|
|
||
About Cruse |
||
|
|
Cruse NationallyCruse was founded in 1959 by Margaret Torrie who was challenged by a radio broadcast which urged listeners to 'Do something for widows'. From the start she decided that an amateur approach was not good enough and enlisted the help of a range experts from areas such as pensions, housing and childcare. Cruse met an important need and local branches were set up, 4 in the first year alone, and these have become an important feature of the charity. The name Cruse was taken from the Old Testament story in which Elijah, visiting a widow, asks her to supply him with some oil from her cruse (vessel). Little remained in her cruse of the oil she had but, because she was willing to share this with the prophet, it never ran out. Cruse is not an organisation based on a particular religion, however; people of all faiths and of none are welcome as service users, volunteers and staff. As well as widows Cruse could not fail to become aware of the problems experienced by widowers, bereaved children, adults who had lost a friend or, indeed, anyone experiencing loss and grief. Cruse Bereavement Care exists today to provide information and support to anyone bereaved by death, the national web site is at www.cruse.org.uk A brief history of the West Suffolk BranchThe first meeting of what was to become the South Suffolk Branch was held on Friday 14th June 1985 at Jo Taylor’s house in Monks Eleigh. The meeting was addressed by Mr John Vivian, the Cruse Area Organiser, who explained that Cruse had originally been founded to help widows and orphans. This meeting formed a steering committee and the inaugural meeting of South Suffolk Cruse was held on 6th October 1986 at Sudbury Town Hall in the presence of Tim Yeo MP, the Mayor of Sudbury, the director of Cruse and about 100 others. The first Annual General Meeting in 1987 reported £2,466 in hand and recommended an annual subscription of £4. In 1996 the branch changed its name to West Suffolk Cruse and later moved to offices in The Risbygate Centre, Bury St Edmunds
|
|
Copyright Cruse Bereavement Care 2009. All Rights Reserved
|
||
