Support groups for bereaved families

SSAFA's support groups provide a network of people who have been through a similar tragedy, giving you the opportunity to talk though your emotions with an understanding compassionate group. 

Each support group runs one or two day events throughout the year, where beneficiaries can meet up together and receive peer-to-peer support, facilitated in a safe environment.

Bereaved Support Group

This group is for anyone in the family unit (18+) who has suffered a bereavement of a veteran or Serving Armed Forces Personnel.

Military Families Affected by Suicide

For anyone in the family unit (18+) who have been affected by the loss of a loved one through suicide of a veteran or Serving Armed Forces Personnel.

Families of Wounded Injured and Sick Personnel

The FISP support group is for a spouse/partner/parent or carer (18+) of Armed Forces personnel who have been wounded or suffered an injury, or sickness.

You can become a member of one of these groups by completing the Membership Form here.

2024 session dates:

24 – 25 February: Military Families Affected by Suicide Support Group - face to face weekend event at SSAFA central office.

5 – 6 October: Bereaved Support Group - face to face weekend event at SSAFA central office.

To find out more about these events (or to make a general enquiry about any of the Support Groups) please send us a message using the webform below.

Alternatively become a member of one of the Support Groups using our Membership Form here.

SSAFA and Tragedy Assistance Programme for Survivors (TAPS) Partnership

TAPS is an American organisation which was founded in 1994 and works to provide comfort and hope through a national peer support network and connection of grief resources. They recognise the strength gained when grief is focused on giving meaning and purpose to their fallen hero’s life and service.

SSAFA has been working closely with the TAPS Sports & Entertainment Team; over the past couple of years we have been given the opportunity to join them on their NFL UK Experience event. Members of SSAFA’s Support Groups for Bereaved Families and TAPS families have visited London, enjoyed site seeing and watching an NFL game together. The aim of these events is to bring joy to surviving military families and to honour the lives of their fallen heroes.

More recently we have been working TAPS to create similar events with local teams in the UK. Most recently we enjoyed a weekend with Liverpool FC, giving families the opportunity to watch Liverpool FC Legends.

We hope to continue to build on these events and our partnership with TAPS, with the aim of ensuring our members of our Support Groups for Bereaved Families are given the opportunity to honour their loved one.

Please note that SSAFA's services are only available to people who have received at least one day's pay from the Armed Forces (British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Marines, including Reserves), or are in the immediate family of someone who served.