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.
Death Cafe - Monday 7 November
Organised by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Monday 7th November, 7pm. Taking place online (MS Teams)
What will we be talking about?
Let’s break the taboo, and talk about Death! This event is an informal space to talk with others about something which affects us all…so boil the kettle, raid the biscuit tin and come and join the conversation!
Please note that this is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session.
Who is this event for?
Open to everyone including members of the public and staff.
When and where is it happening?
7.00-8.00pm, Online on MS Teams
More information: https://www.nhsggc.scot/your-health/planning-for-care/events/
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Lights! Camera! Action! Come and join us as we take a trip to the Land of the Dead alongside Miguel from Disney's Coco
Organised by Finn’s Place
Sunday 6th November, 4.00-6.00pm. Finn’s Place, 167 Ledard Rd, Glasgow G42 9QU
Finn's Place is delighted to invite you to a licensed community showing of "Coco", the 2017 Disney film, which explores the exciting traditions of the Día de Muertos (the Mexican Day of the Dead) and the power of memories.
We hope this event brings members of our community together to sing songs (encouraged but not mandatory!), eat popcorn, and share stories of their own ancestors and those who have died. These topics aren't always the easiest to discuss, but we hope that a little bit of Disney magic can help inspire us all to be brave and start the conversation.
We also think that it's important for people of all ages to have the chance to talk about those who have died and hope that this can be a gentle way to approach the subject with the whole family, especially children and young people.
This event will follow on from the craft session hosted by Battlefield Community Project. It's sure to be a Sunday afternoon that everyone can enjoy, so if you are anywhere near the Southside of Glasgow please do come along - we'd love to meet you!
Photo by ActionVance on Unsplash
The Southside Death Club Café
Organised by Battlefield Community Project
Thursday 3rd November, 7.00-8.00pm. Finn’s Place 167 Ledard Rd, Glasgow G42 9QU
We are so excited to be launching our brand new Death Cafe during To Absent Friends Week!
This is an open and informal space to talk about all things death and dying, whilst eating some delicious treats! So whether you are recently bereaved, are still grieving those who have died a long time ago (this is perfectly natural by the way!), or just have a general interest in the subject, then please come along to meet others just like you!
Everyone is welcome, but please note that this is a discussion group rather than counselling.
P. S. Home baking is always welcome but we will also have refreshments available.
Photo by Silvestre Leon on Unsplash
A Little Something to Remember Me By...
Organised by Battlefield Community Project
Sunday 6th November, 2.00-4.00pm. Finn’s Place 167 Ledard Rd, Glasgow G42 9QU
Battlefield Community Project invites you to a crafty afternoon filled with opportunities to make tokens of remembrance for anyone who is no longer with us. We will be making rosemary wreaths, painting stones, creating decorations for our memorial tree and planting bulbs ready to burst with colour and life in the coming months.
We hope that this is an opportunity for our community to meet each other and share stories whilst creating beautiful tributes to those we miss.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of age or ability (we will have some volunteers around on the day to help you out!) We also encourage you to stick around for the community viewing of Coco hosted by Finns Place after our crafty afternoon.
Photo Credit: Julietta Watson via Unsplash
A Playlist to Remember - University Hospital Wishaw
Organised by University Hospital Wishaw Spiritual Care Department
Date: 1st to 14th November 2022
Location: University Hospital Wishaw
To Absent Friends is always a highlight for our Spiritual Care Department in NHS Lanarkshire. Our project this year, A Playlist to Remember, is based on our understanding of the deep and powerful connection between music and memory. It’s likely we have all experienced being transported to a different time and placed when listening to music. In our project we hope to reflect the wonder of music in reconnecting us, in memory, to loved ones and to others who have come into our lives. We are inviting people to help us create a ‘Playlist to Remember’. The process of gathering music will be creative and interactive, individual and communal. People will write their dedicated piece of music on a 7” vinyl record shaped card and attach it to a wall frieze in the sanctuary. This will produce a temporary growing art installation in each of our sanctuary spaces in University Hospitals Hairmyres, Monklands, and Wishaw. Contributors will receive a treble clef badge to remember taking part, encourage conversations with others, and raise awareness of our To Absent Friends project. Support will be available through the spiritual care and staff care teams and refreshments provided.
For more information, contact Harry McKenna or Lorna Fyfe on 01698 361100.
Photo credit: NHS Lanarkshire
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