A wellbeing coordinator has encouraged anyone going through grief to attend a "special" remembrance event this December.

Sharon Fielder, 52, who works for Sue Ryder, which supports anyone living with a life-limiting illness or grief, has shared her experience of the Celebrate a Life Thames Valley event to encourage other people to attend.

The remembrance event, organised by Sue Ryder Palliative Care Hub South Oxfordshire, offers a space for people to come together and remember their loved ones.

It will be held at the Great Hall in the University of Reading's London Road Campus on Wednesday, December 4, from 6pm, with a 6.30pm start.

Ms Fielder has worked at Sue Ryder for four years and has experienced grief and bereavement herself after her mum spent her final days being cared for at home by Sue Ryder nurses in 2022.

She said: "I am a wellbeing coordinator at Sue Ryder, and I am also a celebrant in my own time - I am passionate about supporting people experiencing bereavement and celebrating their loved one’s lives.

"That’s why I am so vocal about how amazing Celebrate a Life is - it isn’t just an event for people who have had someone cared for through Sue Ryder Palliative Care Hub South Oxfordshire, but for anyone who has been bereaved.

"My mum died in November 2022 and spent her final days being cared for by the Sue Ryder Hospice at Home team.

"Their care was so magnificent and was such a positive experience during such a hard time.

"Last year I attended Celebrate a Life to remember my mum and it was such a special event, it is a great safe space for people who are newly bereaved.

"The atmosphere is really something, you know you are all there to celebrate your own loved ones but there is still an overwhelming feeling of togetherness."

She encouraged anyone considering attending the event to "give it a try," adding: "It is okay to feel however you feel, and people are there to support one another.”

The event is free to attend and open to anyone who wishes to remember someone important, regardless of when they passed away and whether they were a patient of Sue Ryder.

The evening will feature readings, songs, and live music performances, and guests will have the opportunity to write a personal dedication to remember and appreciate the life of someone special, which will be displayed at the event.

Sue Ryder offers a range of free support to people experiencing grief.