Walsall Bereavement Support Service was founded in June 1996, initially providing a befriending service for Walsall’s bereaved elderly community. However, as demand increased for bereavement support, WBSS secured funding that allowed us to support all bereaved adults within Walsall.

In 2002 WBSS secured funding from Walsall Children’s Services to support bereaved 5–17-year-olds in school and at our Centre in Lower Hall Lane. This service became known as The Swing and with further funding from Children In Need The Swing became able to offer support families as well as individual children and young people

Then in 2019 WBSS moved to its current location in Darwall Street.

Two weeks after moving Covid-19 was announced as a pandemic and lockdown began. Throughout lockdown WBSS continued to offer support via telephone and video link, as we experienced a significant rise in individuals seeking bereavement and mental health support due to the terrible impact of Covid-19. In 2021 WBSS was able once more to begin offering in-person appointment, though we continued to offer telephone and video link support due to the fear of contact Covid-19 had created.

In 2022, new funding from Walsall Council was secured, allowing WBSS to develop outreach support in local communities across Walsall. WBSS is now focused on developing and expanding its community support projects across the Black Country.