The Culture of Dying Matters

This week, communities around the UK have come together for Dying Matters Awareness Week. Running from 5–11 May 2025, the week is a national campaign led by Hospice UK and is an opportunity to talk, listen and reflect on one of the most universal experiences we all share: death and dying.

This year’s theme, The Culture of Dying Matters, asks us to think about how different communities, cultures and faiths in the UK understand and respond to death. While there are many differences in the ways people mark the end of life – whether through rituals, language, or customs – at the heart of it all are feelings we all recognise: grief, loss, love, and remembrance.

At St Nicholas Hospice Care, we support people from all walks of life as they face the reality of dying, caring for someone who is, or begin to navigate life after a bereavement. These are powerful moments – and what we’ve learned, time and again, is that while no two people grieve in quite the same way, many people need space to talk, to be heard, and to be understood.

And yet, despite how natural death is, it’s still one of the hardest things to talk about. Too often, people are unsure how to start the conversation, or worry they’ll say the wrong thing. In some cultures, and communities, the topic can still feel taboo, surrounded by fear, silence, or discomfort. That silence may create isolation – just when people need support the most.

That’s why highlighting Dying Matters Awareness Week is so important. It’s about breaking down the stigma around death, dying and grief. It’s about encouraging all of us to be more open, more compassionate, and more willing to talk – whether that’s with our loved ones, our communities, or our care professionals.

There’s no single “right” way to have these conversations. They can start with a quiet chat at the kitchen table, a memory shared over tea, or a question asked in passing that opens the door to a deeper reflection. For some, it might be writing down their wishes; for others, sharing a story about someone they’ve lost. It’s about what works for you and the people around you.

One of the most powerful things we can do is to listen – not to fix, or to advise, but simply to bear witness to someone’s experience. When we make space for these conversations, we give people the chance to feel seen and supported, and to find meaning in the moments that matter most.

We also open up opportunities to plan ahead. Talking about what we want at the end of our lives – how we want to be cared for, where we want to be, and what’s important to us – means those around us don’t have to guess or worry. It’s a gift we can give them, and ourselves.

At the Hospice, we have marked Dying Matters Awareness Week by starting more of these conversations in our community – through a market stall, inviting people to the Hospice for one of our GraveTalk sessions which explored at life, death, society, funerals and grief, and simply making ourselves available to talk.

Whether we’re young or old, religious or not, born here or somewhere else – death touches us all. And so does love. When we talk more openly about dying, we honour both.

This week, and beyond, let’s remember: the Culture of Dying Matters. Let’s be brave enough to talk, kind enough to listen, and open enough to share.