The Elephant in the Room – End of Life matters
Free Talks programme
You are welcome to turn up on the day but to secure a seat at the talks you are advised to register a place in advance by calling 01752 305901 or online after February 10th at www.plymouthlibraryevents.eventbrite.co.uk
Friday 27th March 2015
10am Key note speaker to launch The Elephant in the Room event
George Lillie as regional representative of the national Dying Matters Coalition is the key note speaker to launch The Elephant in the Room event. The Coalition campaign aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life which is exactly what this whole event is about.
11am End of life legal matters before death
Hilary Cragg is a Partner and specialist solicitor with Nash & Co of Plymouth. Her particular professional interest and experience is in dealing with all issues concerning elderly clients, especially in relation of funding of care home fees. Her talk will also include Mental Capacity and Power of Attorney issues. There will be an opportunity to ask your questions.
11am Hospice without walls
There is evidence that the majority of people do not die in their preferred place of choice. Sandy Knowles explains the ‘Hospice without walls’ vision of St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth which is committed to providing quality end of life care for patients at home, in care homes, community hospitals and acute hospitals. There will be an opportunity to ask your questions on hospice care and the other initiatives Sandy discusses in her talk.
1pm Money matters before & after death
Chartered financial planner David Mayo of Plymouth-based Cathedral Financial Management explores a range of important money related matters before and after death to ensure that your assets go where you intended and the financial welfare and standard of living of your family is not unduly put at risk or compromised. There will be an opportunity to ask your questions of David at the end of the talk or in private at this event.
2pm Behind the scenes of the city crematorium
An average of 2,650 cremations are held in Plymouth each year. Karen Jennings and Les Powell of Plymouth City Council will give a sensitive insight into what happens at the city crematoria at Efford and Weston Mill to inform, reassure and dispel myths. There will be an opportunity to ask questions.
3pm The gift of life through organ donation
More than 10,000 people in the UK currently need an organ transplant and three of them each day will die waiting because there are not enough organs available. Plymouth specialist nurse in organ donation Tracy Quintrell explains organ and tissue donation, donor care, transplants and how lives can be saved. She hopes to dispel the myths, give reassurance and provide factual information so that potential organ donors consider this issue and make an informed decision.
3pm Business succession after death
What would happen to your business, employees and family in the event of your death? Austin Blackburn is a Partner and Head of Commercial at Nash & Co. This talk is primarily for self- employed business people or managers/owners of small to medium sized companies and enterprises. Austin will explore important practical issues to consider and business succession planning. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of Austin at the end of the talk and in private at the venue.
4pm Bereavement care of the young and families
Hundreds of children, young people and parents who anticipate or experience the death of someone special to them in the Plymouth area benefit each year from the specialist bereavement support services provided by local charity Jeremiah’s Journey. This talk by Chief Executive Officer Joanne Anning highlights the immeasurable benefits of having support tailored to the specific needs of the young bereaved and their families.
Talks on Saturday 28th March 2015
10am What would happen if you died tomorrow?
Organiser of The Elephant in the Room event Wendy Coulton dares to ask What if….. you died tomorrow? Her talk explores the benefits of considering and planning for death for you and your loved ones. As a local civil funeral celebrant she has witnessed bereaved partners and relatives experience distress, conflict and hardship because when the person was alive there was never a discussion, or any planning and instructions left about their wishes and arrangements in place when their life ended. By sharing real life stories and with some gentle humour she hopes to encourage more of us to do what will probably be a last act of love for those who will mourn our passing.
11am Legal matters after death
Hilary Cragg is a Partner and specialist solicitor with Nash & Co of Plymouth. Her particular professional interest and experience is in dealing with all issues concerning elderly clients. She gives a valuable insight to important legal matters to consider following death.
11am The warrior and the caregiver
Our society and public services would be in meltdown without the six million people who are carers. The ageing population is making caring a fact of life for families but how prepared or suited would you be as a caregiver? Former paratrooper Milos Stankovic shares his personal experience as a son and full time carer. He explores whether it is possible to prepare yourself and have a strategy for this life changing role.
1pm Death Café
A Death Café brings together people from all walks of life for a discussion about death without an agenda or set objectives. This approach was pioneered by Bernard Crettaz in Switzerland to ‘normalise’ open respectful discussion about end of life matters in a friendly social setting with cake! This is not a grief or bereavement counselling forum or service and there is no knowing what death related topics will come up in the conversation.
Commemoration Cakes of Tavistock has kindly provided cake and drinks will be available.
2pm Your digital legacy and final wishes
When Ian Dibb’s sister took her own life and three years later his mum died from lung cancer, he found himself planning funerals for them without any idea what they would have wanted. He found this experience lonely and the stress was compounded by not knowing where important information could be found. It got Ian thinking how could he keep everything safe for his family? How could he capture his life story and leave messages for those he loves? Ian is the founder of an online service called Once I’ve Gone which is the custodian of digital legacies, a secure storage place for important documents and written or video messages to be sent when the time comes.
2pm No child is too small for dignity
The heartbreaking experience of parents who did not want their son who died shortly after birth at 21 weeks to be buried without clothes inspired Leigh-Anne Hedges of Plymouth to hand make tiny clothing for the baby. She set up an award winning charity Little Things angel clothes so that every child is laid to rest with dignity with clothing made by an army of volunteers. Leigh-Anne shares her inspiring story and explores how much bereavement and funeral services have improved in these circumstances.
This is not suitable for people seeking bereavement or counselling support for the loss of a child. There will be an opportunity ask Leigh-Anne at the end of her talk and she would be happy to discuss matters in confidence in private if preferred. Venue: Plymouth Central Library (first floor), Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AL
3pm Free talk: Honesty, appropriateness and participation - the real benefits of a green funeral
Rupert and Claire Callender founded The Green Funeral Company in 2000 to offer an ecological alternative in the South West to traditional funerals. Since then they have helped hundreds of people through traumatic days following a death and together created appropriate and emotionally rewarding funerals.
Where to find us:
Plymouth Central Library is next door to Plymouth City Museum, opposite the red university Roland Levinsky building.
Parking: There is on-street parking on Tavistock Place which is immediately at the rear of the Central Library building with pedestrian access into the venue and nearby Regent Street.
Longer stay parking at Regent Street multi story.
Directions are available at www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumdirections and the venue is a comfortable 15 minute walk from the city railway station.
There will also be a free advice hub with information stand.
Free Talks programme
You are welcome to turn up on the day but to secure a seat at the talks you are advised to register a place in advance by calling 01752 305901 or online after February 10th at www.plymouthlibraryevents.eventbrite.co.uk
Friday 27th March 2015
10am Key note speaker to launch The Elephant in the Room event
George Lillie as regional representative of the national Dying Matters Coalition is the key note speaker to launch The Elephant in the Room event. The Coalition campaign aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life which is exactly what this whole event is about.
11am End of life legal matters before death
Hilary Cragg is a Partner and specialist solicitor with Nash & Co of Plymouth. Her particular professional interest and experience is in dealing with all issues concerning elderly clients, especially in relation of funding of care home fees. Her talk will also include Mental Capacity and Power of Attorney issues. There will be an opportunity to ask your questions.
11am Hospice without walls
There is evidence that the majority of people do not die in their preferred place of choice. Sandy Knowles explains the ‘Hospice without walls’ vision of St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth which is committed to providing quality end of life care for patients at home, in care homes, community hospitals and acute hospitals. There will be an opportunity to ask your questions on hospice care and the other initiatives Sandy discusses in her talk.
1pm Money matters before & after death
Chartered financial planner David Mayo of Plymouth-based Cathedral Financial Management explores a range of important money related matters before and after death to ensure that your assets go where you intended and the financial welfare and standard of living of your family is not unduly put at risk or compromised. There will be an opportunity to ask your questions of David at the end of the talk or in private at this event.
2pm Behind the scenes of the city crematorium
An average of 2,650 cremations are held in Plymouth each year. Karen Jennings and Les Powell of Plymouth City Council will give a sensitive insight into what happens at the city crematoria at Efford and Weston Mill to inform, reassure and dispel myths. There will be an opportunity to ask questions.
3pm The gift of life through organ donation
More than 10,000 people in the UK currently need an organ transplant and three of them each day will die waiting because there are not enough organs available. Plymouth specialist nurse in organ donation Tracy Quintrell explains organ and tissue donation, donor care, transplants and how lives can be saved. She hopes to dispel the myths, give reassurance and provide factual information so that potential organ donors consider this issue and make an informed decision.
3pm Business succession after death
What would happen to your business, employees and family in the event of your death? Austin Blackburn is a Partner and Head of Commercial at Nash & Co. This talk is primarily for self- employed business people or managers/owners of small to medium sized companies and enterprises. Austin will explore important practical issues to consider and business succession planning. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of Austin at the end of the talk and in private at the venue.
4pm Bereavement care of the young and families
Hundreds of children, young people and parents who anticipate or experience the death of someone special to them in the Plymouth area benefit each year from the specialist bereavement support services provided by local charity Jeremiah’s Journey. This talk by Chief Executive Officer Joanne Anning highlights the immeasurable benefits of having support tailored to the specific needs of the young bereaved and their families.
Talks on Saturday 28th March 2015
10am What would happen if you died tomorrow?
Organiser of The Elephant in the Room event Wendy Coulton dares to ask What if….. you died tomorrow? Her talk explores the benefits of considering and planning for death for you and your loved ones. As a local civil funeral celebrant she has witnessed bereaved partners and relatives experience distress, conflict and hardship because when the person was alive there was never a discussion, or any planning and instructions left about their wishes and arrangements in place when their life ended. By sharing real life stories and with some gentle humour she hopes to encourage more of us to do what will probably be a last act of love for those who will mourn our passing.
11am Legal matters after death
Hilary Cragg is a Partner and specialist solicitor with Nash & Co of Plymouth. Her particular professional interest and experience is in dealing with all issues concerning elderly clients. She gives a valuable insight to important legal matters to consider following death.
11am The warrior and the caregiver
Our society and public services would be in meltdown without the six million people who are carers. The ageing population is making caring a fact of life for families but how prepared or suited would you be as a caregiver? Former paratrooper Milos Stankovic shares his personal experience as a son and full time carer. He explores whether it is possible to prepare yourself and have a strategy for this life changing role.
1pm Death Café
A Death Café brings together people from all walks of life for a discussion about death without an agenda or set objectives. This approach was pioneered by Bernard Crettaz in Switzerland to ‘normalise’ open respectful discussion about end of life matters in a friendly social setting with cake! This is not a grief or bereavement counselling forum or service and there is no knowing what death related topics will come up in the conversation.
Commemoration Cakes of Tavistock has kindly provided cake and drinks will be available.
2pm Your digital legacy and final wishes
When Ian Dibb’s sister took her own life and three years later his mum died from lung cancer, he found himself planning funerals for them without any idea what they would have wanted. He found this experience lonely and the stress was compounded by not knowing where important information could be found. It got Ian thinking how could he keep everything safe for his family? How could he capture his life story and leave messages for those he loves? Ian is the founder of an online service called Once I’ve Gone which is the custodian of digital legacies, a secure storage place for important documents and written or video messages to be sent when the time comes.
2pm No child is too small for dignity
The heartbreaking experience of parents who did not want their son who died shortly after birth at 21 weeks to be buried without clothes inspired Leigh-Anne Hedges of Plymouth to hand make tiny clothing for the baby. She set up an award winning charity Little Things angel clothes so that every child is laid to rest with dignity with clothing made by an army of volunteers. Leigh-Anne shares her inspiring story and explores how much bereavement and funeral services have improved in these circumstances.
This is not suitable for people seeking bereavement or counselling support for the loss of a child. There will be an opportunity ask Leigh-Anne at the end of her talk and she would be happy to discuss matters in confidence in private if preferred. Venue: Plymouth Central Library (first floor), Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AL
3pm Free talk: Honesty, appropriateness and participation - the real benefits of a green funeral
Rupert and Claire Callender founded The Green Funeral Company in 2000 to offer an ecological alternative in the South West to traditional funerals. Since then they have helped hundreds of people through traumatic days following a death and together created appropriate and emotionally rewarding funerals.
Where to find us:
Plymouth Central Library is next door to Plymouth City Museum, opposite the red university Roland Levinsky building.
Parking: There is on-street parking on Tavistock Place which is immediately at the rear of the Central Library building with pedestrian access into the venue and nearby Regent Street.
Longer stay parking at Regent Street multi story.
Directions are available at www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumdirections and the venue is a comfortable 15 minute walk from the city railway station.
There will also be a free advice hub with information stand.
