Following the sad death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, we will join with people across the world as we mourn her loss, and are thankful for the immense contributions and sacrifices she made for our country and communities.

Click here to find out more about the mourning arrangements for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. This includes details of both a physical and online book of condolence.

Looking after yourself during this time:

A period of national mourning can be traumatic for people as we reflect on our own personal circumstances. Dealing with grief, often interrupts our own grief journey with frequent triggering. People can feel out of the flow and different from everyone else. It is always good to talk to someone, please take care and be kind to yourself and others at this difficult time.

Here are some useful tips to help you look after yourself during this time:

Ask for help and let people know if you are experiencing difficulty coping with your thoughts or feelings. Talk to a friend, a member of your family, a GP or someone else you trust. It’s important to let someone know how you’re feeling as it’s the first step to getting the help or support you need. Click here for information on who you can contact if you feel you can’t cope and need urgent help.

Connect: Spend time with people who are important to you. Turn off the TV, radio and social media for a good part of the day.

Be as active as you can: Take a walk each day or try another physical activity at a level that suits your mobility and fitness. For information on your local physical activities on offer, click here.

Take notice: Be more aware of the world around you, during your walk perhaps. Be curious. Alternatively if we can’t get outside, clean up your living space to take notice and refresh your mental surroundings.

Keep learning: Try something new or different. Start a new hobby. For more information click here

Give: Do something thoughtful for someone else,or volunteer your time. Click here to find ideas for small, kind acts which could boost your own and others’ mental wellbeing.

The tips above are part of the Five Ways to Wellbeing. These are simple actions that can help us feel good about ourselves. Research has shown that people who regularly include the Five Ways to Wellbeing in their daily lives are more likely to feel positive. For more information, click here.

Organisations offering bereavement support:

We appreciate that facing bereavement is an incredibly difficult time for anyone, now even more so than usual, due to both the loss of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information and details of where people can get both practical and emotional bereavement support, visit the Happy? OK? Sad? website.