Charity bereavement support "life changing," says West Yorkshire woman
Maria Ward got help through Sue Ryder after her husband died suddenly
A woman from Bingley is describing bereavement support from a charity as "life changing".
It's after Maria Ward's husband died suddenly in 2022 - and is now urging people to seek support if they need it.
It comes as new figures show almost 90% of people who has had a bereavement feels alone in their grief.
Maria got help through Sue Ryder - she explained the importance of knowing they are there:
"Don't be afraid to put your hand up and don't be afraid to access services.
"Because I think the Great British public are not great sometimes at asking for help," she said.
The charity is calling for better access to bereavement support for those who have lost a loved one.
Their ‘Grief Deserves Better Campaign’ highlights the importance of meaningful support through grief, something that 1 in 8 (13%) don’t feel they are receiving whilst grieving, with 1 in 10 (10%) not knowing where to find the right bereavement support.
Maria said she would urge anyone to get help with bereavement:
"You can try it and if it's not for you, that's fine - but you never know," she said.
"Certainly for me, I'd describe it as life changing. Because I don't know what I would have done without it."
The research also highlights how music plays a powerful role, with three quarters (76%) listening to songs to remind them of the person who has died – evoking feelings of connection (37%), reflection (35%), and happiness (33%).
However, a quarter of people (23%) avoid listening to certain songs because ‘it’s too painful’.