About us Menu Home About us Small things, Big Difference Current: Evelyn Rutter, Funeral Bereavement Support Evelyn Rutter, Funeral Bereavement Support Helping to put the smiles back. We cope with the loss of a loved one in our own, very personal manner. There is no one way to grieve and no set time for that grieving process. “Everyone’s grief is different,” says bereavement support councillor Evelyn Rutter. ”So we offer somewhere for people to acknowledge their emotions and be with others who understand something of what they are going through.” Evelyn helped start the East of England Co-op bereavement groups some 18 years ago. These now run on a weekly basis in 10 locations through Essex and Suffolk. While Evelyn or her colleague Rebecca attends each meeting, there is no formal programme. “People can just turn up, stay for as long as they like, talk to others or simply listen. These sessions are open to everyone, not just Coop Funeral Services clients, and they can come as often as they would like. “There is sadness and often unexplainable anger. Bereavement can also make you feel unsafe. We therefore provide a safe place to express what are extremely personal feelings. A chance, perhaps, to let it all out.” Evelyn also offers one-to-one counselling but the objectives are the same; to help someone cope with a loss in a very individual way and give them reason to laugh again. “We see people come in for the first time and their sadness and often loneliness can be so obvious. After a while, just sitting and having a friendly chat with someone who understands, we see a change. They may still be crying inside but with this bit of help we see the smiles beginning to come back on their face. “It may seem a small thing but we know it does make a very big difference.” Small things that make a big difference We know it's not just one thing that we do, as your local Co-op that makes us different. We have just a few stories from our members, customers and suppliers that show how little things are making a big impact. Read more stories About us Annual Report and Accounts Co-op Loan Fund Board and Leadership Team International Women's Day 2021 Responsible business Small things, Big Difference Ann Osborn, Rural Coffee Caravan Blue Cross Rehoming Centre Colleagues supporting our community Co-op Guide to Dating Co-op Juniors Theatre Company Emma Tacon, The Tacons Farm Evelyn Rutter, Funeral Bereavement Support Gary Chase, Building Services Jack Brock Julie Preston, Member Lisa Lightly, Tiptree Travel Lorraine, one of our Sourced Locally demonstrators Michael Coe, Great Tilkey Honey Michael Davies, Funeral Repatriation Norwich Foodbank Rebecca Miles, Lane Farm Sam Fairs, Hillfarm Oils Santa's Suitcase Scott, our Anti-Social Behaviour Officer Simon Alders, Recovery Hub Ipswich Steven Fendley, Waste Management Susan Coulson, Chorus Iceni East of England Co-op Retirement Benefits Scheme Contact us East of England Co-op Wherstead Park, The Street, Wherstead, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP9 2BJ Main Switchboard: 01473 786000 For general enquiries: enquiries@eastofengland.coop For membership and dividend enquiries: membersupport@eastofengland.coop 0800 389 5354 For customer support : customersupport@eastofengland.coop 01473 786000 For community funding enquiries: Applications need to be made online here Follow us Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube LinkedIn A member of Accessibility Contact us Copyright notice Legal notice Privacy Policy Site Map Terms & conditions 360 Degree IconAbout Iconicon/icon_americanexpressATM Machine.ahst0{fill:#4a4a4a}icon/icon_breadcrumbarrowicon/icon_busicon/icon_buttonarrowicon/icon_buttonarrowupicon/icon_callusnow icon/icon_callusnowred icon/icon_chapelofresticon/icon_closednow icon/icon_closednow icon/icon_collectplusicon/icon_contactUsicon/icon_crossicon/icon_currentlyopenShow Currently open storesicon/icon_customerserviceicon/icon_discovericon/icon_download.bast0{fill:#4a4a4a}icon/icon_ecofuneralicon/icon_editicon/icon_facebookicon/icon_fairfuneralicon/icon_familyfriendlyicon/icon_faqminusicon/icon_faqplusicon/icon_findbranchicon/icon_homeicon/icon_homedeliveryicon/icon_homepageconfig_1icon/icon_homepageconfig_1_1icon/icon_homepageconfig_1_2icon/icon_homepageconfig_2_1icon/icon_homepageconfig_2_2icon/icon_instagramicon/icon_joinusicon/icon_joinusicon/icon_locationicon/icon_lotteryicon/icon_magicon/icon_mastercardicon/icon_menuicon/icon_menuicon/icon_multifaithicon/icon_opennow icon/icon_paginationfirsticon/icon_paginationlasticon/icon_paginationnexticon/icon_paginationprevicon/icon_parkingicon/icon_parkingnearbyicon/icon_paypointicon/icon_pinShapeicon/icon_postofficeicon/icon_prepayment.cpst0{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd}icon/icon_busicon/icon_subwayicon/icon_tabletmenuicon/icon_tickicon/icon_travelmoneyicon/icon_twittericon/icon_visaicon/icons_coopicon/icons_google+icon/icons_linkedinicon/icons_youtubelogo/logo_foodlogo/logo_funeraltext