Death Cafe with Eileen Ridley

Sunday, April 19th | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (please read attendance note below)

Join us for an afternoon of tea, cake, and open conversation at our upcoming Death Cafe. In a world where death is often a whispered subject, this event offers a supportive and relaxed environment to discuss the one thing that will eventually happen to us all. Far from being morbid, the goal of a Death Cafe is "to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their finite lives." It is a group-directed discussion with no agenda, no objectives, and no themes—just a safe, respectful space to share thoughts, fears, and reflections on the inevitability of mortality and the mystery of what it means.

The session will be skillfully hosted by Eileen Ridley, an experienced Death Doula and former palliative care worker who has been facilitating these vital conversations since 2012. Eileen brings a wealth of warmth and expertise to the table, helping to demystify a subject that many find taboo. Past participants have often described the experience as a profound "relief," with one attendee noting, “I never thought I would say this, but it is lovely to be able to talk about death... it felt like a weight had been lifted.” By embracing this opportunity to talk openly, we often find that acknowledging the end of life actually helps us to live more fully in the present.

A Note on Attendance: Please be aware that a Death Cafe is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session. For this reason, it is generally not suitable for anyone who has been recently bereaved. If your grief is very raw or you are seeking professional bereavement support, there are many other wonderful resources better equipped for that journey. This space is intended for those who feel ready to engage in a broad, philosophical, and social conversation about death and dying.