It is a chilling statistic that one in three families in England will attend a Coroners’ Court as a witness or have a friend or colleague connected with some tragedy, and hardly a week passes by without newspapers reporting of Coroners and their invaluable work as they seek to discover facts behind untimely and distressing deaths.

When someone dies other than by natural causes it is family members and witnesses that are required to help the Coroner determine the time, place and nature of his/her death.

By law no death certificate can be issued until these facts are recorded but helping piece together the exact circumstances of a death can be a traumatic experience, particularly for witnesses and families still coping with bereavement. Following years of hard work from HM Coroner for Oxfordshire, Nicholas Gardiner, who has interviewed a wide variety of witnesses, support has arrived in Oxford in the form of award-winning Coroners’ Courts Support Service (CCSS), a registered charity dedicated to supporting bereaved families and witnesses when they attend inquests. Described as “something incredibly good and important that goes to the heart of civic society”, the CCSS’s crucial support work is often invisible. However supporting more than 23,000 families and witnesses the charity received a Queen’s Award and in 2009 MP Bridget Prenctice, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice stated: “The Ministry of Justice, Coroners and Local Authorities all recognise the unique and substantial benefits the CCSS brings.” With the launch of the CCSS service in Oxford more recruits are needed to operate the service at full strength.

Training is provided and potential volunteers will observe inquests to see if they feel comfortable working in the environment of a Coroner’s Court.

They will also receive three days’ formal training and be asked to shadow experienced volunteers from London several times before being put forward for training.

It takes a special person to become a volunteer with the CCSS, who is able to listen and communicate with a wide range of people, be caring and supportive, able to work alone and as part of a team, with a commitment to attending the Coroner’s Court at least one day a fortnight.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer please contact Beverley Radcliffe, the CCSS Director, The Coroners’ Courts Support Service, Westminster Coroner’s Court, 65 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2ED. Telephone 07955 245 955 or e-mail info@ccsupport.org.uk