Below is a personal Q&A session with Gemma from Bassetlaw SOBS, discussing how the group started, what happens and how it can help.
Why did you start the group?
Losing a loved one to suicide can feel lonely and overwhelming. Vicky and I, who first started the Bassetlaw Group, have experienced suicide and found there was no support locally for us to access, despite Bassetlaw sadly having higher rates of suicide than the national average. Vicky persisted in her campaign to get support for Bassetlaw, and the NHS agreed to provide funding for the first year to get us started!
What happens at the Group?
Each group is different. We often are a small group of less than 10, but we have around 25 people who come to group as and when they are able to / want support. Some people are recently bereaved this year, and others have been bereaved for 20 years so are able to help those by sharing their experiences. It isn’t counselling, but those who attend do find that by sharing our experiences we can often help you navigate what you are going through.
Do you have to talk about your loved one and what happened to them?
Absolutely not, there is no requirement to talk about things you don’t want to. There is of course sadness at some of the meetings, but you will be surprised to know that there is a lot of laughter, as we are able to talk about our loved ones in a way that you might not want to elsewhere.
Does it cost anything to attend?
The Group is free to attend, we provide tea, coffee and biscuits, in a warm and confidential environment. We are a charity and do fundraise occasionally- I did a skydive a few weeks ago and raised £600, others have done sponsored walks, asked for donations as wedding gifts, and my daughters friend ran the Sheffield Half Marathon earlier in the year. we are always looking for ideas to fundraise and share our group details! Get in touch if you have any ideas!
When and where do you meet?
The Bassetlaw Group meets on the last Tuesday of each month, 6.30pm in Retford Please email us bassetlaw@uksobs.orgor send a text to 07951921692 for details of the group. We can then have a chat with you and relieve any worries – we all know how hard it is to walk into a room where you don’t know anyone, so we try to take that away by talking on the phone first.