Cruse is the UK’s leading organisation providing free support to anyone who is bereaved.

It promotes the well-being of bereaved people and helps anyone suffering bereavement to understand their grief and cope with their loss.

Founded in 1959. Cruse has branches across England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

There are about 5,500 specially trained volunteers giving more than half a million hours a year to support bereaved people.

Nearly 90,000 people contacted Cruse in 2006/7 and almost 23,000 clients were given support.

Cruse offers:

* A helpline: Bereaved people, their friends and family members, and concerned professionals can call the line with a variety of requests ranging from immediate to long term support

* E-mail support: Bereaved people increasingly find this convenient as a way of seeking help, advice and support

* Face-to-face support: Cruse volunteers offer emotional and practical support to bereaved people to enable them to understand their experiences and to help them cope with their loss.

* Support groups: For some bereaved people a group may often be the best means of support.

* Welfare advice and information: Advice given can range from information on benefits to arranging funerals and dealing with an estate

* Training: There is a range of courses, including a one day introductory course called Loss and Bereavement for Professionals.

* Publications: Cruse provides a wide range of literature for bereaved people, or those working with them

* Support for children and young people: Children are offered support appropriate to their age which is provided by trained volunteers.

In 2006/7 there were 25 new young clients every week and almost 2,000 messages posted by young people on the website: (www.RD4U.org.uk) For more details call the Banbury branch on 01295 266350 or the Oxford Branch on 01865 245398.