Vicky

"I’m Vicky and I am chair of the Bereavement Network group. I have worked at Stockport Council since 2017 and I am the service manager for the Events and Hospitality Team. I love my job and I can honestly say it is a pleasure coming to work each day. I work with a wide variety of people and my team deliver an ambitious events programme.

"In June 2024, following the death of my father in June 2023, I founded and set up the bereavement employee network group. Sadly, death and grief is something that we will all experience in our lives. For me the experience of losing my dad tore my world apart, he was my best friend and I still feel shell shocked. I wanted to do something positive and find a way to navigate this new chapter of my life by supporting others.

"The group is such a safe space and so friendly. It’s not all doom and gloom, we are normalising talking about death and there is much humour too."

Information about the Bereavement Network

The Bereavement Network hold grief cafés once a month that alternate between lunch time and late afternoon. The café is a chance to speak in smaller groups, share experiences and be supported by colleagues who have experienced a bereavement, whether recently or many years ago.

We also have a Microsoft Teams chat where we keep in touch throughout the month, and we have links to bereavement organisations that we can signpost to for further support. Throughout the year we hold a series of socials, fundraising events in memory of loved ones, and interesting talks from keynote speakers.