Shropshire Grief Tending Services CIC is currently fundraising to extend its offer of grief cafés and support across the county and is in real need of support through Crowdfund Shropshire to raise funds and continue its work and serve more communities in the county.
Pic courtesy The Centre for Ageing Better
Grief cafés are currently held at Wem Town Hall, Ludlow Library, and Shrewsbury Library, with additional support over the border in Leegomery and Shropshire Grief Tending Services CIC is working to extend its offer within the county.
The Holding Grief, Growing Hope project will create more spaces for people to gather in community grief cafés, access one to one support and to train as grief volunteers. The cafés offer a warm and inclusive environment where sorrow is honoured and trauma-informed support is made available to support those grieving death, suffering loss or going through change or crisis.
You can find out more about this valuable project on the Crowdfund Shropshire website here: Holding Grief, Growing Hope
Community donations will be matched with support by Shropshire Council using funds from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This fund proactively supports delivery of the UK-government’s five national missions: pushing power out to communities everywhere, with a specific focus to help kickstart economic growth and promoting opportunities in all parts of the UK.
Crowdfund Shropshire is a civic crowdfunding platform delivered by Shropshire Council in partnership with crowdfunding specialists, Spacehive. Other partners include Shropshire VCS Assembly, Community Resource and the Voluntary and Community Support Team, Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Energize.
Alex Wagner, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities said:
“This project is based on a model that works and has proven beneficial for the people of Wem, Ludlow and Shrewsbury in need of support when experiencing grief and other forms of crisis.
“I encourage anyone living in other parts of Shropshire who would like to benefit from this service themselves, or see others in the community benefit, to think about giving some support. Donations can be as little as a few pounds but they all add up to make a difference.”
Cllr Gary Groves from Wem, where one of the grief cafés is based, commented:
“In times of financial difficulty and uncertainty it can be hard to find funding to support local groups, however important they may be. The benefit of Crowdfund Shropshire and the civic crowdfunding approach is that it matches a grant from Shropshire Council with community donations. This collective approach makes a little bit go further and it makes things happen.
“We all benefit when people think of others and their communities. Making a small pledge demonstrates to volunteers and those who give their time regularly that they have the support of the wider community behind them. I would particularly ask local businesses to consider whether they may be able to assist with a donation”
Find out more here:
Crowdfund Shropshire: Crowdfund Shropshire – Home
Project page: Holding Grief, Growing Hope
Members of the community can find out more here: Shropshire Grief Tending CIC
For more information, about UKSPF visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
