A long-standing bereavement charity that supports people across Stafford and Stone has been recognised with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour given to voluntary groups in the United Kingdom.
Stafford and District Bereavement and Loss Support Service, known to many locally as SDBLSS, received the news on Friday 14 November 2025.
The announcement marks a significant moment for a service that has quietly supported adults through grief for more than four decades.
Four decades of local support
The charity has been running for 41 years from its base on Weston Road in Stafford.
Many in Stone will know the group through its counsellors who provide free, confidential support to adults coping with bereavement or any form of loss.
Volunteers also work inside HMP Stafford, offering support to prisoners who are struggling with grief, something the charity says is often hidden from public view but makes a profound difference to those involved.
In a statement shared with A Little Bit of Stone, the charity said it was “extremely proud” to have been recognised for its work and thanked the King’s Award adjudicators for selecting them.
Volunteers at the heart
The release highlighted the effort of the charity’s volunteer counsellors who give their time and skills freely.
Their work is backed by trustees who manage the organisation and admin staff who keep the day-to-day running in order, often fielding calls from people who reach out at difficult moments.
The service also works closely with universities, offering placements to students studying counselling and psychotherapy.
Those students, along with long-standing volunteers, receive ongoing training and supervision to ensure support is delivered safely.
A community link in Stone
In Stone, many residents will know SDBLSS through the Circle of Friends group.
The group meets every two weeks from 2 pm to 4 pm at Co-op Funeralcare on the High Street and offers a gentle space for anyone who has experienced loss or feels isolated.
It is informal, centred around conversation and a cup of tea, and has grown steadily over the last two years.
Co-op Funeralcare provides both the venue and refreshments, something the charity noted with appreciation in its announcement.
Backed by local groups
SDBLSS also thanked Staffordshire Independent Networking Group, based in Stone, which has supported the charity for two years.
Their help has included printed T-shirts for local races, leaflet printing, donations and auction prizes, all free of charge.
The King’s Award places SDBLSS alongside other respected voluntary groups across the country.
For a charity that has quietly worked with residents for so many years, the recognition underlines both the scale and importance of its contribution to the wider community.
More details are available on their website at staffordbereavementsupport.org.uk.
