Dorset charities relaunch January bereavement cafes

Charities Dorset Open Door, Mosaic, Dorset Youth and Dorset Mental Health Forum will be hosting bereavement cafes in Weymouth and Dorchester for the whole of January.

Bereavement cafes aim to support people suffering the loss of a loved one through peer-to-peer sessions. 

The charities will be providing free weekly sessions to anyone dealing with bereavement. The cafes will also provide a chance to talk to others who are in similar situations.

Sessions will be scheduled at The Front Skatepark in Weymouth on Tuesday 16 and 30 January between 4:30pm and 6:30pm, while the Dorchester drop-ins will be held at the Dorset Mental Health Forum at The Gallery and 29A Durngate Street on Thursday 18 and 25 January between the same hours.  

Clare Hayton, senior therapist at Mosaic, said: “Bereavement is something that happens to us all. Thankfully, a lot of children do not have to navigate the loss of a loved one until later in their life. So when a young person does experience a death, they can often feel isolated and confused about what they are experiencing.

“The bereavement cafes are an opportunity to meet others who are bereaved and also to understand the complex feeling around grief.”