BBC’s Make A Difference Awards Shortlists East Yorkshire Grief Support Group

The team at a Market Weighton grief charity are celebrating after reaching the regional finals of a national BBC Radio competition.

Talking about Loss has been shortlisted in the ‘Together’ category of the BBC’s ‘Make a Difference’ awards that recognise remarkable people and celebrate their achievements and contributions to lives in their communities.

One of eight awards, the Together award acknowledges individuals or groups of people who create real change by breaking down barriers and bringing together people from different walks of life for a common cause.

The finalists were selected from nominations made by the public that were shortlisted by BBC Radio Humberside’s Acting Executive Editor and three external judges.

Talking About Loss’s founder, Jacqui Gunn is delighted with the news: “I was not expecting this! Thank you to everyone who wrote in and nominated us for the Together award. After a rather rubbish week, this has just made my week, month, and year. I am actually speechless.
Thank you to everyone at Talking about Loss: ‘it takes a community to raise a charity'”.

Pocklington-based Mindful Memorials is a family memorials business that has hosted events with Talking about Loss from its base at Rossmoor Park. Co-owner, Anna Buckley said:

“We’re absolutely thrilled for the team at Talking about Loss to have their hard work recognised by the community. We all know it is easy to have good intentions but not be able to find the energy or be brave enough to act on them. It’s far more difficult, and therefore much rarer, to actually raise your head above the parapet and put your heart, soul and energy into making a genuine difference to people in your community… so it is really wonderful to see this being recognised publicly for Jacqui and the TAL team and all the volunteers who play such a vital part in making a difference to people suffering from loss throughout Yorkshire.”

Talking About Loss is one of just 32 finalists across the eight award categories that also include Community Group, Fundraiser, Great Neighbour and Volunteer. The winners will be announced at an afternoon tea and awards ceremony at Hull Minster on Friday, 30th September.

Chris Burns, Head of Audio and Digital for BBC England said:

“The last two years have been challenging for everyone. Listeners have contacted us to share the stories of how people have helped each other, and we wanted to find a way of celebrating those unsung heroes and telling those amazing stories.”

Talking about Loss was established by Jacqui Gunn in 2019 as a warm, friendly, supportive peer and professional-led meet-up group for like-minded people to talk freely about loss.

The group now organises pop-up events throughout Yorkshire in addition to activities, men’s groups and regular ‘cuppa and chat’ sessions at the charity’s base at TAL’s Community Hub in Market Weighton. For more information, email jacqui.gunn@talkingaboutloss.co.uk or visit https://www.facebook.com/TALscommunityhub.