Woking & Sam Beare Hospice is reintroducing its much-needed Children’s Bereavement Counselling groups this September, offering essential support to young people navigating grief. Two age-specific groups will run: Tommy D Juniors for ages nine to 13, and Tommy D Seniors for ages 14 to 19. A group for children under nine is also being planned, with details to follow soon.

Held weekly over six weeks during term time, the sessions will take place at the Hospice’s Wellbeing Centre in Woking. The Juniors group will run from 5pm to 6.30pm, while Seniors will meet from 6.45pm to 8.30pm. Each group will be limited to eight participants and facilitated by two experienced child and adolescent counsellors.

“Children can feel very alone whilst grieving and often won’t feel that they can talk about it with their peers,” says Lisa Jones, Children’s Therapist. “One of the most important things about attending a children’s group session is to be around other children who are also experiencing grief and know that they’re not alone.”

The sessions will include a range of interactive, age-appropriate activities to help children explore their feelings, make sense of grief, and develop coping tools. Each week, participants will also work on a memory box – a tangible way to honour and remember a loved one.

The groups are open to all children who have lost a close relative or loved one, not just those with a previous connection to the Hospice. While the service remains free, a suggested donation of £10 per session helps support the continuation of this vital work.

The programme is designed to normalise grief, help young people understand that they are not alone in their experiences, provide insight into the grieving process, and equip them with practical coping strategies.

For more information or to register a place, please contact Lisa Jones at [email protected]