Festival 2025
The To Absent Friends festival takes place across Scotland from 1-7 November 2025.
It is an opportunity to remember, to tell stories, to celebrate and to reminisce about people we love who have died. To Absent Friends, a People’s Festival of Storytelling and Remembrance is an opportunity to revive lost traditions and create new ones.
Below is a list of the events taking place around Scotland and online.
Cafe of Reminiscence
Organised by Heart of Yew Ceremonies
Loanhead Library, Loanhead Centre George Ave, Loanhead EH20 9LA
Wednesday 5 November, 6:30-8pm
This activity is open to the public. Please register in advance.
Community celebrant Emily Porth will facilitate this informal Cafe of Reminiscence. A Café of Reminiscence is an opportunity to share stories and memories of the people we have loved who have died, in a welcoming environment over tea and biscuits. It can be held among friends, but can work even better among strangers.
Bring a photo of your loved one and a mug. Free to attend.
Please register on Eventbrite or by email (hello@emilyporth.co.uk) so we have enough tea & biscuits.
A Day to Remember
Organised by Families Outside
Govan, Glasgow (exact location given at registration)
1 November 2025
This event is for the Families Outside community.
Families bereaved through a death in prison often grieve alone – a ‘disenfranchised grief’ unsupported in wider society. This remembrance event brings these families together through this shared experience to commemorate their family members through mutual support and without judgement.
Through tailored activities, families will be invited to talk about the family member who passed away, what they liked to do, and what they enjoyed. The comfort and safety of joining together with people united through this utterly unique experience of grief aims to provide support, positive memories, and closure. The event will include lunch for everyone to mingle and chat.
The event is being held in Glasgow in the Govan area, at a fully accessible venue. For more information or to join this event, please contact events@familiesoutside.org.uk or phone our free Helpline service on 0800 254 0088. Please register your place by Monday 27th October, 5pm.
To learn more about what you can expect on the day, read this reflection piece written by a family member who attended last years event.
For more information about Families Outside and the support we offer, visit www.familiesoutside.org.uk.
Please note that this event is not open to the public.
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