Death Caf

Death cafes are unusual venues for those who want to speak about passing on.

19:09 24 September 2015

Jon Underwood, a funeral advisor, has launched an online crowdfunding with the goal to open the first death café in London. The concept is to provide a venue for those who want to talk about passing on.

 

The 42-year-old married dad-of-two, has run a pop-up death café in Hackney since 2011.

 

A website called Deathcafe.com, provided an explanation. "At a Death Cafe people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death.

 

"Our objective is ' to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives'. 

 

"A Death Cafe is a group-directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes."

 

The Evening Standards has confirmed that there’s have so far been more than 2,000 death cafes held across 30 countries. It offers venues for discussion groups rather than a grief support or counselling sessions.

 

Jon explains: "The time is right to offer a place where people can come to engage with death.

 

"More and more people are expressing support and getting involved. Death Café London is committed to enabling all people – especially individuals with marginalized identities – to safely buy shares in, work at, use and shape the venture."