A collection of useful services and support

We appreciate how impossibly distressing this time is might be for you and your family. With this in mind, we hope the list of contacts below may prove helpful. Do contact us with suggestions for ideas not featured here.

Help following a bereavement

Bliss, for babies born premature or sick: Bliss

Booklet: Click here for Grieving The Loss Of Someone.

Booklet: Click here for Transgender Funeral Support.

The Counselling Directory has a huge network of counsellors across the UK. Counselling Directory

Child Bereavement UK helps children and young people, parents and families, to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies: Child Bereavement UK

The Compassionate Friends support bereaved parents and their families after the death of a child of any age and whatever the cause: The Compassionate Friends

Cruse offers counselling suppport, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies: Cruse Bereavement Care

The Good Grief Project is dedicated to understanding grief as a creative and active process: The Good Grief Project

Longfield Hospice provides care for adults in Gloucestershire affected by life-limiting illness. They also offer support for their carers and families: Longfield Community Hospice Care

Macmillan Cancer Support’s advice on coping with bereavement: Macmillan – Coping with bereavement

Sands, the stillbirth & neonatal death charity: Sands

Sue Ryder Hospice offer bereavement support via an online community and an online counselling service: Sue Ryder Hospice

Sunflowers offers suicide prevention and support for bereavement by suicide: Sunflowers Suicide Support

Winston’s Wish supports children and young people after the death of a parent or sibling: Winston’s Wish

 

 

A selection of books for children – good for adults too! 

A Child’s Grief by Di Stubbs et al

As Big as It Gets: Supporting A Child When Someone Is Seriously Ill by Julie A Stokes et al

Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

Michael Rosen’s Sad Book by Michael Rosen

Milly’s Bug-nut by Jill Janney

Muddles Puddles And Sunshine by Diana Crossley

 

Some churches with burial space (for parishioners only):

  • Amberley
  • Brookthorpe
  • Cranham
  • Fretherne
  • Hardwicke
  • Harescombe
  • Horsley
  • Lasborough
  • Leckhampton
  • Leonard Stanley
  • Minchinhampton
  • Miserden
  • Pitchcombe
  • Sheepscombe
  • Whaddon
  • Woodchester: Church of the Annunciation (Roman Catholic) and St Mary’s (Anglican)

Ashes burial: most parish churches will have a small space in the churchyard for the burial of parishioners’ ashes, with a tablet marking the spot.

 

Council-run cemeteries for local residents only:

  • Stroud: new cemetery at the end of Horns Road. Stands below the better-known but unused Bisley Road Cemetery.
  • Brimscombe: off Brimscombe Hill, in the ‘meadow’ strip of land near the top.
  • Frithwood (Chalford)
  • France Lynch
  • Painswick Cemetery

 

Green Burial sites

  • Bath: Haycombe Cemetery; Midford Natural Burial Meadow.
  • Bristol: Bristol Memorial Woodlands; Kingswood Remembrance Park; South Bristol Cemetery; Arnos Vale Cemetery.
  • Bristol: A new woodland burial area is available at Arnos Vale. https://arnosvale.org.uk/cemetery/
  • Cheltenham: ‘Green Burial’ option in the grounds of the Cemetery and Crematorium.
  • Gloucester: ‘Green Burial’ option in the grounds of the Cemetery and Crematorium.
  • Staunton, North Gloucestershire. Greenfields Woodland of Remembrance. (No website.)
  • Forest of Dean: Coleford Cemetery Natural Burial Ground.
  • Slimbridge: the far end of the cemetery. (Double cost for non-residents).
  • Swindon: Westmill Woodland Burial Ground.
  • Monmouth: Usk Castle.
  • Warwickshire: Sun Rising Burial Ground, between Banbury and Evesham.
  • Wider afield: there are many others across the UK. Contact The Natural Death Centre on 0207 359 8391, website www.naturaldeath.org

 

Secular venues for funerals

  • The Bear of Rodborough, GL5 5DE: Flexible and accommodating, with private conference/dining rooms overlooking the garden.
  • Chavenage House, Tetbury, GL8 8XP: Ancient Elizabethan country mansion, unashamedly haunted, huge fireplaces and panelled rooms. Exquisite small private chapel, biggest lawn in Gloucestershire. Personally and eccentrically run by the homely Lowsley Williams family.
  • Kingscote Barn, between Horsley and Kingscote, GL8 8YE: Very proper Cotswold, newly-restored barn – a wedding venue, primarily.
  • Lansdown Hall & Gallery, Stroud, GL5 1BB: Old Temperance hall from 1879. Run by a voluntary, charitable organisation, on lease from Stroud Town Council. Old pine floor, church-type windows, raised stage, lighting rig, sound system, licensed. Doors to Bank Gardens.
  • Masonic Hall, Merrywalks Hill, Stroud, GL5 3BY: Certainly unusual with its Masonic portraits and history etc, but a decent local and accommodating Stroud venue.
  • The Matara Centre, Kingscote, GL8 8YA: Beautiful private facility with tasteful Eastern spiritual flavour. Full kitchen, music, conference facilities. Very accommodating, keen to please.
  • Saxon Barn, Leonard Stanley, GL10 3NP. Dating back to the 10th century, this historic and lovingly restored barn can seat up to 100 people. No on-site catering but food can be brought in.
  • Stonehouse Court Hotel, GL10 3RA: Caroline Suite conference building alongside 17th century manor house; big windows overlooking six acres of tidy lawns and gardens. Private.
  • Stroud Subscription Rooms, GL5 1AE: Recently refurbished and relaunched, the Subs is a fantastic central Stroud location with easy parking, bar and catering facilities and a choice of rooms from the George Room downstairs at the front of the building to the large Regency-style ballroom upstairs.

Local venues

Some Gloucestershire Village and Church Halls, all of whom can be approached for hire for a funeral
  • Amberley Village Hall and Parish Rooms
  • Amberley Littleworth Methodist Hall
  • Arlingham Village Hall
  • Avening Memorial Hall
  • Beverstone Village Hall
  • Birdlip Village Hall
  • Bisley WI Village Hall
  • Box Village Hall
  • Brimpsfield Village Hall
  • Brimscombe and Thrupp Social Centre
  • Brookthorpe Village Hall
  • Bussage Village Hall
  • Cashes Green Community Centre
  • Chalford Hill Methodist Church Hall
  • Cherington Village Hall
  • Cranham Village Hall
  • Duntsibourne Abbots Village Hall
  • Eastcombe Village Hall
  • Eastington Village Hall and Community Rooms
  • Edge Village Hall
  • Elkstone Village Hall
  • Frampton Mansell Village Hall
  • Frampton-on-Severn Community Centre
  • Frampton-on-Severn Village Hall
  • France Lynch Hall
  • Harescombe Village Hall and Parish Rooms
  • Hillesley and Tresham, Hopkins Hall
  • Horsley Village Hall
  • Kingscote Village Hall
  • Kings Stanley Village Hall
  • Leonard Stanley Village Hall
  • Miserden Village Hall
  • Oakridge Village Hall
  • Paganhill Maypole Village Hall
  • Randwick Village Hall
  • Rodborough Community Hall
  • Ruscombe Village Hall
  • Saul Village Hall
  • Selsley Scout HQ Hall
  • Sheepscombe Village Hall
  • Standish Village Hall
  • Stonehouse Community Centre
  • Trinity Rooms, Stroud
  • Uley Village Hall
  • Upton St. Leonards Village Hall
  • Whiteshill and Ruscombe Village Hall
  • Whiteway Community Hall
  • Whitminster Village Hall
  • Winstone Village Hall
  • Woodmancote New Village Hall
Around the valleys: a few venues for the gathering afterwards if you can't face everyone back at your house

Most will do a decent funeral tea, and finger foods to order.

  • Amberley: The Black Horse; The Amberley Inn
  • Bisley: The Bear; The Stirrup Cup
  • Bussage: The Ram
  • The Camp: Fostons Ash Inn
  • Eastcombe: The Lamb
  • Edge: The Edgemoor Inn
  • Frampton Mansell: The Crown
  • France Lynch: The Kings Head
  • Minchinhampton: The Old Lodge; The Ragged Cot; The Crown
  • Nailsworth: Egypt Mill; The Britannia; The George Inn; The Gumstool Inn; Tipputs Inn 
  • Rodborough: The Bear of Rodborough
  • Sapperton: The Bell; The Daneway
  • Sheepscombe: The Butcher’s Arms
  • Slad: The Woolpack
  • Tetbury: The Ormond; The Close Hotel
  • Upton St Leonards: Hatton Court Hotel; Bowden Hall
  • Westrip: The Carpenter’s Arms

 

And in Central Stroud

  • The Corner House, London Rd, GL5 2AD: Tasteful decor. Modern, bistro-style gastro food.
  • The Crown & Sceptre, Horns Road, GL5 1EG.
  • J Rool, Union St, GL5 2HE: Excellent lunches, friendly staff. Courtyard tables.
  • Mills Cafe, Withey’s Yard, 55 High St, GL5 1AS: Popular diner with good wholesome food, great coffee and courtyard tables.
  • Sorrento Italian Restuarant, Russell St, GL5 3AJ: Traditional Italian fayre.
  • Star Anise Cafe, Gloucester St, GL5 1QG: Superb organic food. Friendly Steiner diner. Fantastic coffee.
  • Toni’s Kitchen, Middle Street, GL5 1DZ: Seasonal, fresh, tasty Italian food.

What to do when someone dies

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We will tell you exactly what to do, and help and guide you through each of the different stages.

Click here for more details.

Gloucestershire funeral services and support

We will work with you to design and arrange exactly the type of funeral which you and your family feel is right for the person who has died.

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