Dorothy House wins at The Good Grief Trust Awards

We are delighted to announce that Dorothy House has won a Good Grief Trust Shine a Light Award, 2024 for all three categories entered.

The theme for National Grief Awareness Week, 2024 was ‘Shine a Light’. The aim of the awards is to shine a light on people, places and projects across the UK going above and beyond to make a difference to the bereaved and grieving in their community. It also aims to raise greater awareness of the outstanding bereavement services up and down the country.

Linda Magistris, CEO and founder of The Good Grief Trust said:

“We are delighted that Dorothy House Hospice was recognised with a Shine a Light Award this year. The innovative and ground-breaking projects you have created to support those grieving in your community, are clearly making a huge difference to the lives of those bereaved in your community.

We particularly loved the Firefly Woods and interactive virtual reality project.  To enable those struggling at home to be immersed in nature, when they are unable to get out of the house, is a wonderful initiative, and will benefit so many.”

National Grief Awareness Week, 2024

National Grief Awareness Week, 2024 took place from December 2–8, 2024. This annual event aims to create a safe space to discuss grief and loss, and to encourage empathy and support for those who are grieving; whether that is anticipatory grief after a terminal diagnosis, or bereavement after someone has died.

Our Shine a Light entries

With so many wonderful initiatives run by Dorothy House, we were able to enter each of the three categories:

The Winsley House Place Project

The ‘Winsley House Place’ Project is exciting and innovative, aimed at increasing nature connectedness and wellbeing for people diagnosed with a life-limiting illness or experiencing grief after the death of a loved one; transforming the Dorothy House Hospice Care Winsley estate, ensuring it becomes accessible and attractive to our patients, families, staff, existing supporters and new audiences. This initiative includes our new Interactive Nature Trail, our partnership with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the expansion of Firefly Woods.

The Coffee Connection

Dorothy House Hospice Care works in partnership with cancer counselling charity We Hear You (WHY) to offer ‘The Coffee Connection’, a drop-in group for anyone affected or bereaved by a life-limiting illness. The group meets weekly at various local locations, including Frome, Keynsham and Bath, and provides an opportunity for people to come together and share their experiences, supported by trained volunteers and staff members from both charities.

Bereavement Help Points

Dorothy House’s Bereavement Help Points are community-based drop-ins where all people who are bereaved are welcome. It is a space to meet and talk with others who may be experiencing similar thoughts and feelings in an informal and supportive setting. Bereavement Help Points are free of charge and open to all adults in the community.

In addition to running the Bereavement Help Points directly, we are now working with groups within our community to help train their volunteers and enhance their offering. We have provided training to volunteers from Bereavement Support Keynsham, a group offering support to those in the Keynsham/Saltford/Chew Valley area and Open Door Warminster who offer a social group and a cancer support group and bereavement support group.

Shining a Light

Each of our entries illustrates the many ways Dorothy House has both created a community, and supports our local community. We are very proud to have won a Good Grief Trust Shine a Light award and congratulations