The charity sector is facing one of the most challenging periods in recent memory.
Rising costs, reduced funding and increasing demand for services are creating a “perfect storm” for charities across the UK. Many organisations are being asked to do more while having fewer resources available to do it.
For small charities like The Loss Foundation, these challenges are felt every day.
But alongside the challenges, there is something incredibly positive happening.
Our community is growing.
105 people have chosen to help keep grief support free
At the end of last year, we launched the Founding 500 – a community of people giving £5 a month to help ensure that no one has to face cancer bereavement alone.
Today, we’re delighted to share that 105 people have joined us. 🤍
Each person represents something bigger than a monthly donation. They represent a belief that grief support should be available to everyone who needs it.
They are helping make sure that someone who has just lost a loved one can find a support group, a helpful resource, or a community that understands.
Small gifts. Big impact.
The Loss Foundation has always grown because of people coming together.
We began with one monthly support group in 2012. Today, we run around 12 support events every month, reaching thousands of people affected by cancer loss.
Our community is powered by:
- 🤝 Around 50 dedicated volunteers who facilitate and support our groups
- 💻 Thousands of people accessing our website and resources each month
- 💛 People who believe that nobody should have to navigate grief alone
But our resources remain small compared to the need.
This is why regular support matters so much.
A monthly gift of £5 may feel small, but when many people come together, it creates something powerful.
What the Founding 500 makes possible
The Founding 500 community helps us protect the services that people rely on most, including:
Online support groups
Our most-used service – providing safe, facilitated spaces where people affected by cancer bereavement can connect, share and feel understood.
Volunteer training
Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Supporting them with training and resources helps us provide compassionate, high-quality support.
Specialist grief workshops
Focused sessions exploring the challenges many people experience after a loss, including sleep difficulties, anxiety and difficult memories.
Thank you to our first 105 supporters
We know that people are facing their own challenges right now. The cost of living crisis has affected households across the country, and choosing to support a charity is not always easy.
That makes every single Founding 500 member even more meaningful.
Thank you for choosing to stand alongside bereaved people.
Thank you for helping create spaces where people can say:
“I thought I was the only one feeling this way.”
Thank you for helping make sure nobody has to face cancer bereavement alone.
Can you help us reach 120?
We’re now working towards our next milestone: 120 Founding 500 supporters.
That’s just 15 more people giving £5 a month.
Together, these supporters will help us continue recruiting, training and supporting volunteers, and keep our grief support free for everyone who needs it.
If The Loss Foundation has supported you, someone you love, or if you believe nobody should face grief alone, we’d love you to join us.
And if giving isn’t possible right now, sharing this message is also a powerful way to help.
With gratitude,
Dr Erin Hope Thompson MBE
Founder, The Loss Foundation
