Festival 2022
The To Absent Friends festival will take place across Scotland from 1-7 November 2022.
It is an excuse to remember, to tell stories, to celebrate and to reminisce about who have died.
Check out some of the events taking place below, and please get in touch if you'd like us to add your event to the listing below.
To Scotland with Love
Organised by The Prince & Princess of Wales’ Living Well Hub.
We will have a short movie showing of ‘To Scotland with Love’, about Glasgow and their surrounding areas in the past, throughout the week for our patients to remember the time of their youths. We believe that reminiscing about happy times in their lives is important and brings out great discussions throughout.
Our cinema curtain will be up at the entrance, and the screening will take place in the multipurpose area of the LWH, accompanied by cinema snacks and Nosecco.
We will also be running a To Absent Friends theme at 4 of our LWH sessions this week. Wednesday 2 November in the morning and afternoon, and Thursday 3 November morning and afternoon.
Please see our Facebook page for more details.
Photo credit: Jeremy Yap via Unsplash.
Our Absent Friends
Organised by Rashielee Care Home
Taking place Friday 4th November.
Our community are having a walk down memory lane, stopping at candle lit tables with prompts to remember a loved one who has died, remember a song that was important to them (we will play this song on our Bluetooth speakers into headphones), and then to remember a special moment shared. At the end of the walk, there will be an opportunity to write a postcard to the one they were thinking of and then to enjoy tea and cakes with the hope of discussing our own views on death and dying.
This event is open to residents, staff, and families of Rashielee, including the families of those who lived in the home previously.
Photo credit: Harli Marten via Unsplash.
Funerals: Thinking outside the box
Organised by Susan and Gerrie Douglas-Scott (Celebrate People)
Sunday, 6 November 2022, 4:30 – 6pm, online. Open to all.
Register on Eventbrite.
Come and join Celebrate People in an Absent Friends storytelling event facilitated by one of our popular celebrants, Libby McArthur. See more at www.celebratepeople.co.uk.
Many people know Libby as an actor from River City and much more. She is also a director, writer and teacher.
Libby will share some stories about funerals with a difference. She will ask you if we can really fully celebrate a life within the constraints many of us place on ourselves due to our Scottish custom and practice.
Come along and ask Libby and other Celebrate People celebrants the questions you have wondered about when it comes to funerals and celebrating a life. Share the best and the worst you have experienced and thoughts you have for your own loved one’s funeral and indeed for your own. Libby will ask if you can give up the ghost of past funerals and welcome in the spirit of the new?
We aim to inspire you to really think about the art of the possible when it comes to celebrating our lives.
End Note: Death and funerals can bring up lots of feelings and emotions. Please note that this is not a counselling event so please make sure you have the right support to look after yourself.
Photo credit: Susan and Gerrie Douglas-Scott
To Absent Pets
Organised by Susan and Gerrie Douglas-Scott (Celebrate People)
Sunday, 6 November 2022, 2pm – 4pm at Kintra, 18 Ardayre Road, Prestwick KA9 1QL.
Register on Eventbrite.
Gerrie and Susan are opening their kitchen for afternoon tea on 6 November 2022 from 2-4pm. Drop in for an opportunity to celebrate the loss of your much loved pet as part of the “To Absent Friends” festival of remembering and story telling.
Susan and Gerrie lost their beloved spaniel Rupert in September 2022 so all too well understand the need to honour our pets' lives with stories and remembrance.
As co-founders of Celebrate People and celebrants of many years standing, Gerrie and Susan understand the existential need to express grief and loss and to celebrate life. Losing Rupert has brought into sharp focus the deep sadness associate in losing our pets.
All welcome for tea, cake and chat with a stone painting corner too for us to paint a memory pebble.
Well-behaved pets with their humans are welcome, say Freeda our other dog and Piper the cat 😍
Photo credit: Susan and Gerrie Douglas-Scott
To Absent Friends
Organised by North Berwick Compassionate Community
Wednesday 2nd November from 3:45-4:30 pm, Elcho Green, North Berwick.
Absent Friends Week is an annual festival held across Scotland at the beginning of November each year to remember our absent friends who have died. Please do join us for a moment to remember your loved ones who have died. We will be lighting candles and writing the names of people who have died on pebbles on Wednesday 2nd November at 3.45pm- 4.30pm at Elcho Green. We will have a few words and place the pebbles together before taking them back to the sea. Please bring your pebble and a battery-operated tea-light in a jam jar. We will have some available on the day as well,
Photo credit: Angelo Del Prete via Unsplash
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