High Peak bereavement group gets £377,000 of National Lottery Funding

Liz Fletcher and Donna Wren from the High Peak CVS bereavement group which has just secured £377,000 of National Lottery funding to allow the group to continue for the next four years. Pic submitted

High Peak CVS Bereavement Support Group has been given a grant for £377,155 to continue the good work of supporting those who have lost loved ones until 2027.

Liz Fletcher, Senior Development Worker for the group, said: “This money means we can not only continue with our services but also expand them too.”

The service runs five group sessions across the High Peak; in Buxton, Glossop, the Hope Valley and two in Chapel-en-le-Frith in partnership with Blythe House Hospicecare.

The new fundingmeans a group will be opening up in New Mills and an additional evening service too.

The money will also pay for a new staff member to join the ranks.

Liz said: “This is brilliant news as it means we can continue to support more people.

“In our culture grief is very much stifled and people are told ‘it’s been a year now why aren’t you over it?’ Or told their loved one wouldn’t want them to be feeling sad.

“But grief is love, and you can still love a person even if they aren’t physically here.

“We also know that some people who have suffered a significant loss in their life feel they can’t talk openly with family and friends as they don’t want to burden them.

“But at our support groups we make a space for people to feel heard, acknowledged and understood.”

The group was set up almost six years ago by Liz who realised there were no outlets for people in the High Peak who were grieving.

Since then the sessions have gone from strength to strength and this is the third round of lottery money the group has received.

Liz added: “It’s practically unheard of to receive this much lottery funding but the fact we have means the world to us and we are so grateful to everyone who plays every week which in turn supports good causes like ours.”

The service is through referral only, and self referrals can be done, open to anyone 18 or over who has suffered a significant loss and is three months post bereavement.

For more information call 01663 735350 or email [email protected].