Rutland based Uppingham Masonic Lodge 9119 have donated £4,400 to support the work of the Rutland Bereavement Help Point, The Release programme and the Loss Project led by Claire Henry MBE and Carly Aldridge.  

Rutland Bereavement Help Point is a local organisation which provides a safe space for those experiencing grief to feel listened to and supported. The group runs drop-in sessions at The Falcon in Uppingham and Oakham Library. 

The Loss Project, LOROS and RTB Fitness run the RELEASE programme, which helps people to process and manage grief through movement and boxing. Grief can bring forward a lot of emotions, including anger, sadness, anxiety and a feeling that everything is out of control. The Loss Project uses group boxing and fitness to help individuals work through these difficult feelings in a safe and supportive environment.  

The donation will be administered by Dying Matters Rutland, a charity led by Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness. The charity is dedicated to improving end-of-life experiences for local people and their loved ones. 

Dr Furness spent time listening to the experiences of people in Rutland, finding that while people often had glowing praise for the hard work of the NHS, people regularly found a disconnect where services were not always well coordinated. 

Dying Matters seeks to change this by supporting families through all stages of the process, from preparing for end-of-life, caring for someone else, what to expect when you or a loved one reaches end of life and support for after a loss, including legal help and grief support. They aim to provide a one stop hub for all the information someone could need during such a difficult time, as well as working with local partners to help offer additional care. 

Some of their partners include: The Bereavement Help Point, Rutland's Great Dementia Conversation, The Rutland Snowdrop Award and The Loss Project. 

Chairman of Rutland County Council, Cllr Andrew Brown JP, has been recently elected as the new Chair of Dying Matters Rutland, following the retirement of Jennifer Fenelon. 

Mr Brown says: 'It is so important that we try and inform people and families on every support available to them in the latter stages of their lives. The one great certainty of life is still a taboo subject for many and I would like to think that DMR can go some way to removing that sigma and giving the best information on the support and care for families in difficult circumstances.'