Everton in the Community (EitC) has partnered with the SWAN End of Life and Bereavement Care Team at University Hospitals of Liverpool Group to set up a Bereavement Café, providing significant support for individuals grieving the loss of a loved one.
The Club’s official charity will run this life-changing service from its purpose-built mental health and wellbeing hub, The People’s Place, with help from a team of dedicated SWAN Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialists. Using the SWAN model, which is a patient and family-focused model of care for end-of-life and bereavement, the nurses will be on hand to offer individualised support in a community care setting.
The Bereavement Café will work to raise awareness of the impact of grief and loss as well as the support available. Patients can walk in from the local community and will be encouraged to talk openly about their shared experiences of bereavement in a safe space, make vital connections and access key wraparound support services.
Investing in bereavement support is a national priority, with 86% of people aged 16 and over in the UK having experienced the loss of a loved one. As of January 2024, Liverpool City Region has consistently recorded high mortality rates in England and Wales due to the prevalent health inequalities in the city, and many local residents struggle to find accessible community-based bereavement support.
The café will be located in Liverpool 4, which is one of the most socially deprived wards in the UK and has a life expectancy six years less than the national average. The higher incidences of health-related fatalities in the area, coupled with limited access to grief support resources, served as a rallying call for Everton in the Community to deliver the café which will work to combat the devastating impact of grief and loss in L4 and beyond.
Ashley Jones, People’s Place Manager at Everton in the Community (EitC) said:
“The Bereavement Café is a much-needed service for our local community and will help to tackle the mental health challenges that many people experience post-bereavement. Currently, there’s a lack of bereavement support for local residents in Liverpool, especially in L4, where the majority of our work takes place.
“Our Bereavement Café will help to bridge this gap by providing a welcoming space for individuals to share their experiences of grief and loss, access peer support and mental health resources. We can’t thank the SWAN team at University Hospitals of Liverpool Group enough for their continued support in helping us to deliver this vital service.”
Maria Guerin, SWAN End of Life and Bereavement Care Matron, from NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, said:
“It’s great to be able to work in partnership with the Everton in the Community team, our specialist nurses provide compassionate care and support for those at the end of their life and that includes their families and carers too.
“By hosting Bereavement Cafes within the local community, we will be able to facilitate a safe space for anyone who is experiencing grief, where they can come and talk to us for support, and discuss any struggles they might be experiencing. We are also able to signpost people onto specialist agencies, ensuring appropriate and timely intervention.”
Everton in the Community’s Bereavement Café has officially launched and will run on the first Thursday of alternate months in March, May and July from 2.30pm-6.30pm at The People’s Place.
To find out more about the café, you can email peoplesplace@evertonfc.com.
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