Facing death, dying and loss - the Loss Project
Here at Community Chesterfield, we are proud to deliver a varied programme of training to equip people with knowledge that will help them in many aspects of their day-to-day lives, not just in a work environment.
We regularly cover topics that you, the local community, have asked for. That is why we are working with the Stephanie Turner and Carly Attridge from The Loss Project to deliver our next round of Training and Tea sessions discussing death, dying and loss.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, discussions of death and daily death figures have become a regular part of our everyday lives and this has had a huge impact on our rituals around death, dying and loss, forcing us in many ways to reflect on our own mortality and the mortality of the people around us.
With this week (10 – 16 May) being Dying Matters Week, it seems like a perfect opportunity to address whether we have spaces to be open and curious about our experiences, thoughts and questions when it comes to the end of our lives.
What is The Loss Project?
The Loss Project works across the UK and beyond connecting people in local communities through the universal experiences of grief, loss, death, dying or trauma.
They recognise that losses come in various forms; including the loss of independence, confidence, jobs, relationships and of course, of loved ones. The Loss Project is on a mission to reimagine traditional services, to challenge the status quo and to provide life-affirming programmes that give people the tools and confidence to support themselves and their communities.
Through creative community programmes, training, workshops and social action The Loss Project supports organisations and communities to become more open and connected.
What will the training cover?
Training and Tea is a series of three sessions, with a 45-minute session once a week on a Wednesday at 9am. Stephanie and Carly will be covering the following subjects:
● Facing Death, Dying and Loss – this session aims to open up conversations about death, dying and loss and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on these parts of life, gain insight into different people’s experiences and feel heard in our own experience and validated to talk about these topics which can often feel like a taboo
● End of Life Awareness - to help with understanding the importance of planning for the end of our lives, enable people to gain confidence in simple and playful ways we could bring up the topic and build awareness of other organisations and groups who can support people with end of life care planning, as well as what resources are available for people who might be facing the end of their lives
● Being a Grief Positive Culture – to open up conversations about grief and loss, acknowledge the different losses we experience throughout our lives and gain confidence in talking about grief and loss, as well as what you could say or do to support someone who is grieving.
The overarching purpose of the sessions is to give people time and space to explore different themes around these topics, offer a space for people to discuss things they may not have spoken about before, as well as creating opportunities to connect with others who might have had similar experience.
In addition, attendees will also be able to learn practical tips on how to navigate the topics with those around them affected by death, dying and loss.
The sessions will take place on 26 May, 9 June and 16 June. They are open and free to anyone working or volunteering in the charity of voluntary sector within Chesterfield, as well as students and staff from the University of Derby who live, work in or care about Chesterfield.
Visit our Eventbrite page to find out more and to reserve your free place.