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“The wound is where the light enters you”. Third supportive weekend for parents bereaved by suicide or substance use

It was a huge privilege to meet all of those parents who came to our weekend from 6-8 July for parents bereaved by suicide, addiction or substance use at the beautiful and peaceful venue of Woodbrooke in Birmingham. It was wonderful to see those who have been before and also meet the parents who joined us for the first time.

There was such an incredible atmosphere of warmth and support at the weekend. Our programme included a range of discussion groups on many aspects of bereavement, guest speakers, workshops, craft activities, and a candle lighting...plus plenty of time to talk, be together, and relax in the stunning gardens at Woodbrooke. (Some of us even managed to watch the England vs Sweden football World Cup quarter final!)

A huge thank you also to our guest volunteers at the weekend. Sangeeta Mahajan was our speaker on Saturday morning and in her honest, moving and inspiring address she told us about the loss of her son Saagar from suicide, what has helped her as she tries to cope without him, and the work she does now in prevention of young suicide.

Download the slides from Sangeeta's presentation here.

Christina Thatcher also joined us to facilitate a brilliant creative writing workshop on Saturday afternoon, where parents were able to discover structures and techniques to express their feelings and emotions about their loss and to honour their beloved sons and daughters.

View an album of a photos from this supportive retreat.

Next year's supportive weekend for parents bereaved by suicide, addiction or substance use is from 23-25 August 2019 at Woodbrooke.