Do you find it difficult to talk about death, dying and bereavement?
Many people do, which is why Hospice UK is encouraging us to have important discussions with loved ones during Dying Matters Awareness Week, which runs from Monday, May 4, to Sunday, May 10.
Everyone will experience the death of someone close to them, yet 27% of people find it hard to talk about death with family or friends, and 30% bottle their feelings up.
If conversations don’t happen, people can be left unsure about wishes, priorities and what matters most at the end of life.
That’s why Hospice UK has made this year’s campaign theme ‘let’s talk about death and dying’.
To start the conversation and mark the week, events and activities are being held across Greater Manchester to encourage discussions.
See the list of events in Greater Manchester below:
Monday 4th May
- Sale Town Hall, 10.30am-4pm. Community bereavement event – National Dying Matters Awareness Week. Talks delivered by bereavement professionals, information stalls from local organisations, grief counselling, legal advice, community support. A free event for all. Contact for any questions: bereavement.day@trafford.gov.uk.
Tuesday 5th May
- Rochdale Infirmary/Springhill Hospice, 10am-2pm. Stand with resources, Outside the café first floor. Includes representation from team, specialist palliative care, bereavement team, chaplaincy and speech and language therapy service at various times.
Wednesday 6th May
- Willow Wood Hospice, Session 1: 12pm-1.30pm Session 2: 2pm-3.30pm. Interactive Market Place Event. Hosted by Hospice teams, visit the interactive market place, where leading professionals in the field can offer insight, interactive resources and information about opening up the conversation about death and dying. Book free tickets online at willowwood.org.uk/dying-matters
- The Christie Hospital, 11am-12pm, 12.30-1.30pm, 2pm-3pm. Pure Innovations Handmade Harmonies, The Manchester Wellbeing Cancer Choir, Chaplaincy slot.
- Wythenshawe Hospital 9.30am- 1.30pm and Wythenshawe Forum Library 12.30pm-3.30pm. Comfort Café – Drop in. How to talk about death and dying. Sharing your wishes with family and healthcare professionals, Advance Care Planning, EPaCCS, Lasting Power of Attorney – Health and Welfare, signposting to bereavement services. Support, guidance and resources.
- Bury Community/Bury Hospice, 10am-2pm. Stand with resources, Asda Pilsworth. Includes representation from team, specialist palliative care, bereavement team, chaplaincy and speech and language therapy service at various times.
Thursday 7th May
- Wigan and Leigh Hospice, 1.30pm-4pm. Open event. Join the hospice team. Included is a wife of a patient with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) talking about her experience of being involved with advance care planning. Staff and residents in a care home discussing their experiences. The hospice counsellors talking about supporting difficult conversations with children. Also, a myth busting session and an interactive quiz.
- Salford Royal, 10am-2pm. Stand with resources. Main entrance, near Marks and Spencer. Includes representation from team, specialist palliative care, bereavement team, chaplaincy and speech and language therapy service at various times.
Friday 8th May
- The Christie Hospital, 12pm-1pm. Chaplaincy slot.
- Manchester Royal Infirmary, 1pm-2pm. Supporting Homeless Individuals at End of Life. A lunchtime education session involving an expert panel of people talking about their experiences of homelessness and the challenges of recognition of deterioration in this patient group.
- Royal Oldham, 10am-2pm. Stand with resources. Main entrance. Includes representation from our team, specialist palliative care, bereavement team, Chaplaincy and speech and language therapy service at various times.
- Manchester Eye Hospital, 1pm-2pm (lunch 12.30-1pm). Supporting Homeless Individuals at end of life. Come and join the expert panel to learn more about the challenges of recognition of deterioration in this patient group. Teams links available.
Monday 6th – Friday 10th May
- The Christie Hospital 10am-3.30pm. Oak Road reception. Enjoy a cake, plant some wildflower seeds to take home, add a message to the LED tree.
Friday 15th May
- Greater Manchester Bereavement Service – Pop up event. A free bereavement event facilitated by Greater Manchester Bereavement Service. Learn about bereavement. Connect with others. Hear about our service. There is also an opportunity to speak to a practitioner for help or advice. To book a place: visit here. (other dates are planned for the year).
Saturday 16th May
- Funeral Teeth, Succulent Theatre. This “feel-good tragicomedy” explores universal experiences of loss and grief through raw memories, storytelling, and physical theatre. More information here.
Read more about Dying Matters Awareness Week.
