The Dove Service

What The Dove Service does

The Dove Service is a registered UK charity (Charity #1086625, Company #3613893) founded in 1984 by Dr Linda Machin that delivers bereavement, loss, and life-changing illness counselling to adults, children aged four and above, and families across Staffordshire, Cheshire, and the Wirral. Its core service portfolio comprises one-to-one adult and children/young people counselling, weekly Bereavement Support Groups (e.g., at Bescura Family Hub, Port Vale FC), Dove Buddies social friendship groups across Trentham, Keele, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Crewe, and grief awareness training for professionals, parents and carers. Service delivery is conducted face-to-face at its head office at Parklands, 1 Lyme Drive, Trent Vale (Stoke-on-Trent), at outreach venues, and remotely by telephone or online, supported by creative therapeutic tools (art, sand trays, puppets, writing) for children. The service holds BACP accredited service status and operates under the BACP Ethical Framework.

The charity's revenue model is hybrid and characteristic of UK specialist counselling nonprofits: free-at-point-of-use provision is delivered through NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Talking Therapies commissioning and the five-year Grief Out Loud project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, while income is also generated via Employee Assistance Programme contracts with local authorities (Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council via ThinkWell), self-funded counselling sessions (£45 with a BACP-qualified counsellor; £25 with a supervised student placement counsellor), bulk sales of Children & Young People Pocket Booklets (tiered from £12.50 to £100 per bundle), and donations and fundraising (JustGiving, PayPal, EasyFundraising, Potto Lotto, Light Up a Life, and the #Helpusfly campaign targeting £50,000 in 2024-25). Distribution is via direct self-referral, NHS referral pathways, employer EAP agreements, school-based delivery, and community drop-ins. There is no proprietary technology platform; the service relies on standard counselling methodologies and a headcount of 101–250 staff.

Name

The Dove Service

Legal name

The Dove Service

Website

https://thedoveservice.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Dove Service is a UK-registered bereavement charity founded in 1984 that delivers counselling, social support groups, training, and Employee Assistance Programmes to bereaved adults, children (4+), and families across Staffordshire, Cheshire, and the Wirral.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bereavement Counselling Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Bereavement counselling
• Grief support services
• Employee assistance programmes
• Mental health counselling
• Community support groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Stoke-on-trent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Self-Funded Counselling Sessions: Individuals pay for private counselling sessions at £45 for qualified counsellor sessions or £25 for student placement counsellor sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes, available face-to-face, online, or by telephone.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The charity receives donations through multiple channels: JustGiving, PayPal, Facebook donations, Amazon Wishlist, EasyFundraising (retail purchases), Potto Lotto weekly lottery (50% of ticket sales), and direct donations. Special campaigns include Light Up a Life memorial donations and #Helpusfly fundraising events.
3. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Services: The Dove Service provides counselling and training services to employers under EAP arrangements. Services include one-to-one counselling, group support sessions, and training workshops for staff. Rates are described as highly competitive and can be bespoke to each organisation.
4. Publication Sales: Sale of Children and Young People Pocket Booklets in bulk quantities (X25 to X200) to schools, organisations, and parents for use in supporting children experiencing grief.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Dove Service is a grief and loss support charity that provides one-to-one bereavement counselling for adults and children (age 4+), Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) for employers, bereavement support groups, social friendship groups (Dove Buddies), grief awareness training for professionals, and self-care resources. It also operates the Grief Out Loud Project, a 5-year National Lottery-funded initiative covering Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Wirral.

Product overview

The Dove Service is a grief and loss support charity providing a coordinated portfolio of counselling and support services. Core offerings include adult and children/young people (age 4+) counselling, employee wellbeing programmes (EAP), bereavement support groups, and Dove Buddies social friendship groups. The service operates the Grief Out Loud Project (National Lottery-funded 5-year initiative) and offers grief awareness training for professionals. Revenue-generating products include 1-to-1 counselling sessions (£45 with qualified counsellor, £25 with student placements) and Children & Young People pocket booklets (£12.50-£100 depending on quantity). Partnership services include NHS Talking Therapies for free adult counselling. The organization was founded in 1984 and serves Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Wirral.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grief Out Loud: A National Lottery Community Fund 5-year project providing grief training and support to children and young people, carers, parents and professionals across Staffordshire, Cheshire and the Wirral.
• Dove Buddies

Products and services

• Adult Counselling One-to-one counselling and support for adults (16+) who have experienced bereavement, significant loss, life-changing/limiting illness, or anticipatory grief. Delivered by BACP-registered counsellors face-to-face, by phone, or online.
• Children & Young People Counselling Creative therapeutic counselling for children aged 4 and above and their families experiencing bereavement, loss, or life-changing illness, using art, drawing, painting, writing, doll's house, sand trays, and puppets.
• Employee Wellbeing (EAP) Employee Assistance Programme providing one-to-one counselling, group support sessions following traumatic incidents, awareness raising, and training for staff wellbeing. Sold to employers including local councils.
• Bereavement Support Groups Weekly therapeutic support group facilitated by trained counsellors, providing a safe space for adults to grieve, express feelings, and share experiences of bereavement.
• Dove Buddies Social Groups Social friendship groups for bereaved adults struggling with social connections, loneliness, or isolation. Groups meet monthly at Trentham Gardens, Keele Cemetery, Brampton Park Museum, and Park Life Cafe in Crewe.
• 1 to 1 Counselling Session Self-funded 50-minute face-to-face, online, or telephone counselling session with a qualified BACP-registered counsellor at £45.00 per session.
• Children & Young People Pocket Booklet 12-page A5 pocket booklet providing age-appropriate information about grief and loss for children and young people. Sold in packs of 25 (£12.50), 50 (£25), 100 (£50), 150 (£75), or 200 (£100) to schools, organisations, and parents.
• Grief Out Loud Project 5-year National Lottery-funded project delivering workshops, drop-ins, support groups, one-to-one counselling, and resource packs for grieving children, young people, carers, parents, and professionals across Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Wirral.
• Grief Awareness Training for Professionals Training programme for professionals covering understanding of grief and loss, contemporary grief theory, community support strategies, and available support resources. Delivered free via the Grief Out Loud Project.
• NHS Talking Therapies Counselling Free one-to-one bereavement counselling for adults (16+) registered with a GP in Staffordshire or Stoke-on-Trent, delivered in partnership with NHS Talking Therapies and available at outreach locations across Leek, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford, Cannock, Burton, and Tamworth.
• Self Care Resources Advice, information sheets, and worksheets on self-care practices for those experiencing bereavement, including guidance on eating, physical activity, sleep, and maintaining boundaries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Services available to children from age 4 upwards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership and accreditation body. Student placements require BACP membership, counselling follows BACP Ethical Framework, and service holds BACP accredited service status.
• NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Talking TherapiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing free one-to-one counselling to adults (16+) affected by bereavement and loss. The Dove Service delivers counselling while NHS handles referrals and eligibility.
• Crewe Town CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide one-to-one counselling sessions at St Mary's Caritas Centre, 65 Delamere Street, Crewe. Adults (18+) registered with a GP in the Crewe area qualify.
• Keele UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEstate & Campus Services team at Keele University completed the Three Peaks Challenge in September 2024, raising £3,036 for The Dove Service.
• ThinkWell (Staffordshire County Council EAP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThinkWell is the Employee Assistance Programme for Staffordshire County Council employees. The Dove Service is a provider within this programme, accessed through self-referral or manager referral.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hospice UK: National umbrella and advocacy body for UK hospices, many of which deliver bereavement services. Comparable where The Dove Service intersects with hospice-linked grief work, though Hospice UK itself is an umbrella rather than direct service provider.
• Mind: UK-wide mental health charity providing counselling, EAP-adjacent employer services, and local authority partnerships. Comparable to its EAP offerings and NHS-aligned referral pathways for adult mental health and bereavement-related distress.
• Sue Ryder: UK charity providing palliative care, hospice services, and bereavement support. Comparable to The Dove Service on the bereavement/grief support side, with overlapping NHS partnership and volunteer-driven delivery, but operating at much larger scope.
• Marie Curie: Large UK end-of-life and bereavement charity with a national hospice and bereavement support footprint. Comparable around anticipatory grief, family bereavement support, and professional training, though broader in scope (terminal care plus bereavement).

Others

• BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy): Professional membership and accreditation body whose framework The Dove Service follows. Listed as an ecosystem/standards peer rather than competitor — accreditation governs quality and signals trust across the UK counselling sector.

Direct peers

• Child Bereavement UK: UK charity providing specialised bereavement support for young people, families, and professionals — closely comparable to The Dove Service's C&YP counselling, school-based delivery, and parent/professional training streams.
• Cruse Bereavement Support: The UK's largest bereavement charity, providing bereavement counselling, support, and training nationally. Direct peer in bereavement/grief counselling with overlapping BACP-aligned standards and a similar mix of self-funded sessions, EAP-style employer services, and volunteer-led support.
• Grief Encounter: UK bereavement charity supporting children and families after the death of a parent or sibling. Directly comparable to The Dove Service's C&YP counselling, creative therapy, and family-facing support model.
• Winston's Wish: UK charity supporting bereaved children and young people, offering one-to-one counselling, group programmes, and resources. Overlaps directly with The Dove Service's creative therapy for ages 4+, school services, and pocket-booklet style resources.

Emerging players

• Together for Short Lives: UK charity supporting children with life-limiting conditions and their families, including bereavement support. Partial overlap with The Dove Service's life-limiting illness and anticipatory grief work for children and families.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thedoveservice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thedoveservice6968
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheDoveService
• Instagraminstagram.com/thedoveservice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-dove-service

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Dove Service