Whether you are at the heart of a loving family, or have to cope with a bereavement in isolation from your relatives and friends, you may need expert help to cope with grief.

Many charities and groups in Oxfordshire are there for you if you need counselling, emotional support and practical advice following a bereavement.

Cruse Bereavement Care is a free national service for anyone affected by a bereavement and provides support, advice, information and social contact.

The Oxford branch helpline is open Monday to Friday, from 10am until 1pm. Call 01865 245398, or visit www.oxfordcruse.co.uk

Your needs during the grieving process can vary, depending on the circumstance of how your loved one died and your relationship to them.

Specialist support groups can often put in touch with others who have been through a similar experience and so can understand your loss.

If you have lost a loved one to cancer, Maggie's Centre at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford has bereavement support groups and one-to-one support to help you find strategies for coping.

For more information, or help, call 01865 751882 or go online to www.maggiescentres.org

Road Peace is a national charity which provides bereavement support to those bereaved or injured following a road crash.

Some bereaved families try to do something positive by campaigning for road safety and this can help with the healing process. Call 0845 4500355 or visit www.roadpeace.org

For parents who have lost a son or daughter, it can be difficult to find others who can properly relate to the experience.

The Compassionate Friends can put you in touch with other people in your area who have been through the pain of losing a child. Call 0845 123 2304 or visit www.tcf.org.uk

Children who have lost a parent or sibling need specialist counselling and support. Oxfordshire charity SeeSaw helps them and their families, both before - if a death is expectec - and after a bereavement. Call 01865 744768 or visit www.seesaw.org.uk

Late Spring is a network of support groups run by Age UK Oxfordshire for people over 60.

It is not a counselling service, but offers people a chance to meet up regularly at local groups for a chat in a supportive environment. Call 07827 235404 or visit www.latespring.org.uk

Grief after a suicide can be a particularly complex process and the Samaritan's service is available with advice 24 hours a day. Call 08457 909090 or visit www.samaritans.org.uk

The National Association of Bereavement Services has a national directory of bereavement groups and can direct people to their nearest appropriate source of support. Call 020 7709 9090.