Death Café - Ardgowan Hospice

As part of Demystifying Death Week 2023, Ardgowan Hospice is launching a series of Death Café’s throughout Inverclyde.

The initial sessions are:

3rd May – Kilmacolm Community Centre – 11 -1
4th May – Craigend Resource Centre – 11 -1

Curious about Death Café’s? Read on!

What is a Death Café

A Death Cafe is an informal space for people (often strangers) to get together to have tea and coffee, a slice of cake, and an open conversation about death.

The concept was developed by sociologist Bernard Crettaz in the 2000s and has spread across the world since.

The purpose is for people to discuss their thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to death and dying, without agenda, religious or political affiliations.

What can you expect to happen?

The Death Cafes will give members of the public the opportunity to have open conversations about death, dying and bereavement in a comfortable atmosphere with no judgement or shame. A facilitator will be present to guide conversation as it develops into a natural exploration into people’s thoughts and feelings about death. There will be opportunities to ask questions to members of the hospice team.

Feel free to drop in at any time during the two hours and stay for as long as you like.

What will we talk about?

The discussion might include topics like..

Do you think you’d prefer cremation, burial, woodland burial, or something else?
What have you learned about death from TV, movies, or books? How has that affected your thinking?
What things do you think make for a good death?

These are just launching points; your conversations will likely take their own path.

Who can attend a Death Café?

We welcome everyone who would like to discuss death, dying and bereavement. Death Cafes are generally for adults, however some may wish to bring children and young adults along.

Are Death Café’s a form of bereavement support?

No. A Death Cafe promotes open discussion around death, rather than being a bereavement support or counselling session. We will have a member from our Wellbeing Support team on hand to provide that support if needed.