The Death Café movement aims to increase awareness of death and encourage open and honest conversations in a bid to break social taboos
St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has today announced that they will be hosting four Death Cafés at The Angel Coffee House on Free School Lane in Lincoln.
The first of the four events will be held on Sunday 5th February, from 3pm – 5pm, where members of the public can gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death.
Lisa Gibson, Community Development Manager at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“Last year we held our first ever Death Café and we were delighted to receive extremely positive feedback from those who attended. We have decided to make Death Cafe a permanent feature in our hospice calendar as stimulating conversations about death and dying is an important subject.
“Talking about death, dying and bereavement is a subject that many people can find challenging. In many ways, it has become a modern taboo with people desperately avoiding their own mortality.
“What we are hoping to do is help to change social attitudes towards death and dying and provide a safe haven where talking about death is encouraged.
“It is our view that having open and honest conversations will mean that we are all better equipped to support each other when death has an impact on our lives.”
A Death Café is a group directed discussion about death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session.
Lisa said:
“Last year 38 people gathered in small groups to have open discussions about a wide range of subjects including will writing, coping with bereavement and how to talk to family about dying.
“Death Café had a real buzz and it was wonderful to hear the many life affirming conversations taking place. Alongside the serious topics being discussed, there was also a lot of laughter and guests left the event feeling very uplifted.
“People fed back to us that they enjoyed having an environment where they were encouraged to discuss topics that they might otherwise avoid and where they were made to feel welcome.”
The Death Café movement was started by Jon Underwood in London in 2011 and since then thousands of Death Cafes have been held across Europe, North America, and Australasia.
Lisa concludes: “It is our view that having open and honest conversations will mean that we are all better equipped to support each other when death has an impact on our lives.
“Death Café really isn’t as morbid as it may sound and its premise is to provide an environment where the important topic of death can be broached without judgement.
“Death can bring up many questions, opinions and feelings and with this in mind our professional counsellors will be in attendance to provide additional support or help if anyone should need it.”
Death café is also planned for Sunday 14th May, Sunday 6th August and Sunday 19th November.
For more information about Death Café or to reserve your seat at the table contact 01522 559 504 or email [email protected] or sign up to the event at www.facebook.com/events/2206018666290637/