Theme of the Week + PSHE Bulletin by Mr Hunt

Afternoon Year 13,

I hope your week has got off to a good start and that you're all keeping active and busy. If you are still not sure what you should be doing at this moment in time then please send me/Mrs Bolton an email and we will point you in the right direction.

Also, just a reminder that if you are struggling during this period of lockdown, we are still very much here for you

I'm sure some of you have seen Mrs Baumgart's assembly on the Theme of the Week: Companionship already, but if you haven't yet, you can watch it here:

PSHE Bulletin 04/05/20: Bereavement

The Big Question

Why is it so hard to talk about death?

Prayer of the Day

Father God, we pray for your peace and comfort to come to all those who have been bereaved.

Thank you that you have a permanent home ready for us when this temporary Earthly experience is over.  Help us to accept your invitation to heaven, through our thoughts, words and actions.

Amen

“Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home.”

Paul worked as a tentmaker.  He compared death to returning home from a camping expedition.

2 Corinthians 5:1-2 (CEV)

Bereavement in the Time of Covid-19

In our society, death is usually a taboo topic, not to be discussed in polite company.  In the absence of other news to report, the media have broken this taboo by carefully documenting the Covid-19 deaths and the impact on loved-ones left behind.  Talk about death can be upsetting for many reasons.  For example:

·         We can become worried about our own mortality

·         We worry about losing people we care about

·         We are reminded of people we loved who have died in the past

·         Seeing others grieve can be distressing and can makes us feel powerless to help.

Experiencing Bereavement

Bereavement is a deeply personal experience, and a universal part of human life.  No one can take away the mix of emotions we feel, but we can take comfort from those who have been through the experience before us.  The card below contains first-hand advice from bereaved young people.

Helping a Friend

When someone we care about is bereaved, it can be hard to know what to say.  We might be afraid of upsetting them or making things worse.  Grief can be a time when we need our friends more than ever, but asking for help can be difficult.  Bereaved young people put together the advice card below for friends who want to support.

Further Help

If you need support with the issues raised then your form tutors and heads of year are still available by email, and they can help you access the resources you need.  Father Kevin can be reached at kodonnell@salesian.surrey.sch.uk

The advice cards come from www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk, where other good materials are also available.

Photo came from https://www.haddenham.net/newsroom/dying-matters-lets-talk.html 4/5/20