As the festive season approaches, a local hospice is issuing a vital message to anyone finding the winter months difficult due to grief: you are not alone.
A Compassionate Ear for Winter Grief
St Clare Hospice is encouraging people across the region to reach out to its free and confidential telephone helpline, GriefLine, on 01279 945089. While winter brings comfort to some, for those mourning a loved one, it can be an intensely painful period, stirring memories and amplifying feelings of loss.
Denise Taylor, St Clare Hospice’s Project Manager for Bereavement Support Services, explained the seasonal challenge. “Grief doesn’t follow a calendar, and for many people, winter can be an especially painful time,” she said. “The shorter days, longer nights and social pressures of the festive season can make feelings of loss feel even more overwhelming.”
Who Can Access the GriefLine Service?
The service offers emotional support and a non-judgemental listening ear to anyone who is grieving, regardless of when their loss occurred or its circumstances. There is no need to have had any prior connection to St Clare Hospice.
GriefLine is open from 9am to 5pm every weekday, with extended hours until 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays (excluding Bank Holidays). Trained volunteers provide a safe space to talk, share feelings, and offer guidance, drawing on an understanding of bereavement's pain.
No One Should Grieve Alone
“GriefLine is here to remind people that they don’t have to face those feelings alone,” Denise Taylor added. “A simple conversation can make a huge difference.” Callers can also receive information on further bereavement support available locally and nationally.
The hospice urges anyone in the local community who is struggling, or who knows someone who is, to make that connection. The message is clear: because grief has no timeline, no one should have to go through it alone.
If you need support this winter, call GriefLine free on 01279 945089. You can also find out more at www.griefline.co.uk. The service is available for residents in areas including Harlow, Epping Forest, Uttlesford, Bishop’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth.
