Death Cafe

What is Dying Matters Awareness Week, and what is happening?

St Michael’s Hospice is inviting its community to get talking about death, dying, and bereavement during this year’s Dying Matters Awareness Week (4–10 May 2026).

Every year, people around the UK use Dying Matters Awareness Week, led by Hospice UK, as a moment to encourage all communities to get talking in whatever way, shape or form works for them. 

Death, dying and bereavement affect us all. Yet 27% of people find it hard to talk about death with family or friends, and 30% bottle their feelings up.* If we don’t talk about death and dying and bereavement, it can be harder to cope when we experience it.

The mission of Dying Matters is to break down the stigma and taboo of talking about death and dying. But sometimes, it’s hard to know where to start.

This Dying Matters Awareness Week is focusing on the importance of conversations about death and dying – with family, friends, employers, anyone in your life – helping people to get the conversation started.

There is no need to book – just turn up.