Coping with feelings of grief and bereavement this Christmas

Support is available in Surrey, no matter how long you've been grieving

The festive period can be a difficult time for some people. The first Christmas after the death of a loved one is often a painful milestone. Feelings of grief may also resurface at this time, no matter how long ago the loss.

There is no 'standard' way to grieve as everyone is different, but it's important to look after yourself and look out for others who could be struggling.

Bereavement support services are available in Surrey, including The Brigitte Trust. This organisation offers free 8-week bereavement programmes. The sessions encourage mutual support and share coping strategies for people struggling with grief and bereavement.

Sarah Pattenden, Service Coordinator at The Brigitte Trust said:

"One particular gentleman, who I will refer to as Fred, was 90-years-old and had lost his wife of 70 years. They had no children. He became very isolated and withdrawn after her death, so his GP persuaded him to join one of our courses.

Fred told us he still laid a place up for dinner each night and talked to her as if she was there. He said it was what kept him from staying in bed all day as he wanted to have something to tell her in the evening.

Fred was welcomed into the group and told his stories each week. He shared his love of bees and how he had been a big part of the local bee keeping club. Fred now has friends checking in on him and on his final week he brought everyone a jar of honey as a thank you for making him feel alive again."

National charity Cruse has some suggestions on how to cope with grief at Christmas, including:

• different ways of celebrating
• finding ways to remember loved ones
• maintaining a routine.

If you're struggling to deal with grief over Christmas, you can call the Cruse Helpline. See their website for opening hours.

Visit Healthy Surrey for more information about grief and bereavement support services, including phonelines, counselling and self-help resources.