Is it fair, on this website...

Easy to ignore any section or thread that you find miserable- truly.
Best for sad threads to be kept separate from others, like 'relationships' - so you avoid them more easily, surely.

I think that a bereavement forum is very much needed- it is a place to meet people who have gone, or are going through the same thing.

If it is a separate forum you can avoid it if you wish and you might be very grateful for it one day.

In the past posters have managed to make sad announcements without such a forum.

Thank you kind words Leticia.

I'm not sure why I would "be grateful" for it tbh.

Most people don't take much notice of the 'forum title' on the Active thread - they're just listed according to last posting times. So no forum is really separate apart from by name.

Does it really matter if a particular post is made on a bereavement forum, or if it is on 'other matters' but about a bereavement? As long as the heading makes it clear of the subject.....which often a heading does not always do.

I do think a Bereavement Forum makes it clear on the subject topic. There is no need to go onto it.......

But the point I'm trying to make is that no one 'goes on to it'. The threads are all mixed in with other subjects on the Active thread so if a thread title sounds interesting you'd probably look at it.

You could, of course, 'go onto it' if you just looked at the Forum list.

Does anyone actually do that, unless they're looking for a specific answer or discussion which would possibly be on that forum...?

So the long and the short of this thread is that jings, and possibly one or two others, think that the Bereavement Forum is unnecessary.

I seem to recall others asking for one though so it sounds a bit like live and let live.

Hey ho.

Me, sympathetic? Not bloody likely! Ask soop if you don't believe me

Apparently Sartre had "the honesty of an erupting volcano"! I'm aiming for that ?

Ana on the Active Page it states above each thread title which Forum that thread is listed in.

Yes, I do know that, Coolgran. But how many people actually read that bit? Which was my point...

Never mind, as bags says, live and let live

I guess we're all different (which is good) , I always check which Forum a thread is in as some of the Forums wouldn't interest me.

But some people start threads under the wrong heading.

In France it's the Fête des Grandes-Mères tomorrow - so maybe that would make everyone happy on here.

And some people give their threats titles which bear no resemblance to the content

Threads!!

Threats is occasionally apt ?

Going to post and then CBA it is too contentious. I will remember my mother and hope my C remember me. Full stop.

I am glad that the bereavement forum exists - it means that those who need to share their grief and seek support can do so - and those who do not wish to read sad posts can avoid it. Just avoid it jings and respect those who find it helpful.

Yes it is fair, on this website to have a Bereavement Forum. Very fair.
The forum seems to have been started this year. 6 out of the 8 threads so far have been started by Imperfect27. But so what? Others have found it helpful too.

You have suffered tragedy in your own life jingl. The forum doesnt seem to help you so dont go near it.

Just to clarify, in January I asked Gransnet if there could be a bereavement forum and they immediately said yes and set it up. I have been on other bereavement forums and thought that this might be useful on a site where it is highly likely that people have suffered / are suffering bereavement.

I have started several threads to open up discussions, not out of self-centredness, but to get things established in the hope that this will help all concerned. I have belonged to other bereavement forums and they have been helpful to me so my hope has been that this will be seen as a useful space. Grieving a close family member, even years down the line, can be a very isolating experience and I think it can be very helpful to have a safe space - which should be beyond any criticism - for expressing thoughts and feelings. This often leads to others giving fantastic support.

I am aware of a difference to the Gransnet bereavement forum space because on other bereavement forums, generally EVERYONE looks in / joins because they are bereaved, where here there are clearly some people who are posting who do not, thankfully, share the same experiences. However, there has been much heartfelt sympathy and kindness expressed which I am sure is very much appreciated. But no-one is obliged to respond to anything they read.

I am sure it is never anyone's intention to bring someone else down by 'introducing misery'. That is exactly why I think it is better that there is a distinct forum for expressing and exploring grief journeys. Perhaps some people just press the 'last day' or 'last hour' button and read everything and anything and are then upset by what they read, but - and I don't mean this unkindly - that is their problem. Everything is signposted and whilst some thread titles may be misleading, the forum heading that accompanies every post is clear.






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I would hate to miss any sad announcement by any of the posters I have come to feel 'friends' with on here, and so not give a message of sympathy. So I will continue to check posts on that forum.

For now, happy Mothering Sunday.