A meeting to register interest in getting involved with a new Isle of Wight support service for those who have been bereaved takes place later this month.
Isle heal is a newly established not-for-profit peer-led bereavement support service, founded by Sarah Jane Fitzgerald, who is also the founder of Isle Heal Holistic Fayres, (previously Pure Holistic Fayres).
First-hand experience of how isolating grief can feel
As a widow of nine years, who lost her veteran husband to suicide, Sarah has a first-hand experience and understanding of how isolating grief can feel, and wants to provide a service to help others going through similar experiences.
Initially her aim was to offer support for those bereaved through suicide, but when she shared her vision on Facebook she received an overwhelming response from so many others, experiencing loss in varying ways.
Peer-led bereavement support service accessible for all
Many people shared they had nowhere to turn for support and felt isolated. Seeing how great the need is for those grieving, Sarah felt it would only right to adapt the aim for this venture to a peer-led bereavement support service that would be accessible for all.
As an Island-based service, the name Isle Heal seemed fitting because experiencing grief is very much a healing process. Sarah is an experienced Holistic Therapist and is aiming to share her skills within the groups to assist with the healing process.
She explains below the aims of the service and hw people can get involved.
Aims
The aim of Isle Heal is to provide a safe space where people can talk and share, or simply just be together to undertake activities, with no pressure to talk about their experience, just to feel supported through one another’s company.
We are hoping to organise separate peer-led support groups for those experiencing similar types of bereavement, such as a group for those who have experienced loss through suicide, and others for loss through chronic illness or loss of a child. We will not be able to offer advice or counselling but we hope to be able to signpost to different professional services
Call to Action
A meeting of interest will be held on Thursday 27th October 7pm at Riverside in Newport, where anyone is welcome to come along and share their thoughts on this new service.
We would love people to attend the meeting if they feel this is something that would benefit them, or they would like to get involved in supporting this service.
The aim of the meeting is to get people’s ideas of what they would like the service to include, and an opportunity for Sarah to share the vision of what Isle Heal will look like.
Volunteers needed
We are looking for people to help run support groups on a voluntary basis.
This may be best suited to those with experience in community groups, mental health, health care and holistic therapists or a lived experience of bereavement, but it is also open to anyone with a genuine interest in supporting the community.
Isle Heal is also looking for support with the administration of the service, including fundraising.
Isle Heal Holistic Fayres
To help raise funds to support this Sarah is holding not-for-profit holistic fayres, under the name Isle Heal Holistic Fayres (previously Pure Holistic Fayres).
Our next event is on Saturday 10th December 2022,to be held at Riverside. On this occasion all profits from this will be used to help fund the Isle Heal peer support groups.
Image: annie spratt under CC BY 2.0
