National Grief Awareness Week

27 Nov 2025

Launch of New Bereavement Café for colleagues from January 2026

National Grief Awareness Week (Tuesday, 2 to Monday, 8 December) is a compassionate and important observance dedicated to raising awareness about grief, providing support to those who are grieving, and fostering a better understanding of the grieving process. It acknowledges that grief is a natural response to loss and aims to break the stigma surrounding this deeply personal experience. It aims to create a safe space for individuals to openly discuss their experiences with grief and loss.  

New Bereavement Café for colleagues 

Starting from January 2026, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Colleague Wellbeing Teams are coming together to introduce a Monthly Bereavement Café for colleagues - a safe, supportive space for colleagues who have experienced the death of a person. This informal, peer-led gathering is designed to offer comfort, connection, and a chance to reflect and share experiences with others who may be navigating journeys of grief. There will be a variety of in-person and online café dates to join.  

• Register your email address to join the Bereavement Café mailing list so you can be informed of café dates and locations.

Purpose 

The Bereavement Café provides a compassionate environment where colleagues can:

• Connect with peers who have experienced loss 

• Share thoughts and feelings (if they wish) 

• Access information on further support services 

• Take time to reflect in a non-judgmental space 

Important Considerations 

We understand that grief is deeply personal and can vary widely in intensity and complexity. While this space is intended to be supportive, we ask colleagues to reflect on whether a peer-to-peer group setting is right for them at this time. 

If you are currently experiencing complex grief—such as bereavement by suicide, multiple or recent losses, or unexpected or traumatic deaths—you may find that more specialised or professional support is appropriate. If needed, we can help signpost you to these services.

What to Expect 

• No pressure to speak – you are welcome to simply listen and be present. 
• Support information will be shared. 
• Confidentiality and respect are essential. We ask all attendees to honour the privacy of others and not share any personal stories or details outside the group. 

This is a space of empathy and a place to be heard: it is not a space for professional therapy for grief, loss and bereavement.  

If you have any questions or would like to discuss whether the Bereavement Café is right for you, please email equalityanddiversity@manchester.ac.uk.  

Support for Grief, Bereavement and Loss 

There are many support services available for grief and bereavement, some tailored towards the person lost and services for particular age groups: 

• Greater Manchester Bereavement service: find bereavement support local to you. 
• Cruse Bereavement Service Free and confidential support. Helpline: 0808 808 1677, open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9.30am – 5pm, Tuesday 1pm – 8pm  
• Grief Encounter Supporting bereaved children and their families in the UK. Helpline: 0808 802 0111, open Monday-Friday 9am – 5pm.  
• Bereavement Advice Centre:  For information and advice concerning a death. 
• The Lullaby Trust: Bereavement support to anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or young child. Helpline: 0808 802 6868, open Monday – Friday 10am – 2pm and 6 – 10pm on weekends and public holidays  
• Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) Support, information, help by email, support groups and a national helpline open 9am-7pm Monday-Friday, helpline: 0300 111 5065.