Compassionate Friends

Welcome to the Compassionate Friends - a self-help group for bereaved parents and grandparents.

The Compassionate Friends began in 1969, when the chaplin of the Warkickshire and Coventry Hospital, Father Simon Stephens, introduced two sets of bereaved parents to each other after their young sons had died.  He saw that they were helping each other just by talking about their child, and comforting each other.  They invited more bereaved parents to talk about launching a self-help group and at that meeting The Compassionate Friends was born, The Compassionate Friends is now all over the world.

In Tyne and Wear a meeting is held at St John The Baptist's church hall on the last Monday evening of each month (except Bank Holidays) at 7.30pm, we also have a Drop-In on the second Saturday of each month 10.00am-11.45am, just a cup of coffee and a chat.  The evening meeting starts with a cup of coffee and a group chat about something one of us has read out to the group, i.e. "Why we feel so angry after the death of our child" "How do we cope with this horrendous experience" "Is it possible to move on" etc.

We bring along a photograph of our child so that others might see, we light candles for the children whose anniversary is in the month that we meet.  We talk about our children-after a time our friends 'out there' think we should have 'got over it'-only other bereaved parents know that this will never happen.  The Compassionate Friends is not a religious organisation, some of us have a faith and others none, but we do get comfort from being with each other-being able to laugh as well as cry.  Every year in January we have a service called "Celebrating a Life" we bring a photograph; light candles in memory of our children; listen to readings written by other bereaved parents and to music.  St John's is the home of The Compassionate Friends in Tyne and Wear-your child will be prayed for and a candle lit on the anniversary of their death unless you object.

For more information about The Compassionate Friends, please ring Margaret on 0191-26745469.