From the 6th – 12th May we celebrate Dying Matters Awareness Week, where Hospice UK has decided upon the theme ‘the way we talk about Dying Matters.’
Volunteers working on the ‘Elephant In The Room’
To support this theme, Blythe House Hospicecare and Helen’s Trust are speaking up about the importance of opening up those difficult conversations about death, dying, and bereavement.
To celebrate Dying Matters Awareness Week Blythe House Hospicecare and Helen’s Trust have some exciting things going on around the Hospice. A team of wonderful volunteers have created an elephant out of chicken wire which will be placed at the hospice to encourage people to talk about the ‘Elephant in the Room.’
The elephant will over time be covered with luggage labels with words, messages or feelings which people within our local community have written around their experience of death, dying, or bereavement. This may be a message to someone they love who had died, how they are feeling themselves if they or someone they know is affected by a life-limiting illness, or more. The aim is to help open up those conversations that many people avoid.
Sarah, Community Engagement Officer at the hospice explains ‘It is extremely important that we try and break the silence when talking about death, dying, or bereavement. This is inevitable for us all, and having those conversations now helps our friends and loved ones around us know our wishes and needs for when we die.
It is important that we think and plan for the future as much as possible, whether it be writing your Will, planning your funeral, or simply telling those around you what you would like.’
Footsteps with Grief Walk
Emma Richards, Community Engagement Nurse, Liz , member of High Peak CVS, Louise Furmston, Community Engagement Lead Nurse.
Blythe House Hospicecare and Helen’s Trust alongside High Peak CVS are hosting a Footsteps with Grief walk that is set to take place in Pavilion Garden, Buxton on Thursday 9th May from 10:30am – 11:30am.
The focus of this walk is to allow individuals affected by bereavement to go for an easy level walk and have the opportunity to talk to highly skilled bereavement support teams.
To book a place, please call: 01298 815 388 or email booking@blythehouse.co.uk
Death café
We warmly invite anyone within our community to join us on Friday 3rd May for our monthly coffee morning at Blythe House Hospicecare and Helen’s Trust, Eccles Fold, Chapel-en-le-Frith.
This month’s coffee morning, in support of Dying Matters Awareness Week, will offer attendees the chance to discuss their concerns or challenges regarding conversations about death, dying, and bereavement with fellow community members and hospice staff. The ‘Elephant in the Room’ project will also be on display for those interested in contributing to the project.
Or simply pop along to enjoy a coffee and a cake to catch up with friends and support your local hospice, all are invited.
Stay connected on our social media channels!
Keep a look out on Blythe House Hospicecare and Helen’s Trust social media channels, as there will be lots of information and support on how to open up those difficult conversations, how to be a good listener when talking to someone around death, and how to get organised before you die.
Death is something that many people choose not to talk about but it is something that will happen to us all, and it’s never too early to start having those conversations about your wishes to help ensure that your care needs are met.
Check out our soaicl media channels:
How to open up those difficult conversations about dying and why it matters💙
Getting organised before you die 💙
For more information, or support and advice call 01298 815 388
