St Helena Hospice and Age Well East received funding from the North East Essex Health and Wellbeing Alliance End of Life Working Group to create one single point of information of all the bereavement support available locally, to help ensure individuals grieving the death of a loved one receive the most appropriate care and support they need, in the right place and at the right time. 

An existing website called To Live With Dying serves as a comprehensive hub for individuals, carers, and healthcare professionals seeking guidance and support in addressing the complex issues surrounding death and dying in north east Essex and Suffolk. The bereavement hub has been built onto this existing platform to offer local people coping with loss a broad directory of support services, counselling resources, and community organisations within north east Essex.  

The To Live With Dying website empowers users to easily locate and access the support they need. Whether seeking guidance on grief counselling services or peer support groups, individuals can find relevant information and contacts within the north east Essex community. Support is organised by how a loved one died, such as unexpected death, suicide or a long term illness; group or one to one support; or whether support is required for adults or children. Resources and support for anticipatory grief, which is feelings of grief or loss that are felt before a loved one dies, are also included.  

Nicola Button, deputy director of operations at St Helena Hospice, said: "We understand the profound impact that loss can have on individuals and families, and our mission is to ensure that no one has to navigate grief alone."  

"We want to make it as easy as possible through this website for individuals to find the resources and support networks available in their community to provide comfort, support and guidance during one of life’s most difficult times.” 

Kaye Bundy, operations manager at Age Well East, added: “By having one single point of information for all bereavement needs across north east Essex, organisations will work collaboratively to promote timely access to the right service for individuals based on their needs. By supporting more people earlier in their grief, we anticipate that over time, less people will need to access intensive or long term bereavement counselling.” 

If you or someone closes to you are struggling to cope with the death of a loved one and you’re looking for support, please visit www.tolivewithdying.co.uk/bereavement