A new campaign has been launched to reassure bereaved people that grief is normal and support is at hand.
To mark Grief Awareness Week, which runs from today (Thursday, December 2 until Wednesday, December 8), Norfolk County Council has launched a campaign called Taking the Time to Heal.
The council says grief can affect anyone, but there are things people can do to help someone who is grieving.
Often it can be as simple as just being there to listen and allow them to share their feelings, which can mean a lot to a bereaved person.
Bill Borrett, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care and public health, said: "This is really important, we all know that during this pandemic, it has been a painful time for some people.
"Not being able to say ‘goodbye’ to a loved one in hospital or in a care home or hold a normal funeral, can bring about a huge amount of guilt.
“There have been occasions over the last 19 months where bad news has been broken to people when they could not have their support networks around them.
"So, the Taking the Time to Heal campaign wants to reach out to people during this time of grief and signpost them to a network of support that is available."
Tracey Dryhurst, from the Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, said: "From today, anyone who is bereaved in Norfolk, or those people supporting a bereaved person, will have access to information about grief and loss, as well as signposting to more help where needed.
"My hope is that in raising awareness of the needs of the bereaved and by giving people some simple tools to help friends and family, we are building a Compassionate Norfolk which can only be a good thing after such a difficult time for us all."
Bereavement support can be accessed on the Norfolk County Council’s website at https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/births-ceremonies-and-deaths/deaths/bereavement-support
That website also has details of groups which can be contacted for advice and support.
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