Cruse Bereavement Care is a national charity that focuses on supporting people who have suffered loss. It was founded 50 years ago in London and is the leading national charity for bereaved people in the UK.
Cruse believes that all bereaved people should have somewhere to turn when someone close to them dies. Over the years it has designed a programme of support, advice and information to suit a wide range of people in need: children, young people and adults who may be struggling to cope with their feelings of sadness and grief.
In case you’re wondering where its name came from, it’s a Biblical reference. A passage in the Old Testament refers to a widow's cruse, or jar of oil, which never ran out, thus signifying that support would be given as long as it was needed; comfort would always be available. In spite of the religious origins of the name, Cruse is a non-religious organisation and welcomes people of all faiths, and none.
Why you might want to contact Cruse
Soon after suffering a loss, you may be struggling. Or it may take many months, even years, to understand that you have not properly processed the death of someone you care about. This may show in many ways, these are just a few:
- crying all the time
- getting angry or behaving erratically
- feeling depressed
- doubting what has happened
- feeling numb
- feeling suicidal
Or simply wanting to talk through what has happened in your life. As the website states “Grief is not like the measles, we do not go back to being the person we were before our loss.” There is a lot to take onboard, and this is where Cruse aims to help those affected by bereavement.
What Cruse offers
- freephone national helpline
- email counselling
- phone counselling
- face-to-face counselling
- content-rich website and resources
- special child-centred site
Services are provided largely by trained volunteers, and confidentiality is paramount.
How well does it work
In the year 2017-2018 Cruse gave one-to-one support to 32,509 people, and supplied information to 57,015 individuals. It has also helped 5,625 children and young people.
Many therapists take special bereavement counselling training through Cruse. Training is also supplied to people whose work will bring them into contact with the bereaved: hospice and palliative care staff, council staff, solicitors, fire and and rescue workers.
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