THIS month will see the first ever meeting of a new Death Cafe in Saffron Walden.

Bringing the subject of death out in the open, residents in the town are being invited to talk about ‘kicking the bucket’ over a cup of tea or coffee.

It will take place at the Friends Meeting House on the high street on Wednesday June 26 from 7-9.30pm.

Gardener and complementary therapist Ritama Rudder came up with the idea of starting a Death Cafe in the town after attending similar events elsewhere.

“Inspired by the Death Cafe I visited and the interest it generated amongst people from all walks of life to simply talk about their experiences around death and dying, it seemed natural to me to open up the conversation to others,” she said.

“We share two things with all other living things – birth and death. We honour and celebrate the first, why not the latter?”

Death Cafes were first started in the UK in 2011 as a movement to provide a relaxed and safe environment to bring greater awareness to death and its impact on life.

Typically the discussion – moderated by a host – can involve why people find it difficult to mention death, what ‘a good death’ means, what happens after death and the grieving process.

Ms Rudder will co-host the evening with psychotherapist and meditation facilitator, Maneesha James. The event is free but donations to cover the cost of cake and refreshments are welcome. To book call Ms Rudder on 01799 599589 or e-mail devaritama@gmail.com