Exploring death literacy, Death Cafés, end of life doulas and Compassionate Communities in Lincolnshire

An open session with Joss Winn (University of Lincoln) and facilitate by Vicky Thomson (Every-One) to explore death literacy, Death Cafés, End of Life Doulas and a Compassionate Communities approach in Lincolnshire.

This conversation is inspired by the concept of Compassionate Communities (sometimes referred to as Compassionate Cities), which begins with a simple but powerful observation: most of the care, support and companionship people receive towards the end of life comes not from professionals, but from family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and communities. On that basis, supporting people through death, dying, loss and grief is something that belongs to all of us.

At the heart of this approach is the idea of death literacy – helping people to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to talk about, plan for and support one another through death and dying. It aligns closely with the national ambition that communities should be prepared, willing and able to support people through times of crisis, loss and bereavement.

As part of a wider piece of exploratory work, we are asking a simple question: What could this mean for Lincolnshire?

Could we create more opportunities for open conversations about death and dying? Is there interest in developing Death Cafés or similar community-led initiatives? What is already happening locally, and what could we learn from other compassionate community projects across the UK?

The session is intended to bring together anyone who is interested in these questions. There’s no fixed agenda and no expectation of commitment.

We are delighted to have Penny Merrett joining us who is an End of Life Doula in South Yorkshire. Penny is happy to share her experience and answer questions about her role.

We simply want to create a space for discussion, hear different perspectives, and explore whether there is appetite for taking ideas forward together.