ARE you experiencing grief or loss? Would coming together with others who have had similar experiences be of support to you?
During Dying Matters Awareness Week which runs this week until Sunday 14th May, The Good Heart is continuing to do their bit to encourage a more open culture in which people are comfortable talking about death, dying and grief.
Dying Matters Awareness Week is an initiative started by Hospice UK, who have recognised how difficult it can be for people to share their feelings and experiences of these often-challenging topics.
Inspired by this initiative a year ago, The Good Heart has continued to run monthly Dying Matters drop-in evenings where people can expect a warm welcome, a cup of tea and open conversation.
The evenings are hosted by Mel Dalton, development worker at The Good Heart and Neil Croom, a therapeutic coach with a background in grief work. Both Mel and Neil have extensive experience in working with groups. Mel and Neil’s interest in this area was borne out of conversations about their own grief and loss, with Mel feeling an absence of places where she could talk openly about her experience of baby loss.
Neil said, “At Dying Matters we have found that in talking openly about death and loss, we can find connection and commonality with others in relation to these universal experiences. In sharing my experiences of death and loss I come to reflect more on those things that bring me alive, and what it might mean, in the face of death and loss, to live a ‘good life’.”
A spokesperson for The Good Heart said, “As well as a place for sharing experiences around bereavement, the evenings provide an opportunity for people to talk about other losses or griefs they have experienced, this could include the loss of relationships, the loss of home or homeland or losses associated with aging and other life transitions.
“There is no obligation to speak if you don’t want to, many people who attend the evenings benefit greatly from simply listening to other people share. It is also not a place to receive advice, just simply somewhere to be heard and witnessed in your own experience.”
The group takes place every second Thursday of the month at 7.30pm to 9.00pm at The Good Heart, 7 Palmer Street, Frome.
The next meeting is on Thursday 11th May. The evenings are free and open to all. Donations to cover running costs for the evening are appreciated.
For further information, please contact Mel at melaniegoodheart@gmail.com, or see The Good Heart website here, www.thegoodheart.uk
Pictured: Mel Dalton and Neil Croom, leaders of Dying Matters group.
