National Bereavement Advice Service in Grantham changes to registered charity

A bereavement service that has grown more quickly than expected has become a charity.

The National Bereavement Advice Service, based in Grantham, has changed from a private limited company to a registered charity. This means that directors will be able to apply for grants and ask for donations, enabling it to grow its service further.

Since launching in February, the service has had many people reaching out for advice and support after they suffered a bereavement.

“We didn’t realise the number of people needing the service, we get around 50 to 80 calls a week,” said managing director Matt Wainwright.

He added: “Since starting at beginning of the year, we have been working with charities that work with knife crime, child suicide and we are also speaking with Macmillan and other big charities.

“Now we are a charity, we are going to be looking for grants and donations for therapists and grief councillors.

“We are also looking to start a 24-hour helpline.”

The charity, which was a finalist for in the Best New Start-Up in the Grantham Journal Business Awards 2024, is also appealing for donations to create a new welcoming space at its offices in Wharf Road. Abi Wainwright, client care manager, was also highly commended in the Employee of the Year category.

Matt added: “Now we have the office, we are planning to make a welcome area.

“It will be a lounge area with a children’s play area so children can feel at home and comfortable, as well as adults.

“We want to make it a welcoming place instead of a clinical space. This is why we are looking for donations of furniture and things like arts and crafts.”

Matt said that “bereavement is the hardest thing in someone’s life” and it is important for people to get help.

He added: “A lot of people suffer and grieve on their own, so we are offering them to come in and get advice.

“How I look at it is, you never know when you’re going to go through grief yourself. The help is there for everyone.”

Anyone who would like to donate items can email admin@nationalbereavement.com or call 0300 13 123 53.