‘Dead Good Days’ is a series of May events, including a day at St Denys Church, opening up conversations about death, dying, life and loss, “for anyone who might, one day, die”.
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Writer Terry Kettering is quoted as saying of death, “There's an elephant in the room. We talk about everything else, except the elephant in the room.”
Events in May, during national Dying Matters Awareness Week, challenge this convention, and will broach topics through various lenses.
From talks and advice to coffin painting, music, films, and workshops, events billed as family-friendly have been organised across city venues including St Denys Church, October Books, God’s House Tower, The Design Chapel, and the Edmund Kell Chapel.
The aim is to “entertain, inform, intrigue, and equip attendees with better ways to handle death, dying, and loss”, according to publicity.
Organiser Deb Wilkes told bitternepark.info: “We set up Dead Good Days after attending Death Fayres in other cities, realising that, as a palliative care nurse, there was literally loads I didn't know - stuff we should all know - so we have fully informed choices.
“So we thought we'd do it in Southampton.”
She said that the family event on Saturday, May 18 at St Denys Church, from 11am-5pm, aims to be creative, thought provoking and informative. It will include mini talks, workshops, advance care planning, coffin painting, local services, funeral plans, and art exhibition and book displays.
You can see Deb’s TEDx Southampton talk on ‘Making end of life care matter’ on YouTube, and publicity for the St Denys event is below.
Southampton Dead Good events currently include:
Thurs 2, 7pm Film Screening: Nettle Dress, October books
Fri 3, 7.30pm Rob Gee 'Death A Romantic Comedy', Gods House Tower
Sat 4, 11am - 1pm Death Chat Cafe, October Books
Sat 4 , 12am -2pm Play Dead Barbies, at God's House Tower
Sun 5, 11am – 5pm Earth Talks - ReWild Your Heart, Design Chapel
Tues 7, 7 - 9pm Suicide - Bereavement and Support, Edmund Kell
Weds 8, 7 – 8.30pm Dead Good Chat with ex-hospice nurse Deb & soul midwife Tone, Design Chapel
Thurs 9, Deathly Film night, God’s House Tower
Thurs 9, 6.30 – 9pm 'into the quiet' - drawing small dead wild creatures with artist/vet sarah filmer, Arch 4
Sun 12, 12.30 – 2pm 'Human Writes' from Death Row, film & discussion. Friends Meeting House
Sat 18, 11am-5pm A Dead Good Day Out, St Denys Church
Check www.deadgooddays.com for updates, more details and tickets if relevant.
