Waterford initiative ‘a worthy winner’ of national award for excellence

Waterford City and County Council have been recognised at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards. 

It won in the Health and Well-being category for ‘Good Grief,’ which is a community-focused, cross-sectoral approach to bereavement support.

The project was a collaboration between Waterford City and County Council and Wexford County Council and was funded by Creative Ireland.

It highlights the importance of creative expression as a tool for wellbeing and recovery in the later stages of grief.

Its primary focus was to explore the role of creativity in supporting self-soothing for adults over 18 years old in their second-year post-bereavement.

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By partnering with academic institutions and health organisations, Good Grief sought to understand how artistic engagement can aid emotional healing and resilience during the complex grieving process.

The initiative has brought meaningful benefits to both individuals and the wider community.

For participants, the project offered connection, creativity, and purpose at a time when many feel isolated or emotionally adrift.

Through the creative retreats, they were able to find comfort in shared experience and community, discover creative practices that became personal, soothing rituals and develop confidence in using creativity as a tool for emotional regulation and reflection. 

“I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of Waterford City and County Council’s Creative Waterford and Community teams. Good Grief is a worthy winner of the Health and Wellbeing Category as the programme not only sparked a conversation around grief, reducing stigma and embracing compassion, it also focused on the widely overlooked second year of grief,” Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Seamus Ryan said while receiv8mg the award.