Welcome to our series Bereavement Notes where we share our thoughts and insights into the bereavement journey. This month we look at how we can find strength and connection through shared grief.

Grief can feel like a long and solitary path, one that changes the way we move through the world. Yet when we walk alongside others, who in their own way are also grieving, something healing begins to unfold. Step by step, through shared stories, quiet companionship, and moments of reflection, we find strength in connection. These walks aren’t about pace or distance, they are about being together, about recognising that while grief is unique to each of us, we can support one another through the journey.

This sense of togetherness was beautifully reflected during our recent Moonlight Walk, where hundreds came together to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have died. As lanterns glowed and footsteps moved quietly through the evening, there was a powerful feeling of unity, a reminder that grief, though deeply personal, can also connect us in shared remembrance. Community has a remarkable ability to sustain us. Through friendship and shared experience, loneliness and isolation begin to lift, replaced by a sense of belonging and gentle understanding.

One of our supporters Ailsa, puts it:

“I don’t know what I’d call it really, just togetherness. You’re walking with people that you’ve never met before, who you don’t know. But you’re doing it for the same reason, that the Hospice in some way has touched your life and potentially helped someone or cared for someone you know.”

Sometimes the events can help overcome some of the traumas surrounding death.  For Ailsa the act of walking in the dark was itself helpful.

“I suppose night-time can be hard, when it’s dark and when you’re in that period of grief. You know, it can be quite a difficult time night-time, but to do something like (the walk) at night kind of addressed some of those issues. Things that made you feel, actually it’s alright you know, it’s dark, but here I am.”

At St. Michael’s Hospice, we continue to create spaces where people can honour those they love and find comfort in community. Events such as our annual Christmas Lights of Love and our summer Remembrance Ribbons gatherings offer further opportunities to come together, reflect, and keep memories shining brightly.

Our Bereavement Support Service also offers weekly Walk and Talk groups and a Rye Harbour Nature Group, providing gentle opportunities to connect with others while finding comfort and peace in nature. These groups bring people together in beautiful outdoor settings, where conversation flows naturally and moments of quiet reflection are shared and understood.

Grief may change us, but it does not have to isolate us. When we come together, in daylight or moonlight, we remind one another that love endures, and that no one needs to walk the path of loss alone.

If you are interested in joining any of these activities or events, please contact the Bereavement Support Office at St. Michael’s Hospice for more details, including information on times and venues