Butterflies Bereavement Support (BBS) supports adults struggling to cope with bereavement, be that a recent or historical death or loss. We provide low-cost counselling via face-to-face, phone or online sessions as well as providing the option of bereavement groups. Alongside this we have a Friendship Service with buddies making weekly phone calls to people who are isolated and lonely. This is all provided by a wonderful team of volunteers without whom we would not be providing our valuable service across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
From informal client and our professional colleagues, we know that our service is greatly valued within the communities we serve. With referrals from the health services, faith leaders, families and friends of those struggling, along with self referrals as well, it is fair to say that our charity is viewed as essential and valued for the work we do.
Our counsellors are fully qualified and registered with one of the national registration organisations for counsellors, most are with BACP but we also support eight counsellors in training as they undertake 100 hours of practical work. As a charity we provide all our counsellors with supervision on a monthly basis. This covers all the team no matter how they are delivering the service. We currently have a team of 25 counsellors working with our clients. In common with other counselling charities, we are working with a waiting list of four months.
Our counsellors all have enhanced DBS certificates and along with their supervision we also have two/three inhouse training sessions per year.
The Friendship buddies also have team get togethers. This is a team of 15 volunteers who also have team meetings twice a year.
We currently have three bereavement groups operating, Hedge End/Botley and North Baddesley in Hampshire and one in Portsmouth. These are facilitated by volunteers trained by the leaders of the Hedge End/Botley group who have been supporting people at the group for over six years. The aim of the groups is to encourage the members to gently find their single social skills again and to feel confident in themselves as indviduals -something we lose following a significant loss.
