A culture of care
Our commitment to open and inclusive hospice support
A blog to commemorate Dying Matters Awareness Week, by Sarah Sewell, Community Engagement Officer
Dying Matters Week (5th to 9th May 2025) is a national campaign led by Hospice UK, and this year’s theme focuses on the culture surrounding death and dying.
Despite being a natural part of life, talking about dying remains one of society’s biggest taboos. For many, the uncertainty about what dying feels like – or what happens afterwards – makes it difficult to open up. Conversations about our own death, or the death of a loved one, often feel too painful or awkward to start. As a result, we tend to avoid them altogether.
So, why is it so difficult to talk openly about death? And what can we do – as a hospice and a community – to encourage more honest, compassionate conversations? How do we ensure our care is not only inclusive, but also a celebration of the diverse people and cultures we serve?
At Blythe House Hospice, we believe Dying Matters Week is the perfect opportunity to start those conversations. As the saying goes, “In the long run, it’s the conversations you don’t have that hurt more than the ones you do.”
From my perspective as Community Engagement Officer, I often see how even the word “hospice” can be daunting. People frequently say: “It’s where you go to die. It’s sad. It’s depressing.” But those who have visited Blythe House know that couldn’t be further from the truth. Our hospice is a place of warmth, laughter, and life – a truly uplifting and welcoming environment.
Central to our work is ensuring that everyone who comes through our doors is treated with dignity, respect and compassion. All our staff and volunteers regularly take part in training to help them support our community in a non-judgemental, understanding way. Over the past year, this has included sessions on LGBTQ+ inclusion, dementia awareness, and ‘Last Days Matter’ – all aimed at deepening our ability to provide meaningful, person-centred care.
We’re proud of the work we’ve done to ensure our services are inclusive and accessible to all. Earlier this year, we were thrilled to achieve Derbyshire LGBT+ Accreditation – the culmination of nearly two years of hard work. This achievement is more than a badge; it was an opportunity to reflect honestly on our practices, challenge assumptions, and identify how we can better meet the needs of underrepresented communities.
But our journey doesn’t end there. We are committed to continually listening to our community and evolving in response to their needs. We will keep asking the important questions and taking meaningful action based on what people tell us matters most.
This year, for Dying Matters Week, we’re using a simple yet powerful symbol to spark those essential conversations – an elephant. Crafted by our volunteers from chicken wire, this symbolic “elephant in the room” invites people to attach luggage labels with written messages to loved ones. It’s a gentle but meaningful way to break the silence.
We’re also encouraging people to reflect on the customs and traditions they use to remember those who have died – especially within diverse communities. It’s always enlightening to hear how different cultures honour their loved ones. There is no single “right” way to grieve. As every life is unique, so too is every death.
As Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement, once said: “How people die remains in the memory of those who live on.”
So don’t wait. Start the conversation. Share your memories. Ask the difficult questions. At Blythe House, we’re here to support you – because dying does matter.
Fancy visiting the hospice to find out more about the work we do and to meet our team?
To find out more about our free Last Days Matter training which is open to the public, visit:
