Bereavement support groups

Adult bereavement support

Cruse Bereavement Care|

Cruse is a national charity providing advice, information and support to anyone who has been bereaved (children, young people and adults), whenever or however the death occurred.  The service is provided by trained, experienced volunteers, and is confidential and free.  Cruse provides face-to-face, telephone and website support both post and pre-bereavement.

Phone: 0844 477 9400 (national helpline)

Email: helpline@cruse.org.uk|

Local branches of Cruse Bereavement Care

  • Andover and District
    Phone: 01264 336006  Phone and leave a message – calls checked regularly.
  • Basingstoke
    Phone: 01256 844367  Phone and leave a message – calls checked regularly.
  • Berkshire and North Hampshire
    Phone: 01344 411919  Phone for an appointment.  Answer phone messages returned as soon as possible.
  • Bournemouth and Christchurch
    Phone: 01020 302000  Phone to make an appointment.
  • Isle of Wight
    Phone: 01983 523030  Phone to make an appointment at a mutually agreed time.
  • New Forest
    Phone: 01425 628375  Phone to make an appointment or attend the monthly support group.
  • Salisbury
    Phone: 01722 411938  Phone to make an appointment.
  • South Hants (covers Southampton and Portsmouth areas)
    Phone: 023 8023 2500  Phone and leave a message on the answer phone.
  • West Sussex
    Phone: 01243 530202  Phone and leave a message – calls checked regularly. 

Eastleigh Bereavement Service|

Bereavement Service for Southampton and Eastleigh.  Registered charity offering emotional support and practical advice to all bereaved people.  Free and confidential.

Phone: 023 8057 8844

Address: 485 Bitterne Road East, Bitterne, Southampton, SO18 5EQ

HiB - Help in Bereavement|

Registered charity founded in 1980, HiB offer bereavement support to grieving people for as long as it is needed.  It provides a confidential visiting service covering Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Emsworth, Hayling Island, Waterlooville, Cosham, Paulsgrove, Wymering, Cowplain and Horndean.

Phone: 023 9266 8884

Way Foundation|

Way runs self help groups across the UK offering information, support and friendship for men and women up to 50 who have lost a partner.  

Phone: 0870 011 3450

Email: info@wayfoundation.org.uk|

Winchester Bereavement Support|

Support for bereaved people in Winchester, Kings Worthy, Chandlers Ford and Sutton Scotney. Trained volunteers make home visits and offer one to one support.

Phone: 01962 863626

Fax: 01962 868324

Death of a child and bereavement support for children and young people

Babyloss|

A website service providing online information and support for anyone affected by the death of a baby at any stage of pregnancy, at birth, or due to neonatal death.

Email: support@babyloss.com|

Child Bereavement Charity|

Supporting families and educating professionals, both when a child dies and when a child is bereaved.

Phone:  01494 568900

Cruse Bereavement Care Youth Line RD4U|

Cruse’s young people’s website, designed by young people for young people aged between 12 and 18.

Phone:  0808 808 1677 (Young people’s freephone helpline)

Email: info@RD4U.org.uk|

Child Death Helpline|

Helpline for anyone affected by the death of a child of any age, under any circumstances, however long ago. Staffed by trained volunteers, all of whom are bereaved parents.  Based at Great Ormond Street and Alder Hey hospitals.

Phone: 0800 282 986 (freephone) or 0808 800 6019 (freephone for mobile phones)

Email: contact@childdeathhelpline.org|

Compassionate Friends|

Supporting bereaved parents and their families after a child dies. Available for support and information daily. The line is always answered by a bereaved parent.

National helpline: 0845 123 2304  

Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths|

UK’s leading baby charity aiming to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy and promote infant health. Providing help when a baby dies suddenly and unexpectedly.

Freephone helpline: 0808 802 6868

Email: helpline@fsid.org.uk|

Hampshire local contact: Judith Howard, phone: 01277 272914

Jigsaw4u|

Jigsaw4u is a charity dedicated to supporting children, young people, and their families, who have experienced grief, loss and trauma.

Phone: 0797 744 1080 (head office)

Phone: 01342 313 895 (East Grinstead, West Sussex) 

Sands - Still Birth and Neonatal Death Society|

Sands offer support to anyone affected by the death of a baby either during pregnancy or after birth.  Local groups are run by bereaved parents and are currently established in Southampton, Havant, Portsmouth, Basingstoke and Chichester and meet monthly.  On-line and email support is available and home visits can also be arranged. 

National helpline:  0207 436 5881 (9.30am–5.30pm Monday–Friday)

Phone: 0207 436 3715

Sands online support forum| to exchange experiences.

SIBBS|

SIBBS is Compassionate Friend’s nationwide self-help support group for people who have suffered the death of a brother or sister.

Phone: 08451 232304 (10am-4pm and 6.30pm-10.30pm every day).

Email:  info@tcf.org.uk| (information, support, information about SIBBS)

Simon Says|

Southampton-based registered charity providing information and resources to bereaved children and their families. Support group on the fourth Sunday of every month, 2.30– 4pm, where children and young people have the opportunity to talk and play with others the same age. Support for adult carers and parents too.

Phone: 023 8064 7550

Email: info@simonsays.org.uk|

Address: PO Box 485, Eastleigh, Southampton, SO50 OBA

Winston’s Wish|

Support, information and guidance to all those caring for a child or young person who has been bereaved.o

National helpline: 08452 03 04 05

Email: info@winstonswish.org.uk|

Support following sudden or traumatic death

Assist Trauma Care|

Help and support for individuals and families, adults and children, who have suffered any kind of traumatic occurrence such as an attack, a transport incident, a fire, a bomb, war, or a tsunami.  Help is provided by qualified and experienced therapists who aim to help people recover and move on with their lives.

Helpline: 01788 560800

RoadPeace|

National charity providing emotional and practical support to those bereaved or injured in a road crash.

Helpline: 0845 4500 355 (9am-5pm  Monday to Friday)

Email: helpline@roadpeace.org|

SAMM - Support after Murder and Manslaughter|

For anyone who has suffered the traumatic death of a loved one, regardless of how long since the death.

National helpline: 0845 872 3440

Email: support@samm.org.uk|

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide|

(Previously known as SOBS)

Aims to meet the needs and break the isolation of those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend. A self help, voluntary organisation - many of those helping have themselves been bereaved by suicide.

National helpline: 0844 561 6855 (9am-9pm every day)