Let’s talk about death

Here at Open Door Charity, we always strive to challenge the status quo by ensuring members of our community can access free, fast mental health support. This support can come in many shapes and sizes, including the introduction of the Death Café. The Death Café is a concept that was developed in 2011 with a directed mission to discuss death and life in between, with no set agenda or objectives – just the hope that having a safe space to open dialogues regarding the inevitable over coffee and cake will help alleviate fear. It is not for grief and bereavement support, but a space for open conversations about death and dying.

Jordan Tunstall, Death Café lead
Wedding and funeral celebrant, Jordan (our Death Café frontwoman) sheds light on the prospect of death, exploring ways to talk about death in a non-judgemental space. Jordan, who has conducting over 250 funerals since 2022, has been able to help families through the end-of-life processes across the world, encouraging them to celebrate the lives of loved ones in their own unique ways. “Over the last 6 months, our Death Cafe has opened up many different conversations and had attendees surprising themselves with their openness and willingness to participate in what they thought would be a daunting conversation. It’s been amazing to see people leave the café a little lighter after feeling the safety of the space to bring anything to the table, or even to just sit back and listen to other’s perspectives.”

“What I have come to notice during my time as a celebrant is how taboo it can be to talk about death and our wishes when the time comes. Society has made death a scary subject to approach with our loved ones, but it is the one thing in life that is guaranteed. Taking the fear out of the topic should be encouraged, which is why the team at Open Door and I set up our Death Café!”

What others have to say
One Death Café member, Hayley, told us that “as a doctor and someone who has unfortunately had more bereavements than I can count in the last 10 years, death and grief is something that I am intimately familiar with. However, I’ve never had the chance to process and talk about it in such a light-hearted yet respectful way as I did when I attended the Death Cafe. It felt like the fact we were gathered to talk about death ripped off the band aid of stigma and discomfort right from the beginning and everyone seemed comfortable to be open and honest about their questions and experiences.”

So, during this Dying Matters Awareness Week, why not learn more about our Death Café and what it has to offer. Whether you’re worried about death, curious or just want a chance to chat, head to our instagram and check out the next Death Café pop up.