A POLICE officer who struggled following the death of her father to suicide has set up a support group for other people affected by the issue.

Sergeant Natalie Gilchrist launched a Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) group for people in County Durham, Darlington, and Teesside.

Sergeant Gilchrist, who has worked for Durham Police for 16 years, lost her dad to suicide almost seven years ago. 

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She said: “This was something that was very unexpected and impacted upon me greatly.

“I was understandably devastated by what happened, particularly as we were very close.

“I found it hard to process it and also difficult to speak to some members of my own family because I didn’t want them to worry about me.”

To help her come to terms with what had happened, she found a SOBS support group, which was run by a group of volunteers who had also suffered bereavement by suicide.

“The group really helped me to understand how long and difficult the healing process is. It also really helped talking to people who had been through similar experiences and provided support,” she said.

“Unfortunately, the nearest group to me was in Whitley Bay which for me was quite a distance away from my home in Darlington.”

To help others who are going through similar experiences, she has launched a local SOBS group for people in Durham, Darlington, and Teesside, together with two other volunteers.

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She said: “When my dad died, I struggled to find a group like this nearby, where I could talk with people going through the same grief.

“When I eventually felt the time was right for me, I decided I wanted to give something back to others going through the same thing.”

The group meets on the last Thursday of the month in Norton.

Anyone who would like to attend, or get further details, can email teesside@uksobs.org or phone 07399593910.

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