Swaffham event to shed light on end-of-life services
A free event in the new year will give people the chance to learn more about the services available to them as their lives draw to a close.
Annie Barber is organising the session at Swaffham’s Assembly Rooms on January 25, which will run from 10am-3pm.
Operating with the slogan ‘With The End In Mind’, she is hoping to offer a space where practitioners and experts in the end-of-life sector can speak with people and their families who will benefit from their work.
It will give the professionals an opportunity to share what they do and how they can be of service, as well as giving the public a chance to ask questions and gain the information they need.
Annie says an example may be when someone wants to know what support would be available that would enable them to die at home.
People may also want to know how they can access will-writing services, how to leave money in trusts for their grandchildren, or about natural burials.
“I know that speaking about death is always going to be difficult, and even painful sometimes,” Annie, who lives in West Dereham, said.
“But not having these conversations often leaves people with regret. People will often say this to me in my role as a funeral celebrant.
“I also know this from personal experience - in my career working within the NHS but also having cared for my sister through her terminal illness.
“It has been interesting that as I've connected with local professionals to speak about them attending on the day, I have been told many times how needed this type of event is.”
There will be a range of experts exhibiting on the day, such as home support services, end of life doulas, therapists to help with symptom management, will writers, and financial experts.
There will also be home hospice teams, grief counselling services, funeral directors, celebrants, and tribute and memorial creators.
“I hope this gives a little flavour of what I'm trying to create in Swaffham,” Annie added.
“This is the first of four events that will run in 2025 - with the aim of making conversations about the end of life a little more 'normal' and easier to have.”
