Demystifying Death Week 2025
Taking place across Scotland from 5-11 May, Demystifying Death Week is about shining a light on death, dying and bereavement in Scotland. We are encouraging people to get involved by holding in-person and online events that bring death, dying and bereavement into the limelight.
Below is a list of events registered so far - these pages will be updated over the coming weeks. If you are organising an event that you’d like us to feature, please get in touch.
Demystifying Death Day
Organised by No-One Dies Alone Ayrshire
Tuesday 6th May 2025, from 10:30am
NODA Base, 49 Bank Street, Irvine, KA12 0LP
This activity is open to the public.
Demystifying Death Week is about opening up the conversation about death and dying and here at NODA Ayrshire we have seen the impact it can have on the family when the conversations happen when you are not around and hinder the grief process for loved ones.
As part of Demystifying Death Week, we are organizing a ‘Start your planning with the support from NODA Ayrshire’. We will have input from many organisations such as local funeral directors, Money Matters and will-making services to help you plan your end of life journey to a good death and good grief.
All are welcome.
Enveloping Life and Death
Organised by Creativity in Care CIC
Tuesday 6th May, 2-4pm
Alness Community Hub, (Previously Perrins Centre), Alness, Ross-shire IV17
This workshop is open to the public.
Come and create a beautiful hand -made envelope to enclose a letter to a loved one who has died, positive affirmations, poetry or precious belongings like photos, feathers or small drawings during this free workshop.
A safe space to create, chat and grow around grief or loss of people, pets, places and things, talk about meaningful life and creating a good death.
Refreshments provided.
Creativity in Care is a values-led community interest company specialising in socially engaged arts and steered by individuals and communities in the Highlands.
No need to book, just turn up – enquiries: cath@creativityincare.org
This activity is funded by a Demystifying Death Week small grant.
Image credit: Creativity in Care
These Are My Wishes
Organised by Humanist Society Scotland
Tuesday 6th May, 3.30pm - 4.30pm
The Crannie Community Hub, 9 Cranston Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BE
This event is free and open to the public. Please book in advance.
Have you ever thought about how you’d like your life to be celebrated? For example, what songs you’d like played at your funeral, if you’d like to be buried or cremated or where you’d like your ashes scattered?
Humanist Society Scotland has launched a free online tool, These Are My Wishes. It enables people at any stage of their life to record practical decisions about what they would like to happen after they die.
Join us at this Edinburgh event as part of Demystifying Death Week for a conversation to help break down the taboo around death and dying. There will be an overview and introduction to These Are My Wishes, the opportunity to ask questions, meet Humanist Society Scotland celebrants and have informal discussions on your own thoughts for planning ahead.
There will also be a Death Cafe event running earlier in the day at this venue, if you’d like to join us for this event too visit this page.
Register here: https://www.humanism.scot/events/these-are-my-wishes/
The D Word Launch!
Organised by Gillian Robertson (Remember Love celebrant)
Monday, 5th May on Zoom, 6.15pm – 7.00 pm and you are welcome to stay until 7.45 pm.
Online via Zoom
This event is open to the public.
The D Word … Talking about death with ease … Talking about death together …
The D Word is a social enterprise which aims to contribute to an increasingly compassionate society where talking about death is a more common and comfortable experience.
The D Word resource is designed to be delivered by experienced Celebrants to groups of any age and stage who would benefit from being supported to become familiar with what to expect when someone close dies.
This event is to officially launch The D Word, and all are welcome to join me!
We will spend some time talking about the value and importance of talking about death with ease and talking about death together, and I will share more information about The D Word and my plans for further development.
To register, please email gillian@rememberlove.co.uk.
PDP Staff & Volunteer GLGDGG Escape Room
Organised by Pilmeny Development Project
Monday 5th May at 10.30am
PDP Youth Centre, 44 Buchanan Street
This event is for PDP volunteers and staff.
PDP in partnership with St Columba’s Hospice will plan, deliver, and evaluate an GLGDGG Escape Room for PDP Staff & Volunteers.
Participants are challenged to unravel a super-hero themed mystery by finding clues and solving puzzles. Along the way teams will encounter family dynamics, future care planning, caring responsibilities and aging in the 21st century.
https://www.goodlifedeathgrief.org.uk/escape-room/
Each participant will receive a resource packs with information on Funerals, Wills, Power of Attorney, and Advance Care Directives (GLGDGG and Age Scotland leaflets/ guides).
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