About Us 

The concept for Monarch House Grief and Loss Centre was initially formed in 2007 by a group of individuals who recognised the need for a specialist grief, loss and bereavement centre. Following their own personal experiences, the founding group, with their backgrounds in health, trauma, mental health, working with children, counselling, training and programme development, decided to meet the growing community demand for grief and loss services.

The Monarch butterfly symbol was chosen to represent the organisation. Monarch Butterflies not only metamorphosise from a caterpillar, they migrate every year like many bird species. As the Monarch travels on its journey, it encounters many different types of conditions – dark and stormy, sunny and warm, changing colours in the landscape and new growth. This very much reflects grief’s journey, just like the changes in the season’s. The Monarch butterflies who migrate do not succeed in returning to where they were born and like the Monarch Butterflies, we do not return to the person we once were before grief or loss touched our lives. It is through life’s transitions that people metamorphosise, they grow and they change and Monarch House is a place where people can feel safe, seek assistance and information and share with people experiencing a similar journey.