National Grief Awareness Week (January 26th – February 1st 2026)
This year National Grief Awareness Week takes place from the 26th January to February 1st 2026.
Through National Grief Awareness Week, we hope to encourage a more open, supportive, and understanding approach to grief—helping both the bereaved and those around them navigate this challenging part of life with greater empathy.
Below is an overview of the campaign including the Irish Hospice Foundations free online events and other ways to get involved.
National Grief Awareness Week (January 26th – February 1st, 2026)
Show You Care.Be Grief Aware.
Grief is a natural response to the death of someone close. It is a deeply personal experience that varies widely from person to person. A person’s experience of grief is influenced by many things, such as the relationship with the deceased, the circumstances of their death, and a person’s support system, among many other factors.
Many people, although painful, will cope with loss with support from their family and friends. For lots of different reasons, some will need additional support to cope from people outside their social network. Understanding grief and learning how to navigate it can be helpful not only for those directly experiencing loss but also for those supporting them.
As Part of This Years Campaign, the Irish Hospice Foundation have:
Lunch & Learn: Grief in the Workplace
When: 12:30pm – 1:30pm, Tuesday 27thJanuary
This is a free online webinar for employees and employers. Many people will be working at the time they experience a bereavement or a significant life loss and require a compassionate and caring response. Having an understanding of grief will help employees understand their own grieving experience but also be more aware of how to support others when grieving.
Living with Grief
When: 7pm – 8:30pm, Thursday 29thJanuary
This event is for everyone: you may have experienced a bereavement this year or at an earlier time, or you may be supporting a child or adult in your life who is grieving. Everyone is welcome.
How You Can Participate in National Grief Awareness Week?
We want to spread awareness about this campaign and the information and events taking place within it, in the same way that you might plant seeds a garden. Use the acronym ‘The Sow’ to remember all the ways that you can participate in this year’s National Grief Awareness Week campaign.
- TELL people you know, including family, friends, colleagues, and your community about the campaign.
- HOST a stand displaying the campaign poster and bereavement information in your workplace or community hub (visit our website to order your pack)
- EMAIL your colleagues/networks with the details and a link to this webpage or print off some of the promotional assets and make them accessible to your colleagues.
- SHARE on your social media accounts using our promotional assets and using #NGAW2026 #BeGriefAware and tagging our social media accounts.
- ORGANISE a showing of the lunchtime webinar or evening webinar for your colleagues, service users or community.
- WATCH this three-minute informational video about grief and share the video link with your friends and family.
For more information about the campaign, visit: National Grief Awareness Week 2026
