Our Bromsgrove Group was started by sisters Karen and Sarah in July 2007. The group has grown over the years and volunteers have stepped in to help over the years so massive thanks to Carol, Janine, Jacqui and our current group leaders Rachel and Tracey. Karen is still involved and is a positive and important part of the Bromsgrove Group.
Jacqui ~ Bromsgrove group:
I first attended the Bromsgrove SOBS group with my husband in May 2009 just a few months after
losing our precious 16-year-old son to suicide. Some close friends of ours gently suggested it may
be helpful, after they themselves attended the group the month before to see what was involved and
to see if they thought it would help us gain some much needed support. The two founders of the
group, sisters Karen and Sarah, had started the Bromsgrove SOBS group in July, 2007 themselves
losing their Dad to suicide in 1999.
The loss of our adored son had come out of nowhere with no warning and we were in deep shock
for many months. Because of the complete numbness we were feeling I remember very little of the
first time I attended the SOBS group. I remember Karen coming to the door to greet us as we
nervously stood at the back of the hall not knowing what to expect. The group that night was very
small but I don’t remember speaking, just crying, as I did for many, many meetings after that,
thankful for the ever present box of tissues on the table.
Months passed and I regularly attended the group (although my husband had made the decision it
was not for him). I tried counselling for a short period but never felt it gave me the true
understanding and support I received from our SOBS group who were the only people I believed
knew the crushing pain, death of a loved one by suicide brings as they had all experienced it sadly
for themselves. For me these monthly meetings were indeed a lifeline.
The years have passed by and I would like to think in some small way I have been able to contribute
back to the group for everything it gave me. Over recent years we have organised a support day in
Birmingham City Centre with workshops and guest speakers inviting other SOBS groups from
around the region. Some of our group have also been involved in organising awareness days more
locally in Bromsgrove, arranging a stand in the town centre distributing SOBS literature and
speaking with members of the public to help raise awareness of the support available following the
loss of someone through suicide.
I have taken a step back now from regularly attending the group but with some other SOBS
stalwarts continue to be part of a “helpers rota” as and when needed. Karen moved to Wales a few
years ago but is still very much involved with the group albeit from a distance having passed the
baton to Rachel (ably assisted by Tracey) to run the regular monthly meetings at Bromsgrove.
Contact Bromsgrove group here
Since losing our son Jonathan to suicide in May 2011, we have done quite a lot of fundraising. We have held boot sales, stalls at fetes, skydives and many, many raffles.
In 2005 we tragically lost Fee – beloved wife and mother, when she took her own life. The shock and loss was enormous and it wasn’t until 2009 when we discovered Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide. This charity has helped all three of us, in different ways, in coming to terms with such a painful loss. It is a loss that you never get over, but their involvement in our lives has helped us to move on but not forget.