Bereavement service secures vital funding

SHETLAND Bereavement Support Service (SBSS) has secured nearly £140,000 of much-needed funding from the lottery.

The money will be used over the next three years by the voluntary organisation to continue its work in helping people through bereavement, as well as to provide training.

Chairwoman Rita Rendall said the service was “absolutely delighted” to receive £138,320 from the Big Lottery Fund.

SBSS will also develop a new memory box project aimed at encouraging families suffering from bereavement to speak about the person they have lost.

“It will enable us to recruit more volunteers and invest more in training, particularly to support children through bereavement,” Rendall said.

“Shetland has no other dedicated bereavement service, so it is great that the Big Lottery Fund has recognised our role in providing the Shetland community with local, specialist support.

“Bereavement affects everyone, and we are here for anyone struggling to cope with their grief.”

SBSS, which is based at Market House in Lerwick, has supported 263 clients since it started its one-to-one support service in 2007.

However, the service had to make a public call for help in 2014 after hitting funding difficulties, which forced the organisation to suspend its one-to-one support.

To get in touch with the service to ask about free and confidential support, contact 01595 743933 or email sbss@shetland.org.