A new monthly evening café will help make bereavement support more accessible to people with daytime commitments, following feedback from local people.
Virtual Voices, run by Healthwatch Halton and Healthwatch Warrington, gives local people a chance to share their experiences and ideas about health and social care. When people shared their experiences of bereavement services in the August survey, their feedback helped St. Rocco’s look at how Bereavement support could be easier to access.
It was clear from the feedback that there was a need for an evening bereavement café in central Warrington that was easy to reach, with parking, good transport links and childcare facilities. St. Rocco’s are excited to share that its NEW evening Bereavement Café will open this November. Held at St. Rocco’s Hospice on the first Tuesday of every month the café will run from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. It builds on the bereavement support already available across Warrington and gives people who have commitments during the day another way to access the support they need.
Warrington Youth Zone has partnered with St. Rocco’s to provide support to school aged children and young people whilst their parent or carer is accessing the evening café.
Trained youth workers will provide arts and crafts and other activities for the children and young people to provide them with a safe space. This will enable the whole family to access support when they need it most.
When someone you love dies, grief can feel overwhelming. Having time to talk, reflect and connect with others can make a real difference. St. Rocco’s Bereavement Cafés offer compassionate support in a relaxed, welcoming space for anyone affected by grief, wherever they are in their journey.
Cathy Swinhoe, Senior Patient and Family Support Practitioner said: “In the last 12 months St. Rocco’s have supported over 390 visits to our two daytime Bereavement Cafés. The drop in cafes offer easy access needed and are open to everyone. Extending our services to include a monthly evening Bereavement Café will ensure we can offer support to more people, across Warrington going through Bereavement.”
Everyone is welcome at the St. Rocco’s Bereavement Cafés, and there’s no need for a referral or booking—just drop in. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes are available, and every location has mobility access. You can find the cafes at:
- St. Rocco’s Hospice on the 1st Tuesday of the month between 7.30pm-8.30pm
- Alexandra Park on the 2nd Tuesday of the month between 9.30am-11am
- Masonic Hall on the last Tuesday of the month between 10am-11.30am. Please note that our previous ‘Bank Park’ Café has now been re located to Masonic Hall from October onwards.
St. Rocco’s would also like to thank Masonic Hall for hosting one of the Bereavement Cafés as well as everyone who took the time to share their views in the survey, as well as Healthwatch Warrington, staff, volunteers and everyone who continues to support the hospice. By listening to local people, St. Rocco’s can keep developing services that reflect what our community really needs.
Want to find out more about St. Rocco’s Bereavement Cafés, including upcoming dates and locations? Visit: www.stroccos.org.uk/helping-you/bereavement-cafes
