Blythe House Hospice discusses the elephant in the room - death and dying

A team of volunteers have created an elephant out of chicken wire which will be placed at the Chapel-en-le-Frith hospice site to encourage people to talk about the ‘Elephant in the Room.’

The elephant will overtime be covered with luggage labels with words, messages or feelings which people within our local community have written around their

experience of death, dying, or bereavement.

This may be a message to someone they love who has died, how they are feeling themselves if they or someone they know is affected by a life-limiting illness, or more.

The aim is to help open up those conversations that many people avoid.

Sarah, community engagement officer at the hospice said: “It is extremely important we try and break the silence when talking about death, dying, or

bereavement.

“This is inevitable for us all, and having those conversations now helps our friends and loved ones around us know our wishes and needs for when we die.

“It is important that we think and plan for the future as much as possible, whether it be writing your will, planning your funeral, or simply telling those around you what you would like.”

As well as the elephant there will also be a Footsteps with Grief Walk, where along with High Peak CVS a walk will take place in Pavilion Garden, Buxton on

Thursday May, 9 from 10.30am to 11.30am.

The focus of this walk is to allow individuals affected by bereavement to go for an easy level walk and have the opportunity to talk to skilled bereavement

support teams.

Additionally the hospice will be running its Death Cafe which the community are invited to join on Friday May, 3.

The cafe offers attendees the chance to discuss their concerns or challenges regarding conversations about death, dying, and bereavement with fellow community members and hospice staff.

To book a place on the bereavement walk, call the hospice 01298 815 388 or email [email protected]