Death Cafe

Death Cafes were set up in London in 2011 by Jon Underhill who based it on the Cafe Mortels of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz. A Death Cafe is a safe, convivial setting where people can come and talk about death, and share their thoughts, feelings and plans with each other.

Gwanwyn Festival ran our first Death Cafe event in partnership with Sherman Cymru in April 2014 in the yurt at Milgi Lounge in Cardiff.

Death Cafe aims to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their finite lives. Participants are not lead to any particular conclusion, product or course of action. They are an accessible, respectful and confidential space, free from discrimination and judgements.

A Death Cafe is not a counselling or grief therapy group. This is especially so for people who have experienced a recent or traumatic loss or death. This is partly an effort to sustain Death Cafes as comfortable, relaxed and openly exploratory spaces and to respect existing bereavement support groups.

Death Cafe locations include the Royal Festival Hall, yurts, cafes and private houses. For more information about Death Cafe or to find one near you, visit their website.