Destigmatising death.
Making the most of life.
Visit our Poetry Libraries & Part of Life Playlist
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Visit our Poetry Libraries & Part of Life Playlist -
Our approach
A positive and honest space to discuss all things relating to death and dying.
From the latest in scientific research to compassionate conversations, Part of Life aims to destigmatise death to make the most of life.
Blog
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Grief Support at Christmas
Christmas can be a difficult time of year for those who are bereaved or grieving. We have compiled a list of resources that you can turn to when you need a break from the festivities to find some calm and solace.
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How to support someone grieving
Amy Jackson shares how best to offer support to someone who is grieving. It can be tricky to navigate a friend or family member’s grief, but here, Amy offers six invaluable tips.
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Assisted Dying Bill
On Friday 29 November, MPs voted in support of Kim Leadbeater’s private members’ Assisted Dying Bill. In this blog, we delve deeper into the issues of assisted dying and explore opinions on both sides of the debate.
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Grief Self Care
To mark National Self-Care Week, we asked guest blogger, Amy Jackson, for her wellbeing tips after experiencing a number of bereavements. Her Grief Self Care Guide provides simple and accessible ways to navigate grief.
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All Hallows Poem
Inspired by an Autumnal Halloween walk through Brompton Cemetery, London, Part of Life penned this poem to shine a light on the beauty, life, love and hope that lies deep within the walls of this historic place of rest.
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Body donation
Body donation is the act of giving your whole body after death to a medical school or research institution for use in education, research or training. So why do people choose to donate their bodies and how can you do it?
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Book Review
Following the death of it’s author, James Byron reviews, A beginner’s Guide to Dying; Simon Boas’s acclaimed and inspiring end of life journey. Discover what all the fuss was about and what Kathryn Mannix had to say about it.
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Doctors & Death
Nearly 80% of doctors have experienced a distressing patient event and many go on to suffer from depression and PTSD. Two Melbourne med' students, share how unprepared they felt and how they're tackling this important issue.
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Behind the scenes of a funeral home
What happens to the body after death is still one of the most popular search terms. We spoke to Family Tree Funerals to discover more about the after death process.
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Hospice Nature Trail
Dorothy House Hospice Care’s vision is of a society where death is part of life. They’re opening their site to anyone wishing to find a wellbeing space to reflect in nature, or to find serenity in grief.
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Is death really taboo?
Sue Brayne explains how her work with the Death Café movement has led her to believe that talking about death is no longer the taboo it once was, but what we lack is the understanding of how to talk about it.
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Review - Eternal You
In her second blog for Part of Life, Khadiza Laskor, a PhD Student at the University of Bristol’s Cyber Security Centre for Doctoral Training Programme, reviews ‘Eternal You’: a documentary about the Digital Afterlife Industry.
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Interview with Julie McFadden
Ahead of the launch of her debut book, Part of Life interviewed TikTok sensation @hospicenursejulie about the myths, misconceptions and beauty of death and dying.
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Digital Immortality
Khadiza Laskor met Gordon Bell a few months ago, just ahead of his recent death. In this blog she reflects upon his influence in the sphere of digital immortality and his role in capturing memories.
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MND study published
21 June, 2024 marks Global Motor Neurone Awareness Day. This date is selected for the special reason that it marks a solstice seen by many as a turning point in the year; the start of a new season of hope.
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Wild swimming and grief
There are many ways to connect with nature to access its mental health benefits. One popular method to immerse oneself in nature is wild swimming, discover more in our blog.
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A Good Goodbye
What makes a good goodbye? We invited independent funeral celebrant, and ex-social worker, Susanna Watson to share her thoughts on what elements make for a good and affordable funeral or send off.
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Taphophilia
Ever heard of Taphophilia? We asked the French tombstone tourist, Madame Cimetière, to share her love of cemetery photography and help us discover more about this beautiful and respectful art form.
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Part of Life Movie Library
Exploring end of life stories through film offers important life lessons and kickstart uncomfortable conversations. Movies are a moyenne through which to destigmatise death and dying.
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The Future of Grief
Part of Life spoke to Dr. Kate Woodthorpe, Co-Director of the Centre for Death and Society at Bath University, about how she came to work in death studies and where she believes the future of grief is heading.
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Part of Life Playlist
When there are no words, there is music. Our Playlist contains songs, music and podcasts from a wide range of genres, but all are designed to destigmatise death & grief. Tune in, skip or rewind and find your track.
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Dead Good Parties
Sisters, Katy and Lindsey founded DEAD GOOD, a not-for-profit, arts-based death education company that aims to end taboos around all things death and dying. Take a look at their Get Mortal Parties
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My Grief Playlist
Study beats, Saturday night party hits, hardcore workout anthems maybe, but a Grief Playlist? Amy Jackson shares her top five songs to grieve to. Listen along, share your top tunes and visit our Part of Life Playlist.
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Childhood Grief Awareness Week
Running from 16-23 November 2023, we asked Dorothy House Psychological Support Lead, Anne Montague to provide tips on how to support children through grief.
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The future of funerals
Many of the traditions associated with the modern British funeral are actually hundreds and thousands of years old. But nothing is permanent, and trends are now moving in a very different direction.
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Remembrance Poetry Library
To mark Remembrance Sunday, we have compiled a new war poetry library to offer space to reflect & honour the incredible sacrifice made so we can all make the most of life.
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Interview with Dr Hilda Hayo
In this wide-ranging interview, Dr Hilda Hayo, CEO of Dementia UK, outlines her top five myths about Dementia & reveals the tragic lack of support for Early Onset Dementia.
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What is your Digital Legacy
We interviewed James Norris of the Digital Legacy Association about how to curate the digital footprint we leave behind for our own peace of mind and for loved ones after we die.
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Interview with Kathryn Mannix
Wayne de Leeuw, ex-palliative care nurse and Chief Executive of Dorothy House Hospice, interviews writer, speaker and palliative care specialist, Kathryn Mannix.
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Interview with Dr Bernie Marden
As Chief Medical Officer, NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board, Dr Bernie Marden shares his personal and professional views on how death is a part of life.
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Interview with Dr Mark Luciani
Dr Luciani shares how he’s turning his GP burnout into a new and innovative EoL toolkit to reduce GP overwhelm, avoid crisis-management and improve patient outcomes.
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Dementia Care
In his second interview with Part of Life, ex-President of the BMA, Sir Al Aynsley Green shares his wife’s journey through dementia and calls for compassion to be at the heart of end of life care planning.
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A Grandparent's Grief
The death of a grandchild is hard to bear. But the death of three and his own wife, seems incomprehensible. Peter Hime, shares his perspectives on making death a part of life for children.
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What Matters To You?
BSW Junior Doctor, Eve Barnes, shares her perspectives on the What Matters to You movement and the importance of signing the charter ahead of What Matters to You Day on 9th June, 2023.
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From the mouths of babes…
19 year-old Jess’s Mum died in May 2021. In this honest and disarming interview Jess shares her experience of death, grief and bereavement and its catastrophic impact on her life.
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Interview with Sir Al Aynsley Green
From losing his father aged ten, to his time as England’s first Children’s Commissioner, hidden mourners and religions - Sir Al makes a passionate plea for change.
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Interview with Beth Nielsen Chapman
On grief, mortality and the power of music to heal, Nashville great, Beth shares her personal journey through diagnosis, dying, death & its impact on creativity.
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Interview with Vicky Krieps
Ahead of the UK premiere of More than Ever, we speak to Cannes award winner, Vicky Krieps to discuss death literacy in Hollywood and its power to change perceptions of death and dying.
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The Power of Nature
We come from nature and nature surrounds us, but what role can nature play at the end of life?
What does the research say and how are bio-phillic designers shaping modern healthcare architecture? -
End of life care & learning disabilities
People with learning disabilities & autism, die earlier & face little or no end-of-life care planning. Lynnette Glass, shares an ambition to change this inequality.
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Digital Legacy - Responsible Innovation?
Can digital legacies extend our relationships with loved ones from the grave, or are they fraught with risk and have the potential to affect the grieving process?
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Thinking ahead to the end of life
Age UK B&NES share their top tips for planning ahead for the end of life; from power of attorney, to difficult conversations, getting affairs in order can help reduce anxiety.
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Supporting teens through grief
It’s tough being a teenager. It becomes immeasurably harder when you’re losing, or have lost a loved one. Anne Montague, We Hear You, discusses how to support teens through grief.
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Death is a dirty word
Like birth, it is something that unites us all, yet death has become a dirty word, with our very vocabulary weaponised to combat its inevitability. Part of Life is here to change that.
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Burial customs from around the world
In the West, we are most familiar with burial and cremation. Further afield, the treatment of the dead can vary enormously. Here, we look at burial customs from around the world.
“Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.”
— HARUKI MARAKAMI
Resource Library