If U Care Share Foundation Extends Support for Those Bereaved by Suicide

If U Care Share Foundation has extended its vital work supporting people in County Durham who have been bereaved by suicide. The Beyond Loss project, supported by the UMi Community Fund, offers counselling, workshops, and group activities, giving people space to talk, connect, and begin to heal.

At first, people engaged with caution. Understandably, many individuals sought one-to-one counselling before feeling ready to join group sessions. The project team listened, adapted, and built trust, prioritising personal relationships and creating a safe foundation for recovery.

As confidence grew, so did the community. Group sessions became spaces of shared strength, where people who had experienced similar loss could find comfort and connection. A memorial walk, organised as part of the programme, offered a moment of remembrance and unity—a powerful reminder that no one has to face loss alone.

In a region that continues to face some of the UK’s highest suicide rates, Beyond Loss made a real difference. Eighty-four people accessed support, with 70 reporting stronger coping skills and renewed hope for the future. Along the way, the Foundation deepened its expertise in postvention support and strengthened local partnerships, ensuring that help and understanding will continue long after the project ends.

Making a Difference

“I’m writing to say thank you to If U Care Share, such an irreplaceable charity. I’ve come to the end of my counselling with Andy, but I am reassured that I can still call to talk over my problems if they arise and ask for help when needed in the group.

Without Andy’s support, there is no way I’d have been able to cope with things. He has helped me shoulder significant problems that I just couldn’t have coped with on my own. He’s ensured that all my support network is in place now and guided me into getting the right mental health support I need.

Most of all, Andy has given me the strength and guidance to carry on with life and know there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I have thanked Andy personally, but I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to every single person at If U Care Share. You’ve been lifesavers to me, and for that I will forever remain eternally grateful.”