Coffin Club Tunbridge Wells

Lots of interesting conversations at tonight’s coffin club!

Join the conversation this Friday at Leaf & Bean cafe, Southborough - everyone is welcome!

Hi - I’m Joy Neal.

I live in Rusthall near Tunbridge Wells and I am an independent celebrant (www.joyfulcelebrancy.com)

As a funeral celebrant I often see first-hand how unprepared we are for death when it happens close to us.
Death and dying are topics that many people don’t feel comfortable discussing - but I believe that needs to change!

‘Death Literacy’ (increasing awareness of the facts about death and dying) is something I’m passionate about.
I have teamed up with Coffin Club UK to offer Tunbridge Wells based monthly drop-ins which are free and open to everyone.

The aim is to provide a safe space to bring your questions, stories and experiences around death and dying.
There will often be ‘guest experts’ there to help answer questions, but the format is just open, informal conversation over a cuppa.

Do come along and join the conversation!
(And feel free to message me if you’d like to know more!)

Our next Coffin Club conversation is this Friday, 27th February from 5.30-7pm at Leaf & Bean cafe in southborough.

This months topic is ‘Talking to children about death’ (…..though honestly, no death & dying related topic is off limits. The whole purpose of our meet ups is to break the taboos around conversations about death and dying)

All are welcome, and it’s FREE (though you’re welcome to buy refreshments)

Just pop along, or drop us a DM if you’d like to know more.

It was wonderful to be joined by Kate T (one of the founders of Coffin Club UK) at our drop-in last week.
Also in the photo is the lovely Denise - one of the owners of Leaf and Bean cafe who kindly host our monthly meetings (…and who makes the best flat whites around ☕️!
Our theme this month was ‘what could we be thinking about now?’ - as in, before death feels immanent, what admin, paperwork and plans could we be making now so that when the time comes we are more prepared ☺️
Next month our topic is ‘talking to children about death’ - so if you have experiences, questions or thoughts, come along on Feb 27th at 5.30pm and join the conversation!

Enjoying frosty walks with my kids last weekend……

And always, alongside the love I have for them is the heart-stopping terror that I might not be here to help them navigate the years ahead.

In my line of work it’s impossible to avoid the reality that death sometimes comes unexpectedly, and earlier than we hope. And that parents of children sometimes leave them sooner than they wanted to 💔

But instead of being paralysed by fear of such unthinkable, unpredictable heartbreak, perhaps we could use it to motivate ourselves to put some plans in place.

- Do you have a recently updated will?

- Have you named a person to look after your kids if you’re unable to?

- Have you set up lasting power of attorney should you need it?

- Do you even know what ‘getting your affairs in order’ involves?!!

Because mortality isn’t just something for ‘old people’ to think about.
And making plans gives us agency and control, and can help mitigate some of those middle-of-night terrors.

This month’s Coffin Club Tunbridge Wells drop-in is all about getting practical and tackling the overwhelm of this topic!
It’s for people at any stage of life who want open conversations and good advice about what we could be doing to prepare for the inevitability of the end of life.
Each month we have guest experts and informal, informative conversations about the stuff that really matters!!

This month It’s on Friday 16th Jan 5.30-7pm at in Southborough.

All welcome, free entry!

A warm welcome at Leaf & Bean for our first ever Coffin Club Tunbridge wells meet last week.
Come and join us next time!
Friday 16th Jan at 6.30pm is our next drop-in and the conversation will be all about planning ahead - what, when and how to plan for the end (spoiler: it’s never too soon to start!)

I loved this wallpaper in the function room at The Alma in Sidcup - a proper old fashioned boozer!

We held a lovely celebration of life here a couple of weeks ago for a very special lady who’d spent most of her life living and working very close to this pub.

Did you know that you can hold a funeral in a pub, or any venue of your choice?
With the venue’s permission, most funeral directors will be happy to bring a coffin to a pub, or a hotel or even your front room - wherever you feel most comfortable.
And then you can have the ceremony and the celebration all together in one place without any time limitations, and enjoy a drink or two while you say your farewells.

(….Just a lime & soda for me on this occasion as I had to drive home afterwards 😉)

If you’d like to know more about different options for honouring the end of life, come along to Coffin Club Tunbridge Wells and join the conversation!

Join the conversation!
Everyone is welcome, entry is free and great food and drinks are available if you’d like them at Leaf & Bean Cafe in Southborough.
Check out upcoming dates and topics …….