Bereavement Matters Season
3,000 people gather to mark ten years of AtaLoss
Over 3,000 people gathered at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 30th October for a landmark service marking ten years of AtaLoss and launching the inaugural Bereavement Matters Season.
Bringing together bereaved people, leaders from across sectors and supporters of the charity, the service honoured loved ones who have died and made a powerful statement about the importance of bereavement support. The service was a major milestone for AtaLoss, with messages of support from His Majesty The King and our Patron, Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury.
What is Bereavement Matters Season?
Bereavement Matters Season is a new annual season of remembering, awareness and support, taking place throughout November and December.
Supported by leading bereavement charities, the season seeks to build upon and enhance the various grief and bereavement themes and opportunities throughout the period, including Remembrance Sunday, Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, Children’s Grief Awareness Week, National Grief Awareness Week, and the lead-up to Christmas, which can be a particularly difficult time for bereaved people.
We are inviting churches, charities and communities to shine a light on the realities of grief, remember those who have died, and help people facing bereavement to find timely support.
For churches, Bereavement Matters Season is an opportunity to offer visible, compassionate and practical support in the heart of local communities.
Simple ways your church can take part
Your church can have an impact however you choose to take part. Even one act of remembering, one clear signpost to support, or one opportunity for people to gather and remember can help people facing bereavement know they are not alone and that support is available.
Purple is the church colour for remembrance and reflection and is the colour for the Bereavement Matters Season.
You could:
pray the special prayers,
wear or distribute Remembering Someone badges,
Do something purple, for example encourage people to wear purple at an event or service
Simply signposting to Ataloss.org can make a big difference.
At very least, please sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of this page and share our social media to generate support.
Help people remember and find support
Create opportunities for people in your community to remember those who have died and find support.
You could:
Hold a Remembrance, memorial, All Souls’ or Blue Christmas service. Churches are encouraged to use Still With Me, Mal Pope's song dedicated to AtaLoss for Bereavement Matters Season, in a service or moment of remembrance. The song is available for free use in several versions, sung for playing or as backing music: listen to, download, and share.
Invite people to light candles, write names or messages as part of a remembering installation. Find out more about the Remembering Trail to plan a visit or find inspiration for your own church.
Run The Bereavement Journey® after Christmas.
Whatever you do please plan to signpost people to national and local bereavement support through ataloss.org on your website, in services, newsletters and events.
Support the work of AtaLoss
Bereavement Matters Season is also an opportunity to raise funds for AtaLoss so that more bereaved people can find timely support.
Your church could:
take a collection at a bereavement-related service
make AtaLoss a beneficiary of your carol service or Christmas collections
hold a fundraising coffee morning, concert, quiz or community event
take part in the AtaLoss Armband Challenge to raise funds and start conversations about grief and support
Whatever you decide please get in touch to let us know what you have planned at info@lossandhope.org.