Norfolk charity expands bereavement services after surge in demand
Take Our Hand is going nationwide.
A Norfolk-based charity which was set up to offer bereavement support to local young people has decided to expand nationwide after seeing a surge in demand during the pandemic.
Take Our Hand offers support for people aged 16 to 24 who are grieving or suffering from a loss.
During the pandemic the charity says it's been contacted numerous times by people, parents, carers, and organisations outside of Norfolk looking for help.
Alexandra Gough, who founded the charity and is now the CEO, told us they wanted to be able to help: "We didn't have the ability to be able to support them which is such a shame because the last year has been hard on everybody, let alone if you're facing a bereavement and your potentially isolated and not with those people you'd get support from.
"It was really heartbreaking to have to turn those people away."
She told us they took the decision to expand after seeing a lot of requests for bereavement care packages from outside the Norfolk area.
She added: "We personally are seeing a lot more young people struggling, not because of a Covid-related death, but because they lost someone a while back and their mental health has been struggling because of the lockdowns and that bereavement has resurfaced."
What support is available?
Take Our Hand has partnered with a number of local charities and organisations that offer grief support to provide services alternative to counselling.
Among the services they offer is a bereavement care package scheme, which has been able to keep going during lockdown.
They include things like memory jars and journals, to help people remember loved ones, as well as a few nice treats.
If you or someone you know needs support you can contact Take Our Hand through their website.