Friendship Group For Islanders Bereaved By Suicide

Thursday, 28 April 2022 06:00

The women behind Guernsey's 'talking benches' have launched a new friendship group for islanders who have lost a loved one to suicide.

Aileen Morgan, Colette Quertier and Sarah Bamford's sons all took their own lives. The ladies have used their experiences to try and help others going through the same ordeal.

They say their latest idea is not a support group, but rather an opportunity for people who've had to deal with the unthinkable to meet new friends who understand what they've been through.

Sarah has been speaking to Island FM about their new group. She says losing a loved one to suicide is something no one should have to go through alone:

"We thought what could really help people is a friendship group. We're not a support group. We're not counsellors. Our offering is friendship.

It's the opportunity to come along and share how you're feeling, perhaps share memories of the person you've lost, and realise that there is a life after this."

She added that the friendships forged since her son's death have helped her to deal with her loss, and the group wants to be able to extend that to anyone going through the same:

"Becoming friends through our shared losses is helping us to heal, and we wanted to out to anyone on the island who is going through the same. Please do come along and have a drink and a chat with us."

The group is meeting for the first time on Tuesday 3 May in the downstairs bar at Les Cotils from 6pm.

Anyone wanting to find out more can call Sarah on 07781 112085 or Mandy on 07781 144346.