Sue Ryder encourages open conversations for Dying Matters Awareness Week
This May, Sue Ryder is marking Dying Matters Awareness Week, a national initiative encouraging communities across the UK to have open conversations about death and dying.
This year’s theme, The Culture of Dying Matters, recognises that each culture has its own approach to dying, and provides an opportunity to break down barriers and tackle these often-challenging discussions.
The event will take place event in the foyer of Tesco Serpentine Green on Tuesday, May 6, running from 10am to 2pm. Everyone is welcome to attend - no booking is required.
Visitors will have the chance to chat informally with staff from Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, who will be available to share information about the support and bereavement services available and can explain how Sue Ryder works to support the diverse community across Cambridgeshire during challenging times.
There will also be an opportunity to find out more about Sue Ryder’s Grief Kind Spaces in Cambridgeshire, which offer peer-to-peer support for those navigating grief, as well as volunteering opportunities for people wanting to make a difference in the local community.
The Sue Ryder team will be joined by colleagues from The Community Butterfly Volunteer Service who will be on hand to talk about this new service and how you can get involved. The service, funded through the NHS Head to Toe Charity and the Ann Robson Trust, trains volunteers to provide emotional support and companionship to patients with a terminal diagnosis in their own homes.
Beka Avery, Head of Wellbeing and Community Support at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough shares: "Dying Matters Awareness Week encourages open, honest conversations about death and dying - topics that can be difficult, but deeply important.
“This year’s theme, 'The Culture of Dying Matters,' invites us to reflect on how our attitudes and customs shape these experiences. By normalising these discussions, we create a more compassionate, supportive culture during life’s hardest moments. At Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, our commitment is to put the patient at the centre of our care, and I am pleased that this awareness week gives us the opportunity to highlight how we can support everyone to honour their culture, beliefs and values.”
To find out more about Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, visit www.sueryder.org/thorpehall