DEATH is something we will all be affected by, but something we don’t usually talk about, or prepare for. It is still the elephant in the room!

Deb Wilkes is a nurse from Southampton working in end of life care, and her partner Chris Townsend is an outdoor educator with primary school children. Both have 25 years experience in their fields, and recognise the importance of not ‘brushing death under the carpet’ but having healthy conversations at any age.

The pair are bringing Dead Good Days to Southampton, a series of events this month and in November, aimed at getting people thinking, listening and talking about death, dying, life and loss,

There are many events planned. These include sessions to help ‘get things sorted’ with ‘Advance Care Planning,’ the chance to chat your thoughts and experiences at the ‘Death Chat Café’, a dozen bands are delivering ‘A Dead Good Music Night,’ a stroll through Southampton cemetery with a ‘A Lively Walk with Death,’. true tale and folk tales with ‘Deathly Storytelling Club,’ as well artistic expressions at ‘A Dead Good Drawing and Watercolour Workshop’.

The main day will be on Sat, November 10. This will be a family friendly community event at St Denys Church from 11am to 5.30pm. It will be a an intriguing, revealing, uplifting and at many times a fun event but with important messages at heart.

The day will include the chance to listen to short talks about ‘Hospice at the heart of the Community’, ‘Archaeolocical Anecdotes’ ‘A Death Doulas Reflections on Dying,’ and longer sessions on ‘Being with Someone who is Dying,’ ‘Planning the perfect Funeral’ and ‘Making Sense of Grief’.

There will be coffin painting with the Natural Death Centre and local funeral director Jonathan Terry.

You can write on the ‘Do Before I Die Board’, to help you to think about what is important to you now, and collage a life mask and decorate sugar skulls Mexican style.

October Books will have a stall, and there will be experienced people to talk to plus live music.

For more info about all of the events, visit www.deadgooddays.com