask for an appointment with the Listening and Guidance Service. Or, for those who would like to meet others who have been bereaved, there are a number of Bereavement Hubs and bereavement support groups – full details are available at Let’s Get.
Thank you Anne Horder, Dudley Public Health for this link: https://www.bps.org.uk/coronavirus-resources/public/continuing-bonds
Bereavement UK, offers free internet resources and podcast support on their Facebook page.
If you are struggling with your grief and would like to know more about how Compton Care can support you, please call the care co-ordination team on 01902 774570.
