New group launched to support people bereaved by suicide in Barrow-in-Furness

On Wednesday 22 January 2020, we will be hosting a meeting for anyone based in the Barrow-in-Furness area who has been affected by suicide. The meeting will take place between 7pm and 9pm and details of the location will be provided upon request.

SBS groups provide people who have been bereaved by suicide an opportunity to listen, to share, to gain understanding and to connect with others. In addition to the Barrow group, SBS has three groups: one in West Cumbria (which meets in Whitehaven), one in North Cumbria (which meets in Carlisle) and one in South Cumbria (which meets in Kendal) led by volunteers who have been bereaved by suicide themselves. They typically meet once a month and last for around 2 hours. There is no set structure to the session – people are free to talk and listen as they wish.

We know it takes courage to come to a group. You won’t have to talk if you don’t want to and you don’t have to come again – you don’t even have to stay for the whole session if you decide it’s not for you. But most people return after their first meeting and find that over time, they gain the confidence to speak about themselves. After a while they may also find they can offer support to others. If you come to a group but decide that it is not the right thing for you at this time, you are welcome to return at a later date when you feel ready.

You can find out where your nearest group meets by contacting John on 07572 975 721 or Karan on 07896 703 757 – they will provide meaningful support and help you decide if it is the right thing for you to try. They will give you directions to the meeting place and they will look out for you when you arrive and make you feel welcome. While we serve people who have been bereaved by suicide in the county of Cumbria, we know that there are no similar groups in surrounding areas, so our doors are also open to those in North Lancashire or South Scotland, so we do ask you to contact us if you are from Cumbria's surrounding areas - you will be made welcome regardless of where you live.

Anyone who has been affected by suicide is welcome to come along for some or all of the meeting. Over the years that we have been providing self-help support to people affected by suicide, we have found that the opportunity to meet with people who have also experienced such profound loss can be of some help in finding a way forward. The meeting will be a relaxed and informal opportunity to meet with other people who have been bereaved and both provide and receive support from a supportive and friendly group of people. If you would like to know more about the meeting or what we offer more generally please email hello@sbs.org.uk or ring John Brown on 07961 968 993. Please send us an email or give us a call to let us know you're coming and we will confirm the meeting venue.