Remembering those we’ve lost on Grief Awareness Week
Friday 4th December 2020Bishop John has shared a message for National Grief Awareness Week 2020, which runs from 2nd-8th December and is spearheaded by The Good Grief Trust.
In it, he says: “For everyone, the experience of grief can be different. Grief is not something to be ignored or hidden, in the hope that it will simply pas if we get on with our lives. It needs to be acknowledged and it may be necessary to seek the help and support of others.
“The purpose of National Grief Awareness week is to reassure people that there are many organisations ready to help when grief and bereavement make an impact on our lives. It’s all the more important to know about these services in a time when meeting with people – which can be so important in times of grief – is so much more difficult due to the pandemic and levels of restrictions.
“If you lose someone close to you, do not face that loss alone.”
This Grief Awareness Week, people are being encouraged to #shareyourstory to help others to understand the impact of grief and loss and to encourage people to reach out and have essential conversations.
Many people have not been able to share their stores of grief this year, meaning the bereaved have often felt lonelier and more isolated. Sharing stories of grief can help those grieving to know the person who has died will be remembered. It can help the bereaved person to begin to process their grief. Sharing stories helps others to understand the impact of grief and loss, enabling conversations to take place, opening emotions and feelings that are often difficult to express.
Throughout the week there are several virtual events taking place across Greater Manchester, Lancashire and the UK all of which can be seen here. The events include an Interfaith Webinar, which will be held on, Sunday 6th December at 7pm.
This Webinar will open conversations around interfaith support for the bereaved and discuss how we move from life to death to life again. The Guest Speaker will be Mitch Winehouse, who will talk about his experience of grief after the death of his daughter, Amy. We have invited a panel of faith leaders to join us, who will be able to take questions from our attendees.
On Tuesday 8th December 2020, at 5pm, we will mark a moments silence for those who have died and the bereaved, this will be followed by a special Evensong at St Pauls Cathedral, London. A virtual Interfaith Service will be streamed live from Manchester Cathedral to coincide with this service. At 6pm, key buildings across the UK, Greater Manchester, and Lancashire, will be lit up in yellow as a symbol of hope. We are encouraging people to shine a yellow candle/lamp in their homes as a sign of remembrance and hope.
The Grief Awareness Trust are asking people to download their campaign posters and display them on social media, in cars, windows at home, offices to share the messages of the campaign.
For further support in Greater Manchester, please click here.
For further support in Lancashire, please click here
