Bringing Bereavement Support Closer to Home in East Lothian

Grief can feel isolating, but no one should face it alone. With support from NHS Lothian Charity, bereavement groups in East Lothian now provide safe, compassionate spaces for families to share, heal, and build resilience. For many, this local support means they no longer have to travel to Edinburgh — a difficult journey for those in rural communities, made even harder when coping with loss.

In 2024, the NHS Lothian Bereavement Service launched two local Bereavement Support Groups: one in Musselburgh (June 2024) and another in Tranent (January 2025). These monthly groups, run in partnership with Carers of East Lothian, provide a safe, consistent space for people to share feelings, learn coping strategies, and connect with others who understand what each other is going through.

Why bereavement support matters

Bereavement doesn’t start after someone dies. It begins when families know their loved one is nearing the end of life, and the East Lothian Palliative Care Team play an important role during this time, supporting patients and their families during those final days and weeks. They see firsthand how incredibly isolating and difficult grief can be – and how important early support is. Without adequate, early support, processing grief can feel overwhelming, so getting that support not only at the right time, but also locally, is hugely important.

Lise Brown, Senior Palliative Care Charge Nurse, explains:

We are now able to reach out to bereaved families and carers that we have supported, offering them information about local bereavement support. This was never available in East Lothian before, and as a team we no longer feel we are leaving families to deal with their grief alone after the trauma of losing a loved one.”

These groups don’t just help individuals, they benefit the wider community. By offering early, compassionate support, they reduce the risk of grief escalating into severe mental health issues, easing pressure on overstretched NHS services.

Michelle’s Story

Michelle’s husband passed away on December 22, 2023, with the East Lothian Palliative Care Team providing support. This was a challenging time for Michelle and her family. A few months after her husband’s passing, Michelle received a letter from the East Lothian Palliative Care Team, inviting her to join a new Bereavement Support Group in Musselburgh. She shared how attending the group has been a significant help during this time in her life.

It was very daunting attending that first meeting, but I quickly realised we were all in the same predicament and we had lost someone, be it a spouse, a parent, a child. In the early days after my husband passed, I felt like I was the only person going through this experience and did feel a bit isolated. It was nice to hear other people’s experiences and to be able to open up about how I was feeling. “We were made to feel very safe, and the facilitators are fantastic at putting people at ease with their calming and sympathetic nature. You get a name badge, and you can introduce yourself, ground rules are set at the beginning of the session, and you don’t have to talk if you don’t feel up to it. It’s very welcoming.

“There is a topic covered at each meeting which made me confront things I would never have done if I hadn’t attended the group. I was able to learn about the process of grief and some coping strategies. “After every meeting I feel a weight lift off my shoulders and this is down to hearing other people’s experiences and being able to talk openly to people who really understand you and most importantly don’t judge you. You start to understand that what you are feeling is normal. I wouldn’t talk to my family about some of the things I have shared in the group. I don’t want to burden my family with my worries and problems, they would worry, and they would feel guilty which I don’t want them to do so the group offers that safe space for me.

“I am a bit further in my journey, but I still attend the group as I have built up friendships with the other participants. I also want to repay the huge support that I got in the early days by offering hope to others that you can live with grief after someone passes and you can have a life, albeit a different one. “This group helped stop the pain eating away at me and I think groups like this are a vital lifeline and can prevent people getting physically and mentally unwell from grief which saves them using other NHS services in the future.”

The impact so far:

45 people supported between June 2024 and May 2025
Most attendees are aged 51–70, and 75% have lost a spouse
75% reported feeling happier or uplifted, and 60% felt less isolated
70% felt more connected to others in similar situations
40% learned new coping strategies they could use and share

Funding has been provided for five years, to enable the NHS Lothian Bereavement Service to continue offering this support in East Lothian. This commitment means families will have access to compassionate, local bereavement groups for years to come, helping them find comfort, connection, and strength during one of life’s hardest experiences.