Meet the Team: Sorcha

Sorcha O’Flynn – Bereavement Support Co-ordinator with R Locke & Son

Why / how did you become a Bereavement Support Co-ordinator?

I am not sure that anyone sets out in life to become a Bereavement Support Co-ordinator – it is a role you gradually evolve into. Through my years of caring both in the community and nursing homes and the wisdom gained through the ‘university of life’ having overcome personal bereavement and difficult personal situations I found myself with a good combination of skills to be able to support our Funeral Directors in an administrative capacity while having a natural empathic nature to represent first point of contact for R Locke & Son clients who suddenly find themselves in a position of needing our services.

Our Funeral Directors do a wonderful job of guiding our clients through the very difficult task of creating funerals at a very vulnerable time in their lives and I then am able to link up with our clients following the funeral to guide them through aftercare and support.

Previously, many people turned to their local GP to talk things through but due to changes in our health system people find it very difficult to get an appointment with their GP and many Funeral Directors are now becoming aware of the need to offer this aftercare support.

How did you train / learn to be a Bereavement Support Co-ordinator?

My journey to become a Bereavement Support Co-ordinator at R. Locke & Son is rooted in many years’ experience of working within the care sector including domiciliary care, care homes, private care and in hospices. As a certified social worker, I trained in active listening by The Samaritans and have experience working within the Mental Health sector.

More recently, I provided bereavement support for the Irish Hospice Foundation and UK financial companies, which led me to become a Solution Focused trained therapist through the charity ‘Change’ based in Birmingham.

What is the role of Bereavement Support Co-ordinator?

My role as Bereavement Support Co-ordinator with R Locke & Son consists of:

• Meeting and greeting people who visit our head office in Brailes.
• Answering all telephone enquiries and directing the queries to the appropriate people.
• Having empathy and understanding for our telephone callers who are often distressed or in a state of shock when they phone to start the process of arranging a funeral for their loved ones.
• I am involved in the local community Bereavement Café and we are also now developing grief support programs within the community in conjunction with renowned Canadian grief counsellor Dr Bill Webster.
• Through my Solution Focused Therapy we at R Locke & Son are able to offer 1:1 therapy sessions for people who feel they are struggling following bereavement.

Favourite place to visit.

The Wild Atlantic Way – West Coast of Ireland.

Favourite hobbies.

I love to be out in nature - walking near trees and water are my favourite walks.

Reading is another favourite hobby of mine. I am a real romanticist and love both classic and modern romantic novels. Currently I am reading ‘Jane Eyre’ – I have seen many television series of this wonderful Charlotte Bronte book but never actually read the novel itself.

Early bird or night owl?

Definitely an early bird – not so great after 11pm at night 😊