You are Loved: Bereavement Support for LGBTQ+ Members

When you lose a loved one suddenly and unexpectedly, the grieving period can be particularly tough. For gay, bi, queer, and trans people, mainstream bereavement services can sometimes fall short in understanding the nuances and unique circumstances of the LGBTQ+ community. 

You Are Loved’s founder, Marc Svensson, set up the non-profit organisation in October 2024 to create a safe space for grieving members of the LGBTQ+ community to come together and support one another. The need for this support comes as a response to the high rates of suicide seen in this community. Their aim is to create a judgement-free and LGBTQ+ led space that supports fellow community members through the grief of losing a loved one to suicide or to drugs. 

Being involved with a like-minded community, who understand the nuance and complexity of a loss is a really powerful way to make a difference. Activities that You Are Loved focus on include setting up community-based support, as well as helping people within the community find the support that is right for them. Their support services are focused on tackling the underlying factors contributing to sudden premature deaths in the LGBTQ+ community, including loneliness, stigma, shame and discrimination.

They are the first organisation to offer national LGBTQ+ focused bereavement peer support groups. The first bereavement groups were held in South London in April 2025, and these free-to-access groups will continue to meet weekly both in-person and online. Attendees will be a mix of people who are recently bereaved as well as people who have been on their grief journey for some time.

The groups are facilitated by You Are Loved bereavement and queer-specialised psychotherapists, as well as volunteers, people who have their own lived experience of loss and who can offer compassion and understanding to whatever it is you are bringing to the group. A quote from one of the groups psychotherapists, Shane says:

“I believe these groups are invaluable, providing a warm, safe space for sharing experiences in a judgement free environment, where we can support each other through the grief of losing a loved one, to suicide or drugs.”

You can find out more information about You Are Loved, their support groups, and events by visiting their website.