Northern Trust seeks compassionate volunteers to support bereaved families
- Love Ballymena
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Paula Byrne, Bereavement Support Call Coordinator, and Leona Laverty, Bereavement Co-Ordinator.
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is looking for volunteers to provide a listening ear and compassionate support to families following the death of a loved one.
Volunteers joining the Trust’s bereavement support call service will make sensitive telephone calls to the next of kin of patients who have died in its acute and community hospitals.
The calls give families an opportunity to receive condolences, talk to someone who will listen and be directed towards bereavement support services where appropriate.
Applications are now being invited, with a deadline of 12 noon on Friday 4 September.
‘A simple call offering empathy and support’
Leona Laverty, the Northern Trust’s Bereavement Coordinator, said the personal nature of grief means even a relatively simple gesture can make a meaningful difference.
“The nature of death and bereavement can be complex and deeply personal. Many families benefit greatly from a simple call offering empathy and support.
“If you are a kind, compassionate person with good listening skills, your presence on the other end of the phone could make a real difference to someone at one of the most difficult times in their life.
“This role is both rewarding and impactful. You’ll not only provide vital comfort, but also become part of a close volunteer network.”
Volunteers will receive training to prepare them for conversations with bereaved families, while ongoing support will be provided by the bereavement support call service coordinator and the wider volunteer team.
Ms Laverty added:
“Whether you’re hoping to give back to your community, gain insight into a caring role, or simply wish to help others when they need it most, we invite you to join this valued service.”
What volunteers will need
Because the service involves telephone calls and online systems, applicants must have access to a laptop or PC and a mobile phone. They must also be confident using IT systems.
Those interested in volunteering can request an application pack by emailing:
The closing date for completed applications is 12 noon on Friday 4 September 2026.
Suitability conversations will then take place by telephone on Tuesday 8 September, with successful applicants required to attend online training on Tuesday 15 September from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.
For those selected, the role will offer an opportunity to provide direct human support at a particularly difficult moment — sometimes simply by being the person willing to listen.
