How a farmer’s daughter is changing how we talk about grief

When Christopher Munby — a third-generation farmer on the family farm in Huggate, nestled in the Yorkshire Wolds — died suddenly of a heart attack, his daughter, Jacqueline Gunn, was left heartbroken and searching for meaning.

Jacqueline Gunn © Workplace Bereavement

“When I was growing up, the farm was everything,” Jacqueline says. “My dad wasn’t farming at the time he died, but his life, his values, his strength — all of that came from the land.

“Watching him work with the animals, tend to the fields, and live with the rhythm of the seasons shaped who I am.”

So when he died, it wasn’t just the loss of a parent. It was the loss of her anchor.

© Workplace Bereavement

The grief was overwhelming. Jacqueline’s mental health began to spiral, and she realised something had to change — not just for herself, but for others feeling the same weight of grief.

That’s when she founded Talking About Loss — a grassroots charity that began around a kitchen table and has now become a voice for bereavement support, especially in rural and farming communities where grief is often met with silence.

Six years on, Talking About Loss has supported thousands through peer-to-peer connection, local events, community conversations and counselling everything we do in the charity is free, it’s helped people who felt isolated in their grief to realise they weren’t alone.

© Workplace Bereavement

“We gave people permission to speak. To say, ‘I’m struggling,’ without shame,” Jacqueline says. “And in rural areas, that’s a lifeline.”

But one common thread kept coming up: the lack of support in the workplace.

“People told me they were expected to return to work after just a few days — no space to grieve, no one to talk to, just pressure to carry on. That’s why I started Workplace Bereavement Advocacy Ltd.”

Through CPD-accredited training and wraparound support, Jacqueline’s company trains Bereavement Advocates within workplaces, schools and  organisations — people equipped to support colleagues when grief hits.

Every business also gains access to a members-only portal with downloadable resources, policies, templates, toolkits, and a helpline — because grief doesn’t stick to office hours or clock-out times.

“We’re building a culture that’s grief-informed, not grief-avoidant,” she says. “It’s about humanity, not just policy.”

And now, the mission is going global.

“We’ve officially registered our business in South Africa, because the demand is huge. We are franchising the business. Grief isn’t just a UK issue — it’s a global one.

“People everywhere need support, understanding, and someone who will listen.”

From childhood on a farm in Huggate to leading a movement for compassionate workplaces, Jacqueline’s purpose is rooted in Grief  — and in love.

“I can’t change that my dad died. But I can honour him by building something that helps others — something he’d be proud of.”

“Grief is everywhere. Let’s stop hiding it — and start supporting it.”

To find out more, visit our website.