New bereavement cafe opens its doors in Stalybridge

A new drop-in Bereavement Cafe, offering hope to those struggling with the loss of a loved one, has opened its doors in Millbrook.

The Bereavement Cafe, based in Reach Church on Huddersfield Road, is open between 10:30am and 12pm every Monday.

Founder Margaret McGhee, who lost her daughter two and a half years ago, said she just wants to provide those going through the same thing as herself with a safe space to talk about their grief. She emphasised that, despite being held in a church, visitors don't have to be religious.

"It's not a counselling session, it's just so that people can come along and talk to one another," she explained.

"I know that, particularly in this community, there are people who are so so sad and I don't like to think of that. It's about being able to chat to people who are in the same position as you are and being able to say 'did you go through this?' or 'have you experienced this?'. It's about setting people free."

The mum-of-three said the cafe will also be welcoming those who have experienced bereavement in other forms, such as a loved one having dementia, a marriage breakdown or the loss of a job.

Margaret's youngest daughter Lisa passed away suddenly in September 2021.

"She was so funny, she was amazing - just a daughter that you can be proud of. She went out of her way to be kind to people and she'd do anything for anybody, she was lovely."

She added: "Grieving is so different for everybody. People say you go through the anger stage then through this phase and that phase but it's not really like that; you do go through stages but it isn't linear, you can flit from one to the other. I found that with my journey and I'm still finding it out now when certain things remind me of Lisa.

"Initially, everyone's there but then they gradually drift away. They don't want to listen to you talk about it anymore and sometimes you still need to talk. You don't tend to talk to your family because you know they're hurting as well.

"I just felt as though there was a need for this, because if I was feeling like that, there must have been thousands of others feeling the same way."

Phyllis, Colleen and Kemi, the three ladies who run the cafe alongside Margaret, are also excited to welcome locals into the "family-feel" of the cafe.

"We understand that it can be daunting to come alone for the first time but we're very welcoming and all four of us here have lost somebody.

"When somebody understands where you're coming from, it's a lot easier to work through the process."

The women are hoping to open the cafe one evening in the future too, so that the option is also available to those who work during the morning timings of the Monday session.

Pictured left to right: Margaret McGhee and Lisa