'Death Cafe' to set up in Doncaster

It may not sound very cheerful - but Doncaster is set for its first Death Cafe.
A Halloween Grim Reaper costumeA Halloween Grim Reaper costume
A Halloween Grim Reaper costume

There will not be anyone there wearing a black hood and carrying a scythe - but the one off event is planned to get people talking about the often taboo subject of dying.

Run with the backing of Doncaster NHS, the event on Thursday May 17 at 10am, will be held at Donaster Museum and Art Gallery, on Chequer Road, and experts from the museum will use items from its collection to get people talking about death.

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Doncaster GP and chairman of DoncasterNHS Clinical Commissioning Group, Dr David Crichton, is backing the scheme.

He said: "My previous role before my current job was being the generalist lead for end of life in the Yorkshire and Humber. The reality is that you don't live forever, however good medicine may be. There is a taboo around the subject and I think we should get more people talking about it."

He said the death rate nationally was round one per cent - the equivalent of around 3,000 people in Doncaster.

The plan is to encourage people to talk about death, and to be aware that people sometimes die suddenly. An issue that is producing now is people's 'digital legacy, where people die without anyone knowing their passwords.

It will also look at encouraging people to have wills in place.

It has been organised as part of the national Dying Matters Awareness Week, and hot drinks and cake will be available at the event.