Pictured: Jane Duncan Rogers who launched Before I Go Solutions.
An organisation which promotes good end of life planning is rolling out its workshops online and hopes to reach a wider audience than originally planned.
Before I Go Solutions, which encourages people to make informed choices and practical decisions such a preparing a will and appointing a power of attorney had planned to hold face-to-face workshops across Moray and Highland after it successfully gained funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.
However, due to the impact of Covid 19, it is trialling the Dead Good Cake and Chat event as a virtual ‘meet up’ and believes there could be more positives of being online.
Leading the workshops on behalf of Before I Go Solutions is Dr Cornelia Featherstone, who has been working in the end of life field for many years.
She said:
“Covid 19 has a lot to answer for and way back in March we had planned a series of face-to-face events to help people understand the importance of having a good end of life plan.
“However, we had to put those plans on hold and although we are slowly returning to normality, we have decided to trial the Dead Good Cake and Chat workshops online.
“The advantages of this are that we are not limited to a geographic area and indeed hope to welcome people from all over Scotland.
“Also, talking about death can be a sensitive issue for some, so the advantage of doing our workshops live via the internet means that people can sign up but can engage with the event from the comfort of their own home and listen.
“Participation is encouraged, and positive discussion about death and end of life planning is what we are about, but equally it’s not essential.”
Cornelia added:
“The main disadvantage is that we usually provide the cake, but for now, people will have to bring their own!”
Jane Duncan Rogers who launched Before I Go Solutions, a social enterprise in 2016 following her husband’s death said she was delighted to be able to reach out to a wider group.
“Of course, there are advantages to meeting people face-to-face, but we also see huge benefits in bringing our workshops online.
“I am very much looking forward to being able to get the Before I Go Solutions message on the road and to be able to offer help and advice to people who want to have meaningful conversation about end of life planning.
“We are grateful to have received the funding.
“The workshops are open to anyone, but they will be extremely relevant for carers.
“This is a group of the population which is often vulnerable, under-resourced and at times lonely.
“Caring for a loved one is exhausting and frightening and having to also consider what end of life plans might be needed can be overwhelming.
“We hope that through the Dead Good Cake ‘n’ Chat online events we can impart some of our knowledge and make the process that little bit easier.”
The first workshop will take place on August 19.
The event will run between 6.30-8pm with ‘doors’ opening at 6pm.
Registration is essential to gain access to the workshop which will have a capacity for 10 attendees.
