Essex bereavement support seeing more clients since the Queen's death
The support charity says it's seeing more people come forward
Last updated 14th Sep 2022
Many people in Essex and across the country are finding ways to cope with the Queen's death.
The national bereavement charity Cruse, which has branches in Essex, say they've seen an increase in people asking for help since Her Majesty's passing.
Cruse is the UK's leading bereavement charity, with a team of over 4000 trained bereavement volunteers.
They offer support through their website, national helpline, live chat, group, zoom, telephone or one-to-one in-person support.
Cruse bereavement support worker, Sue Gill, explains why the Queen's death could be making people emotional, suggesting it may be making people come to terms with other deaths they have experienced in the past few years:
"Everybody is feeling the same as if their own Mum or their own Grandma died.
"She feels that sort of person to us because she's been with us all our lives. And so, we feel we know her in lots of ways.
"We're used to seeing her, and now not seeing her around and not knowing she's around feeling very strange for everybody.
"It will stir memories over the next few days... it takes a while for people to realise why they're feeling sad
"I think in lots of ways it surprised people that they are feeling this way.
"They're surprised that they're feeling emotional.
"It's bringing back memories of their own deaths within their own families and the fact the queen has died is bringing back memories and just feeling of general sadness.
"And I think there is an air of sadness around (now) that she has died."
Grief affects everyone differently
She added: "For a long time after someone has just died, you keep thinking 'oh I must tell.....' and you think, 'no I can't tell them that' because they have died.
"It takes a long time for it to sink in. It's usually about 6-8 months before it hits home.
"Everybody will be feeling what they are feeling and it's okay to feel whatever you are feeling.
"It's okay because everyone is different and everybody is thinking different things... there should be no guilt."
How to cope with grief
Sue told us it is helpful to talk to other people about how you are feeling: "We listen and often people find their own way of dealing with things when they talk it out.
"Everybody is different, so everybody's grief is different... and gradually they start to come to terms (with it) and they gradually start being used to this new life without the person they loved in it."
She also told us the death of Queen Elizabeth II is a shared experience, although people might have different feelings towards it, knowing others are going through it can be helpful.
"I think people are talking about it, the need to be with other people is great.
"We need to talk about her, or even talk about our own deaths. We don't want to be on our own throughout all this.
"We're all going through this great step change together, we're all learning to say King Charles and not Prince Charles.
"We're all learning to say, Prince of Wales, meaning Prince William and all that sort of thing as well.
"It is a big change for all of us, but because we're doing it together that will make it a lot easier certainly."
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