Kingston Co-op's Local Community Fund (LCF) is awarded annually to organisations who are deemed to serve one or more of the Co-op's pillars; providing access to food, access to well-being and providing opportunities for the young. 

Every time Kingston and Surbiton Co-op members buy selected Co-op branded products and services, for every £1 spent, they will earn 2p for themselves and 2p for a local community project. Sign up for a Co-op membership here: https://www.coop.co.uk/membership

This year's local community causes are focused on mental wellbeing, with the selection of Kingston Bereavement Support and The Psychosynthesis Trust's Exploring Anxiety programme at Hogsmill Community Garden. 

Kingston Co-op celebrated the launch of its local community cause support though its LCF on 19 December. 

Established in 1988, Kingston Bereavement Support (KBS) is a local charity which supports people who are trying to come to terms with the death. 

Christina Buckley, service manager for KBS, said: "People come to us when their support networks are not enough to cope with their grief." 

KBS's primary service is providing professional, one-to-one counselling with experienced practitioners who have specialist training in grief and bereavement.  

The service helps people who have lost someone and "can't see the way forward."  

Christina, left, and Samantha, right. (Photo: Emily Dalton)

Samantha Burch, adult services manager, said: "With Covid as well, some people are still suffering the loss of their loved ones when they come to us." 

She added they may be "struggling a year or two down the line" and thinking "I wasn't able to process that at the time so now I need some specialist support". 

The two state there is a steady level of need for bereavement support in the borough across a wide spread of age groups, but the varying intensity of support is what differs. 

"Some of them are really tragic circumstances but our counsellors are specially trained with knowledge and experience in bereavement counselling," Christina said. "They really understand." 

Around 30 counsellors from South West London donate their time to support individuals in Kingston suffering after losing a loved one. KBS said it is always looking for experienced counsellors to apply to support the charity. 

Christina and Samantha said it is the professional counselling which really makes a difference. Christina said: "They are ready to begin again, and they can start investing in their family and social lives." 

A previous client said: "I came to counselling with no expectation and was amazed at how much it helped me.

"My counsellor was so supportive and helped me find myself again. [They] gave me joy in life and moving forward." 

Co-op members can use their points to support KBS. (Photo: Emily Dalton)

Apart from the initial assessment (which costs approximately £30, or £5 if you are on benefits) the counselling is free. Individuals can receive 10 sessions with a bereavement counsellor, spread over a period, at no cost to themselves. 

"It's useful for people who aren't sure about counselling and don't know if it's for them," Christina explains. "A private specialist session could cost about £90." 

She added: "We do have quite a long waiting list, but we don't want people to be put off by that because it's worth the wait." 

While on the waiting list, KBS also run a support group at its offices to break the isolation grief often causes people to suffer. 

Recently launching a Bereavement Café, everyone is welcome to have a cup of tea and a chat with one of the KBS volunteers about how grief is affecting them.  

Shoppers can write the name of a loved on on the tree. (Photo: Emily Dalton)

Running every first Thursday of the month from 1:30-3pm, the next café session at Welcare House is 4 January 2024.  

The money raised by Co-op members will be keep the bereavement counselling sessions free and open to anyone, as well as helping to pay for the counsellors' mandatory supervision. 

Speaking on KBS' goals for the new year in 2024, Christina said: "We're campaigning to keep our funding up. We're a unique service...because our counselling is free and [provided by] a lot of experienced counsellors who have their own practice as well but donate their time to us." 

If you think it is something you need extra help with, and your network is not enough, have a look at KBS' website, or call. "There is always a friendly face at the end of a phone," Christina said. 

Adults can be directed to KBS by their GP, and children and young people can be referred by their family, their school or social care. 

KBS also provide bereavement awareness training to other organisations and professionals, including schools, voluntary groups, health and social care agencies, care homes, hospitals and local employers.