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.
In celebration of Awareness Week, Final Fling offered its end of life planning tools FREE for the month of May:
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.
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.
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.
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!"
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.
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:
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.
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.
9.30am - 4pm, Thursday 16th May, Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Information about death, dying and bereavement was available at a manned information stand.
... 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
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
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.
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!"
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
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!”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.