Dying Matters Awareness Week: Let鈥檚 Talk about Death

看片狂人

Photo: Caldicott School

Death is not a subject any of us particularly wants to think about. But the past year has prompted many families to have conversations that may not have cropped up in ‘normal’ times – including discussing the important but tricky subject of dying.

This week is (10–16 May). To mark the event, the – set up by former England cricket captain Sir Andrew Strauss in memory of his late wife, Ruth – has released interesting research about how and when families talk about dying. According to this survey of 1,000 parents of school-age children, two-thirds of parents say they are comfortable talking to their children about death and dying. Many feel that the Covid-19 pandemic has made them more willing and open to talk about it – while three in five parents believe that their child’s school has a role to play in supporting conversations about death.

The Ruth Strauss Foundation was founded to provide guidance to parents and to encourage them to have open and honest conversations with their children about death – about which Sir Andrew has often spoken since Ruth died in 2018. It was Ruth’s wish for families to have access to much-needed emotional support to ensure they remain connected and are able to prepare for grief, death and dying.

‘It’s encouraging to see that so many parents feel comfortable speaking to their children about death,’ says Sir Andrew. ‘Opening up to children and young people about grief, death and dying is very important so that when faced by such difficult moments, they know that talking about it is OK – it’s not a taboo. We, as adults, need to give kids permission to talk about this.’

Schools up and down the country have been throwing their support behind the charity, including Caldicott – which over the past year has raised money through many pupil-led initiatives, including a ‘Read for Ruth’ whole-school readathon, mufti days, concerts, designing and selling face masks and a sponsored hike of Hadrian’s Wall.

‘Ruth was a former parent, and Sir Andrew Strauss is an Old Caldicotian, so the whole Caldicott community hold memories of Ruth dear in their hearts,’ says Jo Duncan, the head of Caldicott’s charity committee.

Last year, green-fingered pupils helped plant hundreds of red tulips around the school grounds, which are now in full bloom. ‘After such a challenging year and one where many have lost loved ones, it was heartwarming to see tulips bringing colour to the Caldicott grounds,’ Jo tells us. ‘They offer us all a chance to reflect – the importance of coming together and having open and supportive conversations has never been so important or valuable.’

Wellington College has also been helping raise awareness for the Ruth Strauss Foundation. Over the past year, the school community has fundraised a brilliant £45,000 for the charity – and joined in with the organisation’s tulip-planting initiative to help raise awareness and spread some much-needed cheer during a difficult time for us all. Back in December, sixth-formers planted more than 750 tulip bulbs in the College grounds – and the results speak for themselves…

To find out more about your school can get involved, click .

看片狂人

Dying Matters Awareness Week: Let鈥檚 Talk about Death

TE Schools Advice