good life, good death, good grief

Awareness Week Events

GLGDGG members all over Scotland organised events for Awareness Week 2013:

 

Before I Die I want to...

Before I Die is a global public art project that invites people to reflect on their lives and share their personal aspirations in public space. Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief is proud to have brought this project to Scotland and during Awareness Week Before I Die walls popped up across the country.

 

Where there's a Will... 150

In celebration of Awareness Week, Final Fling offered its end of life planning tools FREE for the month of May:

  • Sign up for a free account to start sorting your Wishes, Will, Advance Decision and storing essential documents next of kin will need in your Safe Deposit Box.
  • Sort through those photos and home movies and upload the ones that matter to your Treasure Trove - leave behind a digital legacy.

 

Building on an opportunity

13-19 May, St Columba's Hospice, Edinburgh

Construction workers building a new specialist palliative for St Columba’s Hospice had the opportunity to contribute to a Before I Die wall on the construction site. Supported by information, the wall promoted openness and discussion around the topic of death and dying with the construction team.

 

Funeral Director information

A&A Doyle Funeral Directors,10 Bank Street, Galashiels.

A & A Doyle Funeral Directors in Galashiels devoted their window display to Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief throughout the month of May, and during awareness week they made leaflets available and staff on hand to discuss any related issues with passing members of the public.

 

 

Celebrating Life YOUR way

Monday 13th May 2013, 12pm - 3pm, ReadingLasses Bookshop and Café, 17 South Main St, Wigtown DG8 9EH

An informal participative event where members of the public could explore death matters for themselves and their loved ones, so that everyone can talk about death and related matters more openly. Activities included Before I Die…; Your wishlist; Pushing up the daisies and other expressions; refreshments and great cake; space and time to talk; information, leaflets and how to plan your funeral; Meet the Funeral Director – ask those questions.

 

Glad to be Alive: Death Cafe

6pm-7.30pm, 14 May, The Glad Cafe, Glasgow

A Death Cafe is an informal group discussion over a cuppa. The group is encouraged to talk about how their life experience informs their view of death and how their experience of death shapes their life.

"I expect Glad to be Alive to appeal to ordinary folk who want to share thoughts about a subject that we are told is a taboo," said Barbara Chalmers, Founder of Final Fling. "It's not a counselling session. It's not a goth-fest. It's just a friendly place to talk openly - shrug off any notion of taboo. With cake!"

 

Dying Matters, Let's Talk About It

Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, 15 May, Hospital Entrance

Information about death, dying and bereavement was available at a manned information stand at the hospital entrance all day. People could also participate in a 'Before I Die' Wall in the 'link' corridor.

 

Celebrating Life – in our own way

10am – 3.30pm, Wednesday 15 May, new Victoria Hospital, Glasgow

Chaplaincy Services at NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde teamed up with the Humanist Society Scotland to hold a day of events in the (multi faith) Sanctuary in the new Victoria Hospital in Glasgow:

  • Poetry and readings - what would you like to have read to celebrate your life?
  • What would you have on your 'bucket' list?
  • Music - live musician
  • What kind of funeral ceremony would you like?
  • Prayer/reflection
  • A listening ear opportunity

 

Let’s talk about death, baby

11am-7pm, Wednesday 15th May, Serenity Cafe, 8 Jackson Entry, The Tun, 111 Holyrood Road Edinburgh

Drop in for a cuppa and a chat with Humanist Society Scotland members and celebrants about life, love, death and everything in between.

 

Drop-in session for staff

Castlemilk High, Glasgow

Castlemilk High School supported awareness by organising an information session for staff, one lunch time during Awareness Week. Resources available included information leaflets, conversation menus and the film 20 takes on death and dying.

 

Dying Matters, Let's Talk About It

9.30am - 4pm, Thursday 16th May, Glasgow Royal Infirmary

Information about death, dying and bereavement was available at a manned information stand.

 

 

Good Life Good Death Good Grief

... working to make Scotland a place where there is more openness about death, dying and bereavement

9.30am – 4pm, Thursday 16th May, Mercat Centre, Kirkcaldy

Free information and a chance to talk

Topics included

  • Wills
  • Power of Attorney
  • Living Will/Advance Directive
  • Registration of a death
  • Funerals
  • Organ Donation
  • Donating your body to science
  • Bereavement

Representatives: NHS Fife, Volunteer Solicitor, Citizen's Advice, CRUSE, Fife Council, Maggie's Centre, Funeral Services, Organ Donation

Fife drop-in event organized by a Multiagency Group led by NHS Fife

 

 

‘Let’s Talk’ One Day Conference

10am, 16 May, Edinburgh

Organised by Faith in Older People, in collaboration with the Church of Scotland Guild and Action on Churches Together in Scotland.

How should our churches adapt to an ageing population with confidence and how can we instil a greater openness about death, dying and bereavement? This ecumenical conference will look at supporting older people both practically and spiritually.

More information is available here: weblink.

 

Talk ‘n’ chalk

2pm, 16 May, Education Unit, Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway

Talk : To discuss issues surrounding death, dying bereavement in a relaxed café conversation environment

Chalk : To make a nationwide ‘Before I die wall ‘

For Student Nurses, NHS Student Nurse Mentors & NHS staff

"Let’s make it the biggest and most north westerly wall in Scotland!"

 

Death café in Kirriemuir

16th May at 6.30pm, 88 Degrees 17 High Street, Kirriemuir, DD8 4BA

This Death Café provided the opportunity for people come together in a relaxed setting to discuss death, drink tea and eat delicious cake. If you'd like to find out more, call Margo Sinclair on: 01241 829152

 

Dare to Discuss!

10am-3pm, Friday 17 May, Silverburn Shopping Centre, Glasgow

Held in a busy shopping centre, Dare to Discuss aimed to share the wisdom of local communities by daring the public to raise those difficult and critical questions. Through a ‘thinking wall’ members of the public wrote questions and answers, expressing rich and varied experiences relating to death, dying and bereavement. Members of the public also had the opportunity to stop and talk meaningfully to trained staff and to gain practical information.

"“Dare to Ask…Dare to Answer…..Dare to Discuss!”

 

Aberdeen Before I Die Wall

9am - 4pm, 18th May, Bon Accord Centre (upstairs level), Aberdeen

A group of individual members of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief from Aberdeen organised an open event as part of awareness week 2013. People of all ages were invited to come along and share their thoughts and aspirations on the Aberdeen “Before I Die” wall and to take part in our interactive "worry survey". There was lots of information and thought provoking literature and several helpful, friendly people to talk to from a wide range of specialisms and backgrounds.

 

The Big Picnic

19th May, 12 noon onwards

Edinburgh and Borders group - Vogrie Country Park, Gorebridge

Central Scotland - Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline

Glasgow and the South - Glasgow Green, Greendykes Street at the Saltmarket, Glasgow, G1 5DB (meeting at the People's Palace at 12.30pm)

WAY (Widowed and Young) is a charity for anyone who has been affected by the death of a partner before their 51st birthday. WAY has a growing network of local groups across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that run regular social events and offer practical and emotional support, helping young bereaved men and women to rebuild lives that have been shattered by the death of a partner. The Big Picnics taking place in May were being organised as a way of helping members socialise in a supportive environment as well as bringing the charity and its work to more people’s attention.

If you are interested in finding out more about WAY Widowed and Young then please visit the WAY website or e-mail enquiries.

 

Scotland’s Top Tear Jerker

3.30pm, 19 May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road, Edinburgh

The 100% Project , in association with the Filmhouse in Edinburgh, screened Up at the Filmhouse, Lothian Road on 19 May at 3.30pm.

 

Dying to Know ? A different kind of family day out. 200

25 May, 11:30am-4pm in Nairn Community Centre

Everything anyone needs to know about the preparations they can make for illness, dying and death. Experts on hand with legal, financial, medical and practical information and advice. Activities for all ages. Wicker coffin to try, dreamcatcher making, celtic spiral drawing, "Before I Die" wall, make your own coffin..... Lunch/ refreshments and home baking available. Organised by Nairn Citizens Advice Bureau and NHS Scotland with participation from local businesses, organisations and individuals. For further information, contact the organisers.

 

Etiquette of Grief

25 May 2013, Nairn Little Theatre, Nairn

12 November 2013, The Arches, Glasgow

The Grief Series are delighted to announce that Ellie Harrison's playful and provocative solo show, Etiquette of Grief is coming to Scotland for the first time in 2013 as part of its second UK tour:

These performances are supported by Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief

For Further Tour Dates, information and reviews - please visit: www.griefseries.co.uk

"Breathtaking" **** Yorkshire Post

Etiquette of Grief is a playful and provocative solo show by performer Ellie Harrison, who takes audiences on an irreverent journey and suggests a guide for dealing with both private and public grief in all its gory and glorious manifestations.

In a piece which is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming, Ellie explores the wide-ranging emotions that follow an overwhelming loss and the ways in which grief touches us all, in a distinctive, interactive and powerful performance that includes her on screen alter-ego, in a celebration of our freedom of expression.

This thought-provoking performance asks questions about the nature of public grief, often witnessed when a famous figure dies: does the British ‘stiff upper lip’ help or inhibit how we deal with our emotions, and is there such a thing as a collective identity that effects how we grieve?

Ellie takes audiences through the sometimes uncomfortable, but also funny and peculiar, rituals of mourning, offering coping mechanisms, moral support, a little musical accompaniment and even a large splash of port.

 

 

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Before I die I want to ...
Bereavement Charter for Scotland
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