article about how to support someone who has been bereaved in today's Guardian

[harpsichordcarrier]

I wish I had read this two years ago, as I have been supporting my bereaced friend and I think this is all fantastic advice

I admit, I skimmed it but it's a really great piece, no nonsense, logical, practical help. When you're friend's bereaved, you also feel their pain, one of my friend's lost her partner while she was pregnant, her best friend was her rock and after a few months, I asked her how she was (the best friend) said that it must have been hard on her too, she said she nearly came unravelled at the seams. It's hard on everyone, and when you're sad for your friend, it's hard to think straight, this book will be great. Good on her.

I've kept it. I'm just so bloody awful at 'helping' with death.

what a fantastic article.

Thanks for this. It is wonderful, I've saved it to perhaps give to friends and family as I'm rubbish at asking for help or even accepting it. It also explains things for those unable to ask us how we are.

zb - did you get my email?

ggg my email address is [email protected] i dont have my own as not good with internet ,we got inquest date 2 october, at last ,hope you are ok ; itried to email you last time but had probs,

ggg - yes, thanks I did. Just checked the date and realised it was ages ago oops.... how time flies, should be replying to you rather than gadding about here!

hazygirl - glad you have a date at last but so sorry it's so late. Ignore me if I'm completely off the mark here but you may find that as there is an inquest the coroner registers the death. That happened for us but bizarrely we still have to phone to request a copy of the certificate 'if we want one'! We registered ds birth as late as poss so there was a decent gap between that and our previous appt at the registrar's office so understand your dilemma a bit.

zeebee ,hi long time no hear ,you had inquest and it went ok,i hope that death is registered by coroner it will b better ,our coroner is nice chap,he sorted burial certificate out quickly so hope he does same. i put e mail in can u get in touch for a talk that would b great