2nd November 2026
An astonishing 3,000 people filled St Paul's Cathedral on Friday evening (30th October) - twice those anticipated - in a poignant outpouring of remembrance and declaration of the importance of bereavement support, as the Christian-founded national bereavement charity AtaLoss celebrated ten years of ministry and launched its first Bereavement Matters Season.
The remarkable gathering brought together bereaved families, church leaders, charity representatives, healthcare professionals, parliamentarians and members of the public for an evening of worship, remembering and reflection. It also delivered a strong signal to churches across the country of the growing value of becoming places where people are supported not only around the time of a death, but accompanied through the long and often lonely journey of grief.
One woman attended the service because she had been unable to be present at a friend's funeral earlier that day. Another entered the cathedral after learning of her brother's death just twenty minutes before. Surrounded by a congregation of thousands, she found comfort at a moment of devastating personal loss.
Throughout the service, hundreds of candles were lit in memory of loved ones, while people queued to write names on ribbons and attach them to washing lines, symbolising the continuing presence of those who have died in everyday life. For many, the evening was a powerful reminder that grief is not something to be hurried through, hidden away or simply overcome.
The Revd Canon Yvonne Tulloch, founder and Chief Executive of AtaLoss, established the charity following the sudden death of her husband and her discovery of the difference that finding the right bereavement support could make. Ten years later, AtaLoss has become a national voice for better bereavement provision, connecting people to help through a signposting platform AtaLoss.org and The Bereavement Journey® programme run by churches for their communities across the UK.
Reflecting on the extraordinary gathering, Yvonne said:
"People came from every corner of the UK: bereaved people and many leaders of The Bereavement Journey® to commend its need and effectiveness. The number who attended is testimony to the public's desire for grief to be recognised. We have come a long way, but in many respects it's just the beginning. We want everyone to know that supporting bereavement matters, not just for individuals but for society as a whole."
Yvonne warned that unsupported grief contributes to wider social difficulties, including loneliness and mental and physical ill-health, and called for greater cooperation across sectors to improve support.
Preaching at the service, the Right Reverend Rob Wickham, Group Chief Executive of the Church Urban Fund, reflected on the often unseen nature of grief and the importance of creating space for people to acknowledge their loss. He challenged the expectation that bereaved people should have "moved on" and spoke about the importance of comfort and hope. His message reflected a growing challenge facing churches: how to move beyond supporting families at funerals and become communities that offer meaningful, long-term care to people navigating bereavement.
Through The Bereavement Journey®, churches and community organisations can provide structured, accessible support for people experiencing grief, helping them process their loss in a safe and understanding environment. The programme offers practical guidance and opportunity to reflect with other bereaved people, and has spread rapidly to 670 locations across the country due to its popularity with people outside church, its effectiveness in helping bereaved people process past as well as current loss, and its mission impact, with many participants continuing to explore faith and become involved with church.
The significance of the occasion was recognised through messages of support from His Majesty The King, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Patron of AtaLoss, and the Speaker of the House of Commons. Readings were given by Christine Jardine MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Grief Support and the Impact of Death on Society; Dame Barbara Monroe, a UK Bereavement Commission commissioner; and the Venerable Andrew Hillier, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons. Prayers were offered by representatives of faith communities, bereavement support organisations, the funeral sector, the Armed Forces and prison chaplaincy. Together, the service reflected the important contribution faith communities can make to supporting people through some of life's most difficult experiences.
The St Paul's gathering launched the inaugural Bereavement Matters Season, taking place throughout November and December. The new annual campaign aims to encourage more open conversations about grief, strengthen understanding of the impact bereavement can have on individuals, families and communities and help bereaved people find support. The timing is particularly significant for churches, coinciding with All Saints and All Souls, Remembrance, Advent and Christmas seasons when many people are especially conscious of the absence of those they love.
AtaLoss is inviting churches and Christian organisations to participate through remembering activities, conversations about grief, practical support and signposting to help through AtaLoss.org. The washing lines used during the cathedral service will now form part of a Remembering Trail across London, providing further opportunities for people to honour and remember loved ones. The season is also accompanied by Still With Me, a specially released song by Mal Pope, available as a free download.
As AtaLoss enters its second decade, the charity is appealing for funding to expand its work and encouraging churches, charities, healthcare providers and community organisations to collaborate in responding to the growing need for bereavement support.
Yvonne said:
"Unsupported bereavement is leaving people unable to deal well with their loss. We believe as we move into the next ten years, by working together across the sectors for greater provision of bereavement support, we could contribute significantly to transforming society.
“Our celebration at St Paul's was not simply a celebration of ten years of AtaLoss’ work, it was a celebration of the thousands of volunteers who work tirelessly alongside us running The Bereavement Journey® in their communities and a reminder that behind every church door, in every congregation and community, there are people carrying the pain of loss. It is an opportunity for the Church to respond with compassion, understanding and hope.”
END
Notes to editors
About AtaLoss: AtaLoss is a national bereavement charity founded in 2016 by Revd Canon Yvonne Tulloch. It helps bereaved people find tailored support through its national signposting platform AtaLoss.org, bereavement training and The Bereavement Journey® programme.
The Bereavement Journey®: A structured bereavement support programme delivered through churches and community organisations, is now available in 670 locations across the UK.
Bereavement Matters Season: A new annual initiative running throughout November and December, inviting individuals, churches, schools, workplaces and communities to recognise the impact of grief and strengthen bereavement support.
Media opportunities: Interviews with Yvonne Tulloch, stories from those supported through The Bereavement Journey®, photographs and service footage are available on request.
Media enquiries: To request images from the service or arrange a media interview, please contact Adam May on 07736 949 869 or email: press@ataloss.org