AtaLoss’ Community Bereavement Support Programme: The Bereavement Journey®

A diverse group of older adults sitting in a circle, engaging in a discussion. One person is in a wheelchair, speaking animatedly. Others are listening and smiling, with plants and a window in the background.

Winner of the UK Business Awards Care Award 2024 Grief Support Programme 2024

AtaLoss’ The Bereavement Journey® programme is a unique form of structured volunteer led community bereavement support.  Offered by churches for their communities it provides 7 sessions of films and facilitated discussion for adults to process the impact of a death, in a safe space with others.  

The programme is general, supporting any circumstance of bereavement (including pregnancy/neonatal loss and anticipatory grief) and covers a range of aspects of bereavement, from the varied responses of grief to the practical and social implications.  The programme offers a final, optional session on faith to support the spiritual impact of bereavement from a Christian perspective. The main material is without faith content, making The Bereavement Journey  suitable for everyone. 

Originally begun in 1995 The Bereavement Journey has been tried and tested over many years.  It was adopted by AtaLoss and extended and published in September 2023 to support past, as well as recent bereavements, with the central training and support of the charity.  It is trusted and directed to by GPs, social prescribers, funeral directors and other professionals, and has been growing rapidly since being launched in its packaged and supported form.

  • In June 2024 The Bereavement Journey was awarded a UK Business Award Care Award.

  • By January 2025 the programme was being offered in over 400 locations across the UK - a growth rate of 4 locations a week -including workplaces and hospitals.

  • In February 2025 The Bereavement Journey was celebrated in Parliament with an Early Day Motion published by Ruth Jones MP.

Group of five women sitting in a circle, engaged in conversation, with plants in the background.

AtaLoss also runs The Bereavement Journey online nationally 3 times a year for anyone unable to access a local course or who would prefer to be supported online

To benefit from The Bereavement Journey locally visit our dedicated website here. 

For more information about running The Bereavement Journey visit here.