Grief support group hope a step closer

A widower hoping to help others suffering the loss of a loved one has seen his hopes to start a grief group take a step further forward.

Chris Pearson lost his wife Jayne, 61, in March to renal failure after a battle with cancer.

Speaking to the Marlborough Weekly at the beginning of May, the former aircraft engineer reached out to the community for help.

Now his hope to start a group where people can be with others going through similar heartbreak is coming to fruition.

The move means a lot to him, Chris says.

“To be able to get this grief group up and at least up to the first hurdle means so much to me.

“I am being a little selfish as by getting this running I would be able to help myself by helping others who are finding it hard to come to terms with the loss of a loved one.

“Be it if you are the husband, wife, daughter, son or friend of a loved one all welcome.

“From what I have seen, with the response I received there is definitely a need for another group get together, so people who, like me, are still working can get together on a regular basis and just be able to talk and relate to others who have and are going through this very lonely time.”

Chris says he already attends a morning tea group held every second Tuesday of the month.

While they have been helpful and allow him to be himself, Chris wants to see the new group achieve a similar goal but at a time that suits more people.

“At this meeting we would like to get as many people as possible along so we can get a good idea of when most people would like to have get togethers, i.e. early evenings, weekends or when also where would we like them.”

The first meeting will be held at the new Marlborough library on 6 June June at 7pm to gauge interest.

Chris says the huge response to the article and his post online has shown that there are people in the community who do need help.

“Honestly, I feel like there isn’t much out there to help. I was thinking how I might be able to help myself and then thought other people might benefit too.

The couple first met 40 years ago and have been married for 37 years.

Originally from Christchurch, Jayne and Chris moved to Blenheim seven years ago.

Talking about Jayne brings a smile to his face, but tears are never far away, he says.

He thinks it will help sharing his loss with other people and vice versa.

“Anyone who has lost someone is welcome, daughters, wives, parents. Everyone is welcome and we can all sit down together and talk,”