PEOPLE from across Morecambe Bay are being invited to talk openly about dying in new pop up 'death cafes'.

Known as #MyLastOrders, the cafes aim to encourage conversations which can prevent a crisis at the end of life and break taboos surrounding death.

The cafes are led by Ian Dewar, the chaplain at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Ed Northey, site chaplain at the Furness General Hospital, volunteers and members of the palliative care team from University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

“Death and dying is dealt with too functionally and I feel we need to provide the space for people to sit and talk in a civil and reflective way about big issues," Mr Dewar said. "The #MyLastOrders cafes encourage these important conversations where they are most needed - within the community.”

People of all ages are welcome to attend the cafes and join in important and sometimes life changing discussions.

"It's space and permission to talk but it's done in a much more socially amenable way," Mr Dewar said. "Most people when they talk about major issues in life might do so within a strict professional framework but this puts the conversation in a social context."

To spark initial conversations the cafes utilise a material called ‘Grave Talk’ which is a set of cards with questions such as ‘would you wear bright colours to a funeral?’

Although the aim of #MyLastOrders cafes is to facilitate informal conversations between members of the public, professionals are on hand to answer any questions.

"People leave the meeting with some degree of resolve," Mr Dewar said. "To make a will or talk to their children about the end of life wishes and people walk away feeling relaxed."

So far there have been around 20 of the cafes and they have taken place at Westmorland General Hospital, Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General Hospital.

More recently, #MyLastOrders cafes have taken place specifically for junior doctors and nursing staff.

"The power of the concept is that there is no right or wrong answer, we want them to come up with their own philosophies," Mr Dewar said.

A new programme of cafes is in the process of being drawn up and to find out more contact ian.dewar@mbht.nhs.uk