BrumYODO - A Matter of Life and Death Festival

BrumYODO’s events for Dying Matters Awareness Week in May 2022

This isn’t a sponsored post.

BrumYODO’s events for Dying Matters Awareness Week in May 2022

Via Diane for BrumYODO

Brummies are invited to start chatting at a series of Let’s Talk events in this year’s A Matter of Life and Death Festival.

Organised by BrumYODO, a community interest company dedicated to encouraging open and honest conversation about death, dying and grief, the free events offer informal and safe spaces for discussion.
Taking place during the national Dying Matters Awareness Week from 2nd to 6th May, BrumYODO is working with museums, community centres, cafés and a natural burial ground to host the festival.

BrumYODO – A Matter of Life and Death Festival

The week features a number of Death Cafés, free events at which people gather for informal chats around subjects linked to death and dying. These are scheduled to take place at:

  • Soho House Museum in Handsworth on 3rd May between 11am and12.30pm
  • Galanos House Community Hub in Southam, Warwickshire on 5th May between 2.30pm and 4pm
  • Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground in Lower Tysoe, Warwickshire on 5th May between 6pm and 7.30pm
  • Bearwood Community Hub on 6th May between Noon and 1.15pm.

Tell it To the Bees at Moseley Hive sees local storyteller Pyn Stockman sharing the tale of the Bee Charmer, a story of loss and belonging. Beginning at 6pm on 4th May, it is followed by an optional Death Café.

Death Over Drinks at the Anjuna Lounge in Stirchley on 5th May between 6.30pm and 8pm is a discussion alongside Indian street food and drinks.

And on 7th May between 1pm and 3pm, the BrumYODO team pair up with Weoley Castle for Death in the Middle Ages, a tour of the castle grounds and exploration of commemorations carried out hundreds of years ago.

BrumYODO – A Matter of Life and Death Festival

Now in its sixth year, A Matter of Life and Death Festival uses cultural and arts events as a springboard to explore issues around death and dying. Previous festivals have included theatre, dance, art and photography exhibitions, creative workshops, films and walking tours. Last year, BrumYODO partnered with Birmingham Hippodrome to bring Luke Jerram’s art installation In Memoriam to Aston Park.

BrumYODO chair Anna Lock said:

A Matter of Life and Death is now firmly established in Birmingham’s festival calendar and this year it feels more important than ever. COVID-19 has led many of us to re-think our attitudes towards death and dying and the need to talk to our loved ones about these subjects.

At BrumYODO we believe that honest and open conversation about death and dying not only helps us to understand the choices our loved ones make but also to encourage society as a whole not to shy away from what is, after all, an inevitable part of life.

This year’s festival comes just two months after Birmingham was officially designated the UK’s first Compassionate City and we are pleased that our events help secure Birmingham’s place as a city where we support each other through the most difficult of times.”

All of this year’s A Matter of Life and Death events are free although there may be costs for refreshments. Places need to be booked in advance, for more information and to book see brumyodo.org.uk.

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