The Grief Gang

Welcome to the gang…the one you never asked to be part of! You are listening to the grief gang podcast, the show dedicated to breaking down the taboo’s of grief, one conversation at a time, with me your host, Amber Jeffrey!

Have I got a corker for you this week grief gang. It’s short but very very sweet. And when I say sweet, I mean sweet comedic gold. 

Back in may, I put a call out on the grief gang instagram page, another reason you should be following us over there so you don't miss out on these call outs. Anyway, back in may, I asked you what is the darkest joke or response you've ever made in relation to grief/death and my god did you DELIVER.

I cannot tell you the sheer amount of belly laughs we were all having on ig stories when I was sharing them all. The community were just as shocked as I was at some of them. 

Some of the entries don't hold back at ALL, it's bloody brilliant. I received well over 100 responses and had to whittle this episode down to a few favourites. Some great story ones and some even more delicious one liners that pack a punch. 

I hope this episode brings you a little lift to your week. It’s short and you can pack it into your lunch break or on a drive to the shops. Short and snappy! We all cope with grief and death differently, and humour is a mechanism I think many of us can relate and confide to.

So buckle in, prepare yourself and have a good old laugh…ps…sorry for my literal squeals and snorting throughout…

Big love,

Amber x

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Welcome to episode 1, season 4 of The Grief Gang podcast.

Harry Corin, our guest today, lost his dad Will to Suicide at the age of 12. In today’s episode, you’ll hear harry take us back to that day and what those immediate days after his dads death were like. How harry and his family were treated in their town, how their local media treated his dads death and how it was depicted, most importantly, how detrimental that was to them all and their grieving process. 

Language around bereavement by suicide is so important. We can all learn and do better. Whether we’ve been immediately effected by suicide or not. Harry and I discuss today certain phrases or terminology that is used both culturally and professionally that needs to be reassessed. We answer and discuss some of the questions and feedback that you, TGG audience so kindly shared. Things that grind your gears and things that comfort you. Harry gives such an open and honest account about how and why this conversation and learning needs to be had. So much so, I’ve verbally signed myself up for one of his courses!

I really, really enjoyed this interview with Harry and walked away learning so much more than I already did. And I hope you do too!  It’s important to note here, as Harry and I do, that even if there are things that we’ve said in this episode that we think aren't appropriate to say, and you yourself have said them, it’s okay. You’re not a bad person. You, we, can all learn from each other and these conversations!

Find Harry and get involved with global mental health training and consultancy business by visiting his website: https://www.corinandco.com/

Or pop over and say hi to him on IG! Tell him I sent you...https://www.instagram.com/harry.corin/?hl=en

If you or someone you love is being affected by bereavement by suicide, I thoroughly implore you check out Suicide&Co: https://www.suicideandco.org/

Big love,

Amber x

Follow and be part of The Grief Gang community:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegriefgang?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGriefGang

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCpe5pGmjvqPFteN4L7T_ZA

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegriefgang

Website: https://www.thegriefgang.com/

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to season 4 of The Grief Gang podcast!

We're fast approaching 3 years since this show was born and what a ride it's been. I look forward to spending the next couple of months together throughout this season, sharing and talking all things...grief!

Big love,

Amber x

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

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It’s the final episode of this season 3. And it’s with my big brother, Kyle.

The only other person in this world who truly knows what it is like to live without our mum. 

I’ve wanted to record an episode with him from the very beginning if I’m honest, but the time was never right. We just weren’t ready to sit down with each other and really look at each other and see the devastation in one another’s face. The reality that we’re even having this conversation about her. 

Mum was something to a lot of people. She embodied the word community. A walking, talking safe place for many. But she was our mum

It was tough but relieving to sit down & talk to my brother. To hear how that day played out for him in his eyes & being honest about the way we dealt with the aftermath. How we fell apart to come back together again and what it’s like being the oldest sibling when a parent dies. 

We answered some of your questions too, with some humorous, surprising answers from him

I learnt so much about him and likewise him about me. I didn’t know the hardest part for him was leaving the hospital. And he didn’t know the hardest part for me was seeing her body. 

If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this episode, it’s to ask the questions.

Have the conversation. You may not get the answers you need or want, but have the bloody conversation. Don’t leave it till it’s too late. 

It’s not as bad as you think.

Thank you for listening and being here for this season. It's been my most consistent season yet and I'm proud! I'll be back in September with the WEEKLY season 4.

Big love,

Amber xxx

Find the community on...

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Twitter- @thegriefgang

Facebook- The Grief Gang

If you like what you hear, please leave a rating and review, it really means a lot.

Thank you!

Intro and outro music produced by Goodgoodgood Media.

Editing by Ross Ramsey-Golding

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Father's day.

A tough day for those missing their dad or fatherly figure in their life who is no longer with us.

This episode is dedicated to you & to them. A moment to stop and reflect on who they were and the love you shared for one another. To think about those golden memories, their smile or even their annoying habits!

However you mark or actually don't mark the day, I hope it's gentle to you. Remember, even your worst days only have 24 hours.

Thank you to everyone who wrote in a submission for this episode and shared your person with me. I say it time and time again, but it really is the greatest honour that you trust me with these precious memories of your person. I'm forever indebted to you all.

For the dad's...we miss you x

Big love always,

Amber xxx

Join the conversation & community on...

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Twitter- @thegriefgang

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Intro and outro music produced by Goodgoodgood Media.

Editing by Ross Ramsey-Golding

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to another episode of The Grief Gang podcast.

This week I'm speaking with Natalie Morris, Mancunian journalist and author of Mixed/Other, a non-fiction exploration of the joys, complexities and nuances that come with having mixed heritage.

Natalie's father, Tony Morris, the well known & loved newsreader of Granada reports and BBC North West died in August of 2020 after being diagnosed with Kidney cancer in 2019. Leaving not only a bereft Natalie & her sister Rebecca behind, but in fact, a nation.

Natalie and I speak in this episode on what it is like to lose such an adorned person in the public eye, how the outpour of a nation feeling this collective grief brought great comfort to her. Having hundreds & thousands of people come forward, sharing stories of her special dad. In Natalie's own words, it's set the bar high for future bereavements in her life!

In touch with Natalie's book, we speak on losing connections to identity & heritage when that key person who connected them dies. With Tony being Natalie & her sisters main link to their Jamaican lineage, what & how does that look like now he's gone? Natalie shares beautifully a recent trip she took back earlier this year to Jamaica and that feeling of being home.

I really loved this conversation with Natalie and I think you will too. Grief can be attached to so much more than just a person and I think this episode really tells that.

You can find Natalie over on Instagram on @nmozz and can purchase her book by following the link here > https://www.waterstones.com/book/mixed-other/natalie-morris/9781409197140

Big love always,

Amber xxx

Join the conversation & community on...

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Twitter- @thegriefgang

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Intro and outro music produced by Goodgoodgood Media.

Editing by Ross Ramsey-Golding.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode...I'm diving into the death dilemmas, sent in by you!

If you don't know what the death dilemmas are, it's a mini (ish) episode where you, the listeners, send in your dilemmas, queries, gripes and I try my best to be help you with them. FULL disclaimer, I'm not a professional or qualified, just a fellow griever lending a listening & friendly ear. A problem shared, is a problem halved.

In this episode we had dilemmas coming in asking for help on:

-Dating whilst grieving

-Living with guilt

-Death anxiety around extraordinary deaths

-How to handle brain fog

-What to do when a parental figure finds new love & feelings around that

It's jam packed as you can tell! A really varied & thought provoking episode (in my opinion). Thank you to all who wrote in & shared your dilemmas & trusting me with them. I am always open to submissions, you can write in your dilemma by emailing me at [email protected]

Big love,

Amber xxx

Find the community on...

Instagram - @thegriefgangpodcast

Twitter- @thegriefgang

Facebook- The Grief Gang

If you like what you hear, please leave a rating and review, it really means a lot.

Thank you!

Intro and outro music produced by Goodgoodgood Media.

Editing by Ross Ramsey-Golding.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, I'm talking with founder of Az Magazine UK & The New Normal Therapy fund, Kei Bennett.

Az Magazine is an online publication and event organisation amplifying the voices of QTBIPOC (queer, trans Black and people of colour) and The New Normal Therapy fund is Kei's most recent endeavour that's sole purpose is to raise funds for much needed therapy for those who have lost a mother/mother figure in the black community. This is how I found out about Kei & became obsessed ever since I saw her on my twitter timeline, so it was truly great to sit down and chat with her all about the therapy fund and why it's so needed within our culture.

In this episode Kei and I speak about her relationship with grief & the difficulties around losing a loved one to suicide. What it's been like grieving during a pandemic when you've been constantly go, go, go since your person died and how starting a therapy fund to help others has in turn helped her. This episode is truly inspiring and Kei's laugh is infectious! We really belly laughed throughout as Kei told me beautiful stories of her + mum.

Kei's work & fundraising is nowhere near over, with her last fundraising total meant over 10 individuals received 12 weeks of wanted & needed therapy. Phenomenal! I will let you know, I've promised Kei I'll get in a tub of beans if it means for money for fundraising, so head over to the link below & please, donate if you can!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-new-normal-fund

You can follow Kei on instagram by searching @itskei_b and staying posted on all things The New Normal Therapy Fund & Az Mag! I'm absolutely sure, this is not the last time you will hear Kei on this show, have we got PLANS for you!

Big love always,

Amber xxx

Join the conversation & community on...

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Twitter- @thegriefgang

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Intro and outro music produced by Goodgoodgood Media.

Editing by Ross Ramsey-Golding.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this weeks episode I'm speaking with author, Georgina Lucas. We're talking all things Grey, her son.

Grey, Georgina and Mike's son, was born and lived for 21 days. Arriving on world prematurity day and dying in the arms of a mother who adored every fibre of him.

Georgina went on to write "If Not For You". The powerful and extremely emotive memoir of those 21 days. I had the absolute honour to read the book before it was published. With every word and detail in both the book and this episode, Georgina paints a picture so vivid you truly feel you are there with them in the NICU.

We speak on parenting, pregnancy & motherhood after loss, what it was like writing the book for Georgina and what losing their son, Grey, has taught her about life and perspective.

I implore you to read If Not For You. A book that will stay with you for a long time. Not just for how it makes you feel, but the perspective you walk away with too.

G, thank you for sharing your story and your little Grey with The Grief Gang. I wish the circumstances in how our paths crossed were different, but my gosh am I thankful they did.

Purchase the book here - https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/georgina-lucas/if-not-for-you/9781408714546/

Big love always,

Amber xxx

Join the conversation & community on...

Instagram - @thegriefgangpodcast

Twitter- @thegriefgang

Facebook- The Grief Gang

Intro and outro music produced by Goodgoodgood Media.

Editing by Ross Ramsey-Golding.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-grief-gang.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to this week's episode of The Grief Gang podcast.

This week I'm speaking with my dear friend, June Bellebono.

June's brother James died over 7 years ago to cancer and towards the end of 2020, her father too to a heart condition.

In this episode, June and I discuss the influence losing a loved one can have in empowering us to live in our complete truth. For June, losing her brother and his larger than life personality, played an important part in June's transitioning.

We speak on complicated relationships. June tells us of her complex relationship with her father & the comparisons between the grief she holds for both her brother and father. Lastly, we moved away from personal, individual losses and touch on grief as a collective and what that looks like in the LGBTQ+ community. A community that grief and death is embedded in it's history. How can one community endure so much grief and support each other? June gives us a beautiful and moving response.

We had so much fun recording this episode, as you will be able to tell by all the laughs! It's amazing isn't it, how conversations so heavy can contain so much laughter too.

This is a really special episode and one I am proud to share with you all. June is a multifaceted babe who wears many hats within the work she does! You can find her over at @junebellebabe on Instagram. You can support and check out her magazine platform, Oestrogeneration, by searching on instagram too!

Big love always,

Amber xxx

Join the conversation & community on...

Instagram - @thegriefgangpodcast

Twitter- @thegriefgang

Facebook- The Grief Gang

Intro and outro music produced by Goodgoodgood Media.

Editing by Ross Ramsey-Golding

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thegriefgang.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.