BEREAVEMENT support will be on offer at drop-in sessions in Weymouth and Dorchester this month.

Bereavement Cafes offering advice and support on grief and loss are due to take place at The Front Skate Park, Weymouth, and The Gallery at Dorset Mental Health Forum in Dorchester.

Hosted by Dorset Open Door, Mosaic, Dorset Youth and Dorset Mental Health Forum, the sessions offer visitors the opportunity to find out about local bereavement support, talk about how they are feeling, and look at ways to remember and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.

The events coincide with National Grief Awareness Week, which runs between December 4 and 10, and will also be running during the following week.

The Weymouth drop-in runs between 4.30pm and 6.30pm today (December 5) the Dorchester event takes place between 4.30pm-6.30pm on Thursday (December 7) and on Thursday, December 14.

Sam Adkins, project lead for Dorset Open Door, said: “It can be difficult to know how to start looking for support when you have lost someone.

“Dorset Open Door is a partnership of local and national organisations, and we are here to help guide you through the process of getting the support you need.

“We would encourage anyone affected by the loss of someone to come along and find out more about what’s on offer in Dorset.”

Mike Bennett, CEO at Dorset Youth, said: “Grief can affect all of us in different ways and for young people, losing someone can be especially hard to process.

“We want everyone to know that you don’t have to go through it alone and there is support available in Dorset – come and see the team at our #Willdoes Bus in Weymouth or at The Gallery in Dorchester.”

And Clare Hayton, senior therapist at Mosaic, added: “Bereavement is something that happens to us all.

“Thankfully a lot of children do not have to navigate the loss of a loved one until later in their life.

“So when a young person does experience a death, they can often feel isolated and confused about what they are experiencing.

“The bereavement cafes are an opportunity to meet others who are bereaved and also to understand the complex feeling around grief.”

There is no need to book a place, anyone can come along for a chat and a coffee. For more information about the sessions, visit bit.ly/BereavementCafeDorset.