Sunflowers Suicide Support

Sunflowers Suicide Support was set up in memory of Pete Morris who took his own life in September 2016 to be the small ray of light in the darkness.

One of our objectives is to improve the mental wellbeing of those bereaved through provision of counselling and bereavement support services and events. We also enable people to share their experiences and gain support from each other through their own complex loss.

Sunflowers support any person living in Gloucestershire that has been bereaved by suicide and work to provide timely practical care and the best possible support to them, including when necessary signposting to additional professional support.

Our support services include a support pack which is delivered by Gloucestershire Constabulary upon delivering a death message. We provide practical advice and support when we meet the bereaved family. We offer a walking group to get outside together to walk and talk. We offer special events throughout the year that bring people bereaved by suicide together to acknowledge their grief and remember their loved ones alongside each other. These events are open to adults and children to ensure that children are involved in and part of the grieving with the rest of their family as they are so often forgotten. We have trained three Grief Recovery Specialists with Grief Recovery Method which we now offer as peer support. We run a support group which is facilitated by a Registered Counsellor to provide professional support to those attending. We also offer support to children and their families who are bereaved through our family support work which is delivered by a trained suicide bereavement practitioner.

Our second objective is to advance the knowledge and education to our community and professionals in all areas relating to suicide prevention, intervention and bereavement. Sunflowers offer training in suicide intervention to the wider community. This helps participants identify suicide risks and enables them to respond to suicidal behaviour, activating a plan for immediate safety. We use our personal experience of suicide bereavement to deliver presentations sharing our story and the learning points, which inspire others to work together to prevent further suicides.

Our events and campaign’s main aims are to help others within our community to feel less isolated and alone. Our Hope Notes and Kindness Rocks aim to uplift and encourage others. We believe that everyone can play a small part in connecting with and helping others to feel less alone.