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Community Development

Our dedicated Community Development Team work alongside the diverse communities of the city to identify current barriers that exist and specific community needs around end of life care.

They encourage the co-design of training and new service developments to ensure end of life and bereavement support is more meaningful and accessible for everyone.

 

Suzanne McArthur and Upjeet Sidhu from our Community Development Team

Bereavement Hubs and training

We believe in empowering communities with the skills and confidence to be able to support a neighbour, friend, relative or work colleague who may be dealing with grief or loss.

Our Community Development Team deliver two-hour training workshops for community organisations, schools, workplaces and many other local groups with the aim of building compassionate communities across the city of Birmingham.

The workshop includes:

  • Understanding bereavement, grief and loss.
  • Impact of grief and secondary losses.
  • Behaviours associated with grief – physical and emotional.
  • Children and grief.
  • Tips and hints on how to support bereaved people.
  • Self-care and the importance of signposting.

Birmingham is the UK’s first accredited Compassionate City

The people of Birmingham have been recognised for their compassion in the way communities have supported each other during some of the most difficult times, by being crowned the UK’s first Compassionate City on March 14 2022.

Accredited by Compassionate Communities UK, the key to gaining this recognition is bringing together all areas of the local community, including Birmingham City Council, NHS, schools, cultural organisations and employers, to provide support, space, togetherness and understanding for those undergoing the experiences of death, dying, loss and caregiving.

Birmingham Hospice is an active member of the city network and strives to support the further development of Compassionate Communities.

Get in touch with the Community Development Team

If you’d like to learn more about the work our Community Development Team do, or to enquire about bereavement training for your community group please contact:

Suzanne McArthur, Head of Community Development and Partnerships

Email: suzanne.mcarthur@birminghamhospice.org.uk

Upjeet Kaur Sidhu, Community Development and Inclusion Officer

Email: upjeet.sidhu@birminghamhospice.org.uk Telephone: 07966164793

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