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Hospice proves it’s good to talk

East Lancashire Hospice is opening its doors for an exhibition about death, dying and bereavement next Tuesday.

The hospice embarked on a project called ‘The Art of Stimulating Conversation’ during national Dying Matters week earlier this year to highlight the importance of talking openly about the subject with family members.

The charity hosted a series of art, drama and dance workshops, and just 40 per cent of attendees said they had thought about end of life care. After the workshops, 100 per cent of participants said they would now feel comfortable talking about the ‘taboo’ subject with loved ones.

An exhibition to showcase the work carried out will now be held at East Lancashire Hospice on Tuesday (26 June) between 6-8pm and will be open to the public. There will also be performances on the night by St Christopher’s School choir and some of their performing arts students.

Almost 1,000 people attended events hosted by East Lancashire Hospice as part of national Dying Matters week, with 187 people taking part in the various workshops. A variety of events were held in schools, workplaces and other community venues aimed at encouraging discussions and breaking down barriers when it comes to illness, death and bereavement.

The Art of Stimulating Conversation exhibition, held at the Park Lee Road hospice in Blackburn, will be open to all and fizz and canapes will be served to visitors.

Rachel Shovelton, end of life care educator at the hospice who has coordinated the events, said: “People tend to avoid talking about illness, death and bereavement as they find it too difficult. Yet, having these conversations early and being open about our wishes can make life easier for ourselves and our loved ones when these situations arise.

“The project aims to break down the barriers to talking about these sensitive issues, enabling people to feel much more able to discuss their honest feelings around death and dying.”

Rachel’s daughters will also be performing a dance piece on the night and the art displayed will be donated to the hospice after to display.

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