A chance to share cake, tea and meet fresh faces while exploring the sensitive subject of death is heading to Sherwood. Local resident Pamela Davis, who moved to the area from the capital, is launching the Death Café locally, with the goal of encouraging candid conversations about dying. At 65, Pamela chose to establish this gathering after attending a similar meeting at a hospice on Woodborough Road. The Death Café is designed to provide a relaxed setting for discussions without any set agenda, objectives or predetermined subjects. Participants are free to share their opinions about death openly and without judgment.

Over time, numerous Death Cafés have appeared throughout Nottingham, though this represents the first time the concept has come to Sherwood. Ms Davis recently offered her thoughts ahead of the first Sherwood Death Café planned for May 11. She explained that she went to a Death Café at Nottinghamshire Hospice several years ago, and it offers an invaluable space to talk about something that remains largely taboo. She says she is not there to lead the discussion; guests come with their own questions and so on. Each person brings their own perspective and something to add. She invites people to bring contributions, though speaking is not required. There must be no coercion; it must feel like a safe and thoughtful environment. She will be there to make certain everyone has a chance to speak.

The café will be held on the second Monday of each month from 7pm until 9pm. Following news of the event, Ms Davis said she had received considerable response from locals eager to take part. The open conversation about life’s final chapter over drinks and cake was established in 2011 by Jon Underwood, and since then more than 23,000 Death Cafés have taken place across 97 nations. She said it is about giving people the space to talk; there is clearly interest, and she has had lots of enquiries. She added that the atmosphere at the Nottinghamshire Hospice event was very friendly, with small group seating, just like having coffee but with the ability to discuss anything about death. She believes that the more comfortable we become discussing death, which is unavoidable for all of us, the more we tend to actually embrace life. Time is precious, and we should not waste it, and existence on this earth is quite a privilege. She simply wants to make her life as fulfilling as possible. We will see how the turnout develops.