Frome Grief Network

18/07/2025

Thank you to all who attended our meet-up last night! It was filled with rich, thought provoking and moving discussion. We are looking forward to seeing what can evolve with this wonderful group of people, working together...
With representatives from Grief Disco , Frome Birth Talk, The Chat Café - Warminster, The Good Heart, Organic Matters, Dying Matters and other committed individuals 🩵

17/07/2025

We are meeting TONIGHT at The Good Heart. Hope you can join us :-)

We have a date for our next meet-up 😊 Hope you can join us!

Join Mel Dalton, Neil Croom and other members of the Frome Grief Network for an informal catch-up, and the opportunity to share the work you do locally related to grief, loss, death and dying. We'll also review the Grief Network event that took place in March, and consider what the future of the network might look like.

This meeting is open to those who work with grief and loss, but also to members of the community who are interested and would like to be involved.

Free entry and hot drinks provided. Booking essential due to limited space. Please reserve your place here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thegoodheart/1740358

With thanks to Frome Town Council's Community Fund for supporting this event.

03/07/2025

Today is National Bereaved Parents Day and we need your help! 💜

We need to spread the word as far as we can to show bereaved families that they are not alone and their children will never be forgotten.

Please join us at 7pm to light a candle and remember all of the children who lost their lives too soon.

Post about the day on social media and make sure to tag us in your posts and use the hashtags

We thank you for all of your incredible, continued support. Let's make today even bigger than before!

19/06/2025

People often ask who can have counselling with Frome Birth Talk. The answer is simple: anyone who is pregnant, or has had or lost a baby in the last two years AND had their care under Frome Midwives.

You don't have to talk about birth, or loss - we're here for anything which is causing you to struggle in the early years of parenthood and post-loss.

You can refer yourself to counselling by visiting our website: https://www.fromebirthtalk.org.uk/counselling-sessions

Why not share this with a friend who could use some support?

13/06/2025

We have a date for our next meet-up 😊 Hope you can join us!

Join Mel Dalton, Neil Croom and other members of the Frome Grief Network for an informal catch-up, and the opportunity to share the work you do locally related to grief, loss, death and dying. We'll also review the Grief Network event that took place in March, and consider what the future of the network might look like.

This meeting is open to those who work with grief and loss, but also to members of the community who are interested and would like to be involved.

Free entry and hot drinks provided. Booking essential due to limited space. Please reserve your place here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thegoodheart/1740358

With thanks to Frome Town Council's Community Fund for supporting this event.

08/05/2025

There are a few spaces left for the Supportive Weekend Retreat for parents in early bereavement at Ammerdown Centre near Bath, from 16 - 18 May 2025.

A previous attendee said, "It felt as if it had a personal touch and was a genuine welcome from TCF...It made me feel comfortable and at ease and due to this I knew that the weekend was going to be manageable for me."

Please note that there are limited spaces available. Please read through all information here before booking: https://www.tcf.org.uk/events/972-supportive-weekend-retreat-for-parents-in-early-bereavement/

03/04/2025

It can be hard to know what to say and what do to when someone dies.

We have some tips on how to help someone who is grieving, whether it’s a friend, family member, or someone you work with.

Find out more here ⬇️

https://ow.ly/1ZoQ50VsZHa

26/03/2025

I had the pleasure of meeting Masha and David at our Frome Grief Network day during the Frome Kindness Festival. This incredible couple are still reeling in the wake of their daughter, Helena, taking her life at age 13. Now Masha and David are looking at ways to bring kindness to every interaction in education through their inspiring project- Kindwaves. Please support them if you can.
Mel 🩵

“We are Masha and David, parents of eight amazing children between us.

In January 2024, our youngest daughter, Helena (Heli), took her own life at just thirteen years old. The devastation of losing her is beyond words. We will never fully understand how our beautiful, vibrant daughter reached such an irreversible decision.

But we do know that Heli deeply cared about how people treat each other. She often asked: “Where is all this pressure coming from?”

A Crisis We Cannot Ignore

Heli was not alone in feeling overwhelmed. Research shows that children’s risk of su***de and mental health crises drastically increases when they are in school and decreases during weekends and summer holidays.

This heartbreaking statistic highlights what many young people, parents, and educators already sense: a change is urgently needed.

A Mission Inspired by Heli

In the months following her passing, we’ve had many conversations with family, friends, educators, and children themselves. One message has come through clearly: Schools need a culture shift.

We need real kindness to be at the heart of every interaction in education.

From this, a heart project has grown—a charity dedicated to transforming school cultures with kindness. We call it Kindwaves.

What is Kindwaves?

Kindwaves is about changing the ‘us and them’ culture in schools to one where:

❤️ Students and teachers work together with joy.
❤️ Everyone feels understood, confident, and valued.
❤️ Kindness and collaboration replace control and sanctions.”

Click the link find out more about this project.

We are Masha and David, parents of eight amazing children between us. … Kind Waves needs your support for Kindwaves: Building Cultures of Kindness in Schools

25/03/2025

We’ve started a WhatsApp group for people who work with grief & loss in the local area to share info. DM if you want to join! 😊

25/03/2025

Just a few of the many individuals and organisations that came along to our Grief Day at Rook Lane Chapel. It was so brilliant to have you there.

21/03/2025

With Health Connections Mendip – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

20/03/2025

To everyone who was part of our event on Saturday...thank you, thank you, thank you. We are blown away by the magic that was created for our Frome Grief Network Launch event, and its down to the efforts of so many that it was such a success.

Thank you firstly to my friend and colleague Neil Croom, who had the inspiration to bring soft furnishings into Rook Lane (and put hours of work in to bring this vision to life) to enable a cosy and welcoming space. Thank you Neil also for the meetings, phonecalls, practical and emotional support that has helped make all of this possible.

Thank you to Melina Robinson for all of your contributions to the day, including the incredible handprint tree, and the 'Walking Beside Grief' workshop.

Thank you to Alison Murdoch for your unwavering support with the Grief Network, and this event- its been invaluable. And to Jessica Francombe for everything you contributed (including taking panicked phonecalls on the day!)

Thank you to the wonderful volunteers from The Good Heart's Kindness Crew and the Frome WI and the Frome Grief Network. We couldn't have done it without you.

Thank you to Sarah and Gareth from Sonny's Kitchen for the delicious soup and to Jo and Rachel from the Kindness Kitchen The Good Heart for the incredible cakes and biscuits.

Thank you to Sinnober for the gorgeous, moving music, and to Simon for tech support!

Thank you to all of the professionals who came along, bringing leaflets, information and such a range of expertise into the space.

Thank you to Georgina, Natalie and Isaac for your bravery and honesty in sharing your stories.

Thank you to my husband Stuart Dalton for facilitating 'Stories of Life and Loss' so beautifully.

Thank you to Rook Lane Chapel for letting us use the space for the day and for all of the support from Sara.

Thank you to Mayor of Frome, Andy Jones, for your heartfelt speech.

And finally, thank you to everyone else who walked through the door on Saturday, however long you stayed for. We know it was really hard for many, but we hope you felt welcomed and supported.

Here's to more grief events in Frome. See some of you at the Grief Disco tomorrow evening!

Best wishes
Mel :-)