Death Café

 At a Death Café people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death.

Our objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives'.
A Death Café is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes.

It is a discussion group dealing with bereavement, grief and loss rather than a grief support or counselling session.

Our Death Cafes are always offered:

Free to attend with All Welcome
On a non for profit basis
In an accessible, respectful and confidential space
With no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action
Alongside refreshing drinks and nourishing food – and cake! 

 In 2010 Jon Underwood decided to develop a series of projects about dealing with death one of which was to focus on talking about death. In November Jon read about the work of Bernard Crettaz in the Independent Newspaper. Inspired by Bernard's work, Jon immediately decided to use similar model for his own project, and Death Café was born. 

 The first Death Cafe in the UK was offered in Jon's house in Hackney, East London in September 2011. It was facilitated by pychotherapist Sue Barsky Reid, Jon's mum. It was a wonderful occasion. It went on to offer Death Cafes in a range of places including funky cafes, people's houses, cemeteries, a yurt and the Royal Festival Hall.