Support & Information

Understanding Direct cremations

Understanding Direct Cremations

On Thursday 13th February we began the first of our Understanding Direct Cremation meetings, hosted by our Managing Director Jeremy West MBE & Philip Wright, Lead Chaplin for Barking, Havering & Redbridge Trust. The session highlighted the facts around Direct Cremation and explored the importance of a funeral service within the grieving process. The evening also provided us with insight into the views and experiences of our local community.

All of which has certainly strengthened our commitment to provide clear communication around Direct Cremations to ensure personal choice, respect and care for all families.

HOPE

Helping Overcome People’s Emotions in Grief

Losing someone you care about is one of life’s most difficult experiences. There are no easy answers to help a bereaved family come to terms with their loss. Every situation is unique and people react in different ways.

As family-owned funeral directors, we believe we have an important responsibility to care for the bereaved, not just by offering support during the funeral, but afterwards as well, especially through the days that follow.

The HOPE support programme was formed in 2006 by West & Coe. This six-week programme is offered at no cost to those attending and is designed to help support the bereaved, showing them that there is hope for the future.

Our unique support group offers a combination of education and interaction in a safe and friendly environment, where your feelings and emotions will be respected. Although not a counselling session, as a group we will explore the grief process and work through its many emotions to help us cope with the adjustments to life in the future.

The value of the HOPE programme has been recognised by St Francis Hospice and many churches, all of which now provide our HOPE programmes within their own bereavement support modules.

The programme

Grief is a natural experience and the price we pay for losing someone we care about.

Among the topics discussed:

The experience of grief
What is grief?
Grief is an emotional response to a loss
Confronting our emotions: guilt, anger and loneliness
Making adjustments
Grief attacks

To enquire about the HOPE Support Group please contact Anne Brooks on 020 8592 0164.

Saif Care

For our clients, SAIF Care offers a range of services to bereaved people over the age of 18. Including a freephone helpline, email support and information on how to access these services.

Support Groups

We have a number of bereavement support networks throughout the local area.

Our staff will be able to advise you about support in your area.

Saif Support

For our staff, SAIF Support offers a confidential, high quality emotional support and counselling for the mental health and emotional wellbeing of our staff.

Pastoral Care

Anyone wishing to talk to a vicar, minister, priest or any other religious group may call any of our offices for details of appropriate contacts. For details about how to reach your local office, please visit our contact page.

HOPE Testimonials

The HOPE programme was very beneficial, well presented and a great help. It made me realise that what I was experiencing was normal even though I wasn’t showing normal signs of grief.

Understanding the grief journey has helped in showing that people grieve differently, and everyone has their own way of coping. Thank you.

At first, I did not like the idea of it being in a group, thought I would not be able to speak up. But seeing other peoples journey helped me so much and by the 3rd session I felt so grateful for the group not just Anne. Thank you so much.

The HOPE course was presented really well, very helpful and the people involved were very professional and kind.

I could never open up to anyone, the HOPE course has helped me overcome this. There is no guilt with this. It changed my mindset on so many things.Amazing.

I find it helps to give an understanding that we are not alone, that there is someone there to listen.

It works for me because it is a group meeting. It has given me the confidence to carry on and it helps to meet others in the group that are all feeling the same about yourself.

It was so helpful to realise the different feelings and emotions that I feel are normal. Ann and the group showed me this and I’m so grateful

Anne was so kind and sympathetic but not in a patronising way. Nobody in the group is made to feel embarrassed.

At first, I was feeling very negative, but the course has helped me understand that everything I am going through is normal and that I am not alone.

Ann was so good at presenting the programme. She helped me in my sadness and the group meetings have given me new friends and extra support.

The HOPE course has helped me realise all my emotions are natural and have to take their course. The course was explained so clearly and kindly. Truly brilliant. Will miss my Wednesday afternoon visits.

I have met a very nice group of people, all of whom are in ‘the same situation’ which is very comforting.

To be able to follow the grief journey and take each feeling stage by stage was very comforting.

The course has helped me to be able to see any positive sides brought from tragic situations, to remember guilt free the happy times.