The new autumnal season is here, and especially in the lead-up to Christmas and New Year, this time is often an opportunity to get ahead by reviewing finances, decluttering, or reorganising our living space for the next season.

Farmers are harvesting, and communities will be celebrating with harvest festivals and suppers, taking the opportunity to collect natural food from the hedgerows. Even without much rain this summer, I’ve still had a decent crop of apples and pears from the trees in my garden. Many will be busy turning these fruits into chutneys, jellies, jams, pies and crumbles. I have to admit that a personal favourite of mine is homemade sloe gin, best enjoyed on a cold winter night in front of a roaring fire.

A time of year all about resetting can make bereavement all the more difficult. It can be incredibly challenging to adjust to the death of someone close to us, often because it is unexpected and can throw our lives into unwelcome chaos.

Even if a death was expected due to illness, there are still many challenging tasks to complete, such as completing paperwork and deciding what to do with clothes and possessions.

Our regular routines will also change. The things we did together are no longer a part of daily life, and we will be trying to cope with the loneliness, sadness and anger associated with loss.

It can take a long time to get used to the changes caused by bereavement. Some may even resist or fight change as a way of refusing to accept what has happened. But there is hope that over time we can learn to accept our current situation and adjust to the changes in our lives. This does not mean we have stopped loving and missing our loved one or that we like our new circumstances, but that we have begun to adapt to life as it is now.

Talking to others who are also grieving can be very supportive. Rosedale’s bereavement support groups are free and open to everyone. Please call 01379 640 810 to reserve your free place on one of our groups taking place throughout Norfolk and Suffolk.