Charities Update: Help in bereavement

The National Association of Bereavement Services has recently published The National Directory of Bereavement and Loss Services, the first of its kind and aimed at providing information for people who are grieving and seeking help with their distress, as well as for professionals dealing with bereaved people.

The directory has gathered together all the bereavement services presently available in the UK, including 260 individual bereavement services with details of specialist areas of experience, such as murder, miscarriage, cot death and suicide with elderly people, adolescents or children; and different types of counselling offered - such as home visits, befriending, self-help groups and telephone counselling. It indicates where an organisation is linked with another, such as a local hospice or Diocesan Board for Social Responsibility.

Counties are also listed alphabetically, showing towns where services are available; the Samaritans, and other national organisations, are listed separately with their telephone numbers. NABS hopes that the directory, which costs pounds 75, will be available soon at all local libraries. Contact: NABS, 20 Norton Folgate, London E1 6DB, telephone 071- 247 0617.