2023 was an amazing year for Let’s Talk About Loss, with plenty of opportunities to talk about loss and grief. Here’s just a few headlines of the year! Organisational capacity I – Beth – was delighted to increase my hours this year, meaning I was able to dedicate two working days a week to Let’s Talk About Loss. We also hired an exceptional freelance Social Media Manager, Chrissie, who has been transforming our socials, and we’ve worked with over 80 volunteers to deliver grief support across the UK. I’d also like to thank the Trustees of Let’s Talk About Loss. For the first time ever, we met u ..read more

Alice and Lucy met through Let’s Talk About Loss and have become really good friends. Here, they both share their experience of the meet ups and how their friendship has affected their grief. A photo of Alice and Lucy on a walk with their dogs at Stourhead National Trust.How did you find out about Let’s Talk About Loss and what made you want to join a meet up? Lucy: I was sent an Instagram post from the Let’s Talk About Loss page about 3 months after dad died, it was a poem called 26 written by Bridget Hamilton. It really resonated with me, so I had a look at what support LTAL offered and foun ..read more

In this powerful blog, Jess shares her experience of losing her partner Max, and explains what dating while grieving has been like for her. “Even though the thought of you being with someone feels impossible to imagine, I want that for you. I want you to have an easy and happy life” said Max, a few days before he died.  My relationship with Max I find it difficult to put into words what Max meant to me, maybe because we mostly showed our love for each other through our actions. Although I was technically Max’s carer, he was also mine. We gave each other absolutely everything, kept each ot ..read more

Jarie Bolander and his wife were just 35 when he lost her to leukaemia. In his upcoming memoir ‘Ride or Die’, he reflects on caregiving, grief, joy, and loss from the often-overlooked male perspective. I never gave my wedding vows much thought. The standard refrain “in sickness and in health. Till death us do part” seems simple enough to say. Yet, I found myself putting those words into action when my wife Jane got diagnosed with leukaemia. To say that our lives changed in an instant when we found out she had leukaemia would be an understatement. Sure, the plans for a fancy dinner on that day ..read more

Even the most caring friends can struggle to know what to say or do to support someone who’s grieving. In this piece, Stephanie Nicola-Miller reflects on what would have helped her after the loss of her dad. When you find yourself plummeting into the depths of grief, the questions “what can I do?” and “is there anything you need?” can feel impossible to answer. Where do you begin?  Since losing my dad in March 2020, I have reflected extensively on those initial few weeks, and on the things I either could or should have asked for from those around me. Many of these were things I didn’t kno ..read more

Trigger warning: this blog post discusses baby loss. On Monday 26th April 2021, my husband and I went for the 12 week scan for our second baby and our lives changed forever in the time it took for the sonographer to clear her throat and turn to us. We were given the news that the precious life we had just met for the very first time had an extremely low chance of survival. Subsequent scans allowed us to see her tiny hands waving and her wriggly little nature but also gradually revealed the extent of her health issues. By the 7th of July, we had had so many scans that even these stress-filled ..read more

Blazing sunshine, smiling faces, lots of laughs and a beginner’s surfing lesson. These aren’t the things that came to mind when I began searching for grief support groups in Bristol. More often than not, it was the church hall, stale biscuits, fold-out chairs and maybe even a bit of drizzle if you are as dramatic as me. So, goodness was I glad when I stumbled across Let’s Talk About Loss. My name is Kieran, and I lost my Mum to MSA (Multiple Systems Atrophy) when I was 19 – not a kid but not quite an adult either. Despite the ever-growing change in our relationship as my responsibilities as ca ..read more

Hello wonderful reader! Whether you’re on the bus, sorting through your inbox or having a quiet moment whilst you read this, it’s great to have you! I’m Kate, the Chair of Trustees for Let’s Talk About Loss, and I’ve been ‘voluntold’ by Beth, the Founding Director, to say hello and a bit about myself. Really, I’m not that interesting and would rather talk about the charity itself… it all starts with one of my favourite activities… cycling! The Trustees, with Beth, recently came together in London for our first ever in-person meeting! It was magical. We used an amazing office space that was gen ..read more

Lily shares her experience of losing her mum suddenly, and reflects on how complex circumstances can make grieving even harder. It came out of nowhere on an ordinary Wednesday, a short sentence over the phone that ended with the ending of all endings. Three simple, devastating words ‘…and she died.’ And that’s it. That’s it? But no, no… Where’s the time? The time to see her, talk to her, care for her, anything? But…just… What? Surely not? Profound, flattening shock.  The way she died was violent and taboo, amidst complex circumstances. I have come to realise that knowledge is vital when s ..read more

Kim shares her experience of losing her grandma, the impact this has had on her, and the comfort she has found within the Let’s Talk About Loss community. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandma and grandad. I had a great time with them – as their first grandchild, I was fairly spoilt! In 2001, my grandparents moved to Spain and I spent every summer school holidays there with them. My grandad died suddenly of a heart attack in Spain in September 2004 – I was 15 years old. All of our family assumed my grandma would move back to England after my grandad died but she was happy, very soc ..read more