Why The Loss Project?

In 2019, founder Carly Attridge, an entrepreneur in residence at Goldsmiths University London, decided she was ready to bring The Loss Project to life.

A passionate advocate for all things community, and a curiosity about experiences of loss she wanted to set up a social enterprise that combined her personal experiences of loss, and professional knowledge and expertise of working in communities and the end of life care space, to build confidence, connections and awareness in issues of loss, grief and trauma in local communities.

At a young age, Carly experienced a significant trauma, which has had a lasting impact on her life. This has resulted in a multitude of losses, including of confidence, sense of self and at times manifested in wobbly mental health. This experience has fueled Carly to understand the importance of being able to connect with others about our painful experiences, and also how it has impacted how we experience and perceives other losses, including of her dear friend Ellie.

Several of her friends have also had significant losses and came to her, expressing that there "just wasn't something out there for them". They didn't necessarily need counselling, nor want to sit in a clinical setting or community centre. They just wanted an opportunity to talk, connect and create, to process and share what had gone on for them. Too many people have told us that those around them do not want to engage with them about their losses. We think it's time to change that.

She believes that a collective and collaborative approach will transform how we experience and process grief, loss and trauma, and help people to understand how they can support themselves and those around them.

She is a visionary, wanting to challenge the status quo of traditional services, whilst supporting people with the skills, confidence to transform their own experiences. We create welcoming, open spaces for people to connect, get creative and even have fun.

But why The Loss Project?

Finding a name for a new venture is really important. We feel The Loss Project is right for us because loss is a common thread in the issues we want to tackle. We have all experienced losses in some way, shape or form, but it's still an issue that is so often avoided.

We see The Loss Project as a platform to explore all kinds of losses, and are curious to understand how our experiences of losses interact with each other. We are just as much interested in the learning process, as we are in the impact it creates.

With a wonderful team on board, we're not interested in parachuting in, but building capacity, skills, connections and legacies. We can't wait to meet you.