Lili Myers, widow of the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers, is using her own experience of loss to advocate for more open conversations about grief in the workplace. She shared her story at a charity event on the Newcastle Quayside on Wednesday, speaking about how proud she is to see Dave's legacy continue to move people across the country.
Dave Myers, who appeared on TV for two decades alongside Si King as the Hairy Bikers, died in 2024. His widow told ChronicleLive that dealing with her own loss led her to talk to others about the issue, and she now works in the field, speaking regularly about loss, grief and bereavement.
Event Highlights Importance of Grief Support
Lili attended the "Grief, Loss & The Workplace" event held by Rise Workplace Wellbeing, part of the Rise North East charity, at the Malmaison hotel. Attendees came from across the region, including HR representatives from professional services, education, and the NHS.
Speaking during the day, Lili said talking about Dave is "her favourite subject." She said: "Today has been very inspiring. This event is trying to highlight the importance of acknowledging grief in the workplace. We started, of course, by talking about Dave - he remains my favourite subject."
She added: "I went on to talk about the way I coped with grief, first with Dave's diagnosis and then with losing him, and we heard from everyone here about how they cope with grief. It's not something I ever planned [to work in this field] but it is something I landed in thanks to my own experiences."
Dave's Legacy Continues
Reflecting on the impact Dave had on people, Lili noted the annual Dave Day ride-outs, where bikers travel hundreds of miles to his hometown of Barrow-in-Furness. In its first two years, more than £250,000 was raised for charity.
Lili said: "At the time, I was continually amazed by the impact Dave had on people. Even today, a beautiful woman gave me this sign - 'What a difference a Dave makes!' - and it's amazing. This wouldn't be happening here today if it wasn't for Dave."
She is backing the need for more support for people in the workplace when it comes to grief. Lili added: "Grief doesn't disappear when you walk through the doors of your workplace. It comes with you. It can affect every part of your life, including your ability to concentrate, make decisions and get through the day."
Call for More Than Legislation
Lili stressed the need for honest conversations about navigating grief at work and how employers can offer meaningful support. She said: "Legislation is an important step, but we also need to look at the people who fall outside those protections, including the self-employed."
The Government's new employment act includes a new right to bereavement leave, which the Government said would apply to up to 2.7 million people when the bill received Royal Assent last year.
Helen Selfridge, director of commercial, marketing and communications at Rise, also spoke to ChronicleLive. She said: "This event has been absolutely fantastic and very moving. We have had people from across the North East, in different businesses. There have been HR representatives including from the professional services, through to education and the NHS - all to talk about grief and loss in the workplace."
Selfridge added: "It's an area that is really underserved - it's a topic which is unseen and not talked about - we are all very British about it - and it's our role at Rise Workplace and Wellbeing to really highlight the provision which we need to have."
She noted that more than seven million people will, in a 12-month period, be going through loss in their workplace. "The bereavement legislation coming in is really important - though it's only a start. It's not fantastic and I think the Government can do more. Not everyone can take two weeks unpaid leave," she said.
