Festival 2026
Remembering Absent Friends
Organised by Café Conversations
Community event: 7 November 2026
Floral tribute: 1-7 November 2026
Eddleston Village Hall (event) and main road (floral display)
Both activities will be public.
Café Conversations has been set up as a resource for the community of Eddleston. Informed by the national Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief (GLGDGG) initiative it provides a non-judgmental space for people to ask and discuss the big questions about living, dying and grieving.
Our 2026 ‘To Absent Friends’ project will have two strands. The first is a community event, which will take place in the village on Saturday 7th November 2026. Tea, coffee and a plentiful supply of cake will be offered, as we have found from past experience that by sharing refreshments, people are more willing to talk and to share their experiences, and in so doing offer support and solace to others. Through our event we aim to provide a safe space, where laughter, tears, or just chat are all equally welcome.
The second is a repeat of an activity we have undertaken in previous years using TAF funding. This is to make and place a ‘To Absent Friends’ floral tribute. This was positioned such that it could be viewed and enjoyed by residents of the entire community, users of the multi-use path that now passes through the village, and by the much larger group of individuals travelling through the village by car, van or bus every day. We know from feedback we received in past years that this floral tribute to those who are no longer with us, particularly with the adjacent bench, created an important space, both real and virtual, for private reflection and contemplation, and was greatly appreciated by many.
This activity is supported by a To Absent Friends small grant.
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