Sue Ryder offers 24/7 bereavement support this Christmas
The national palliative care and bereavement charity, Sue Ryder, is reminding the local community that its Online Bereavement Community is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the festive period for anyone who might be experiencing grief.
Last December saw over 33,000 visits to the community, including a 30% increase on people posting on Christmas Day compared to the previous year.
For many, Christmas can be an especially difficult time, with feelings of grief and loneliness intensifying and with some other bereavement services operating reduced hours or closing.
The charity knows that 88% of people feel alone in their grief so whether someone is struggling during a quiet moment, finding celebrations overwhelming, or simply needs to talk, the community offers a place to be heard and supported.
The Sue Ryder Online Bereavement Community provides free, peer-to-peer support, allowing people who are grieving or caring for someone at the end of their life to share feelings, exchange messages and connect with others.
Roz’s husband died in November 2024. She describes Sue Ryder’s Online Bereavement Community as a ‘lifeline’ over the Christmas period.
“Nobody knows what you are going through and I think Christmas just magnifies everything. There is an expectation of jollity, happiness and togetherness, which can be really hard. I remember walking into town the morning after my husband had died and the Christmas decorations were already up. It was like being on the outside of a snow globe looking in.
"The online community is a lifeline at a time which is, aside from those personal anniversaries, probably the hardest of the year. It’s a bridge of support, of validation and recognition. You can be in the same room as someone who is very empathetic, but they don't have to be sitting beside you, they are holding your hand through the screen."
Seaneen Molloy, Online Community Manager, commented: “This year, we are marking 10 years of our Online Bereavement Community. Over the past decade, it has offered comfort, connection and understanding for thousands of bereaved people.
“Grief doesn’t stop at Christmas. Our online community is there day and night, offering people a safe space to talk and connect with others. No one should feel they have to face grief alone this Christmas, and the support our members generously give and receive each day is what makes the community so special. In fact, 72% of our members say the community helps them feel less alone.”
Sue Ryder is encouraging anyone who is struggling with grief this Christmas, or who know someone who is, to visit the Online Bereavement Community for support: sueryder.org/FindSupport
If you feel you are at risk of harming yourself or feel in need of immediate, emergency support, please call 999, call Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258.
