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If you would like someone to contact you before the meeting, then please do phone and we can arrange for you to be met and taken in to be introduced to everyone.
If you or someone you know has suffered the loss of a friend or loved one we are here to help, for we know exactly how you feel having gone through this excruciating and painful experience ourselves.
We really do understand the pain and heart ache of grief and we have found that the load of grief is lighter when it is not carried alone.
When you manage to pluck up the courage to take this very difficult first step in coming along to the Support Group - most of whom may be complete strangers to you at first - you will find yourself being welcomed by a very friendly, sympathetic and understanding group of people with whom you will have the freedom to speak and be listened to, as they too are on the same journey through life.
It sometimes helps to remember that there is no time limit on your grief.
Some may find they begin to recover in months or a year or so, whilst others may find it’s three or four or five before recovery starts. That’s perfectly okay because everyone grieves and recovers at their own pace and on their own time
That is why we believe that our friendly Support Group can provide an important place in your recovery with our regular weekly meetings, and importantly, regular contacts with others whom you know have suffered the same trauma.
In the early stages of our grief, we are needy.
Recovery begins when that neediness turns into a need to give back.
In the beginning, we have this overwhelming desire to tell our story and talk about our loved one and tell people how we feel.. Recovery also begins when the need to talk becomes less and the need to listen becomes more.
The first indicator we are in recovery is when we cry less because they are gone and smile more because they lived.
We think it’s important for the bereaved to have these signs and mileposts so that there are some criteria to measure your progress.
The aims of our group therefore are to provide the vital help, friendship and support at this very vulnerable and needy time of your life by offering regular contact with others who, crucially, understand how you feel because they too have experienced the same devastating and life changing bereavement.
We will also be there to provide support by being able to share with you - if you so wish - those other very special but painful days of Anniversaries, Birthdays, Mothers Day, Fathers Day,Christmas Day, Easter and other Public Holidays, etc, when everyone else seems to be celebrating and enjoying themselves as they are surrounded by friends and families whilst we can feel so sad and often alone.
As the group does grow we also hope to meet socially at other times of the week - to perhaps to go show at a Theatre or Cinema, enjoy day trips out to visit places of interest, or go shopping, etc, etc - all depending on the wishes of the group of course.
We are encouraged by the fact that our local Doctors, The Macmillan Group, the local Hospitals, Chaplains and various Churches, have all stated that they believe that we are providing a much needed service (even though they themselves often provide similar support groups) and they have kindly displayed our notices on their premises .
Local shopkeepers too have kindly and generously displayed our notices - free of charge - in order to publicize the existence of our group.
We hope that passers by too, by reading these notices, will pass the information on to those they might know who are in desperate need of this support.
So, as you begin this new part of your journey through life, please consider taking this very positive first step of phoning us - or just turning up to the meeting - to enjoy a cup of tea, a biscuit and a friendly chat with a group of new, caring and understanding friends.
As from 11th June - next week - we will be meeting every Friday Afternoon, from 1pm till 3pm, within The Central Library at the New Thornaby Town Centre, which is a more central meeting place and may already be familiar to them.
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