Brentwood Partners

Aching Arms is a national charity based in Brentwood that provides comfort and support for bereaved families after the loss of their baby during pregnancy, at birth or soon after.  We work directly with midwives and nurses at over 170 hospitals nationwide, who, on our behalf, offer an Aching Arms Bear to parents in their care. We also donate comfort bears to other organisations who support families after baby loss at any stage of pregnancy and send them to families who contact us themselves via our website.

The bear provides a sensitive conduit for health professionals to support and discuss the emotional and well-being needs of parents, particularly in the turbulent days following their baby’s death.

Each Aching Arms bear is given as a gift from one bereaved family to another, to let the parents know that they are not alone, and each beautiful bear wears a personalised, handwritten label with the name of the baby in whose memory the bear was dedicated. The label also signposts parents to our website, where they will find support and information.

Our support is not limited to the giving of our comfort bears, we have several ways in which we help parents and families, including:

SUPPORTING ARMS SERVICE

Run by bereaved parents, our Supporting Arms service offers parents the opportunity to talk to someone who has an understanding of what they’re going through. Families can access support by telephone, text or email on 07464 508994 or support@achingarms.co.uk

SUPPORTING ARMS FOR DADS

We host a monthly online group specifically for Dads to share and discuss their particular experiences. Please see our website for full details.

VIRTUAL CARE SERVICE

Our Virtual Care service gives parents the chance to book a video support call with our Bereavement Care Manager. Booking is available on the link on our website.

BE TOGETHER PROGRAMME

The Be Together Programme is a range of community events that bring bereaved parents, siblings and families together. Please see our website for full details.

Bennetts Funeral Directors Ltd have been serving bereaved families for over 140 years. Everyone experiences grief differently, there is no ‘normal’ or ‘right’ way to grieve. We offer two support group options, both meet once a month in Brentwood, neither have trained counsellors, simply those in similar situations looking for understanding and an opportunity to talk and be listened to: -

'New Era' - Formed in January 2007, a general bereavement support group where those attending help and support one another, everyone is made to feel very welcome, refreshments are provided, friendships are formed. Talks, activities, day trips and dining options are arranged throughout the year. For further information, please contact 01277 210104.

‘Our Grieving Hearts’ - Formed in June 2011, a parents bereavement support group and part of The Compassionate Friends. Many people who have suffered the loss of a child feel a bond with others in the same situation and wish to extend the hand of friendship. We offer support, both directly to bereaved families, and indirectly by fostering understanding and good practice amongst professionals concerned with child death and by increasing public awareness.
For further information, please contact Bridget on 07894 698288.

Qualified Art Psychotherapist Irene Malvezi is based at the Brentwood Arts Therapy Centre, where she provides private Art Therapy sessions for individuals and groups.

Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary mode of expression and communication to address emotional issues, which may be confusing and distressing. It is not a recreational activity or an art lesson, although the sessions can be enjoyable. Clients do not need to have any previous experience or expertise in art.

Clients may have a wide range of difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses. These include emotional, behavioural or mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities, life-limiting conditions, neurological conditions and physical illnesses. The goal is to enable clients to build on their own strengths as they develop self-awareness and self-compassion.

Fees: There are discounts for clients on reduced income, which can be discussed at the initial assessment meeting.

The loss of a baby is a devastating experience and one that can bring a range of thoughts, feelings, and responses that can feel confusing, bewildering, and isolating. By Your Side is a maternal mental health service provided by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with midwifery colleagues, which offers therapeutic care and grief therapy for people who were pregnant and have experienced a perinatal loss. Our team aims to help people with their loss, being by your side during a devastating time.

Service Information

By Your Side works with people who were pregnant and are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties as a result of perinatal loss, including;
Miscarriage (including recurrent/multiple miscarriages)
Stillbirth
Termination
Neonatal death

Unfortunately, we do not currently accept self-referrals so please ask a health or social care professional (such as your GP) to submit a referral on your behalf. You must be over the age of 18, registered with a GP in Essex, and your loss must have occurred within the last year.

The Daily Bread Café is open four days a week, Tues, Wed & Fri with various inclusive clubs and activities for all to enjoy. Thursday is our Little Fishes Group which is for parents and carers of pre-school age children.

The café aims to help reduce social isolation, improve mental well-being, and give meaningful activities to our visitors, we also have a pay it forward board.

The Daily Bread Food Hub provide free bags of shopping which can include fruit, vegetables, fresh and frozen food and also store cupboard essentials. Our team of volunteers collect from over 200 supermarkets each week. This prevents tonnes of food waste from going into landfill. The Food Hub is open 6 mornings a week.

We provide individual counselling at significantly subsidised rates for people of all ages in need of emotional well-being support.

Whilst retaining our original specialism in bereavement and loss, we offer counselling on a range of issues including managing stress and anxiety, changes in family circumstances and coping with trauma.

Kooth.com is commissioned to provide an online wellbeing platform which along with text based counselling also includes helpful articles, forums, activity centre, daily journal and messaging. We provide British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy accredited services and Kooth is available to young people aged 11-18 in Essex. 

The service provides a free and non-judgemental place for children and young people to connect with others and know they are not alone. They have instant access to self-help materials, fully moderated discussion forums and tools such as online journals and goal trackers. They can also contribute written pieces of work reflecting their own experiences, as well as accessing drop-in or booked text-based counselling sessions with professional counsellors.

These are online services that offer anonymised support via online counsellors, available 365 days a year, 12pm -10pm on weekdays and 6pm-10pm on weekends. 

The core aim of the Change Project is to promote personal wellbeing through enabling people to have healthy relationships in families, between individuals, and in the community.