End of Life Doula UK

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End of Life Doula UK

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The membership association and community of practice for end of life doulas and doulas in training in the UK.

Our overriding objective is to encourage an approach to dying that is respectful and honours an individual’s life, identity and sense of self. We facilitate an atmosphere of loving support, kindness and dignity, whether at home, in a nursing home or hospital.

05/11/2026

Join us for a special online screening of a short film telling the story of The Luddenden Shroud, a hand-felted woollen shroud accompanied by a woven cradle crafted from foraged ivy, bramble, holly and willow.

Born from conversations between Rachel Hawthorn and her friend Janet, and commissioned as part of Culturedale, Calderdale's year of culture 2024/2025, the film explores a unique creative collaboration and our relationships with death, grief and the natural world.
The 30-minute film will be followed by a 30–45-minute Q&A and conversation, offering an opportunity to reflect on the themes raised and share thoughts with others.

6th December | 6.30–8pm
Tickets: £10 | Open to everyone

Book your place here: https://events.humanitix.com/the-luddenden-shroud-film-showing-and-q-and-a

Your ticket will also help raise funds for End of Life Doula UK as part of our Big Give Christmas Challenge, supporting our work to build understanding around death and dying and improve experiences of dying, death and bereavement.

04/11/2026

What does success mean when it comes to the end-of-life, and how might we rethink the ways we care for one another?

Join Dr Joseph Sawyer for a thoughtful online session exploring how we understand death, dying and loss, and what it means to live with experiences that cannot always be managed, resolved or overcome.

Drawing on the challenges death and dying present to our usual ideas of progress and success, this session will consider how we can develop a more open-hearted relationship with loss. Together, we'll explore how suffering can coexist with moments of beauty, connection and meaning, and how shared responsibility and our capacity to care for one another can help us find more considered ways of living with death and loss.

3rd December | 6.30–7.30pm
Tickets: £10 | Open to everyone

Book your place here: https://events.humanitix.com/what-does-success-mean-at-the-end-of-life-with-dr-joseph-sawyer

Your ticket will also help raise funds for End of Life Doula UK as part of our Big Give Christmas Challenge, supporting our work to build understanding around death and dying and improve experiences of dying, death and bereavement.

03/11/2026

Greg Wise has changed his mind about dying, and who better to explore this with him than Dr Kathryn Mannix

Join actor and author Greg Wise and palliative care doctor and author Dr Kathryn Mannix for a thoughtful, warm and honest conversation about dying, preparing and grieving, hosted by End of Life Doula UK as part of our Big Give Christmas Challenge events.

Drawing on Greg’s new book, Grief Talking, they’ll explore how understanding the dying process can ease fear, why talking about our wishes matters, how our relationships shape our experiences of loss, and the importance of finding ways to talk about grief.

The 45-minute conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A. If you can’t attend live, a recording of the discussion will be available to ticket holders.

2nd December | 6.30–8.00pm
Tickets: £10 | Open to everyone

Book your place here: https://events.humanitix.com/our-dying-is-not-ours-alone-greg-wise-and-dr-kathryn-mannix-in-conversation

Your ticket will also help raise funds for End of Life Doula UK, supporting our work to build understanding around death and dying and improve experiences of dying, death and bereavement.

02/11/2026

How can we rethink the ways we support health and wellbeing beyond traditional healthcare settings, and what can we learn from community-centred approaches around the world?

Join Cormac Russell for a special online workshop exploring innovative, community-centred approaches to health. Drawing on promising international practice, this session will consider how we can bridge the gap between clinical services and community support, recognising health as something we create together.

Together, we'll explore how healthcare professionals can look beyond institutional boundaries to strengthen community connections, support shared responsibility for health and wellbeing, and develop approaches that place people, dignity and connection at the heart of care.

1 December | 6.30–7.30pm
Tickets: £10 | Open to everyone

Book your place through our Humanitix profile and join us for a thought-provoking conversation about community, connection and new ways of approaching health and care.

Your ticket will also help raise funds for End of Life Doula UK as part of our Big Give Christmas Challenge, supporting our work to build understanding around death and dying and improve experiences of dying, death and bereavement.

31/10/2026

There is no set list of things you need to discuss with an end of life doula.

You might want to talk about fears or acceptance around dying, worries about family or friends, unfinished business, memories and your legacy, hopes or the things you still want to do. You might have questions about what lies ahead, or find it difficult to put your feelings into words.

You might not want to talk about dying at all.

An end of life doula can offer space to explore what's on your mind, without judgement or pressure to find answers. They can also support conversations with those important to you, if that is something you would find helpful.

If you would like support from an end of life doula please head to our website (eol-doula.uk) and submit the short form on our contact page.

29/10/2026

Could you help shape the future of End of Life Doula UK? We’re recruiting two new trustees and we’d love your help getting this opportunity in front of the right people.

Our work is about supporting people approaching the end-of-life and those important to them, strengthening community caring capacity, and changing how we understand and approach dying. As our charity develops, we want to grow our reach and influence, build partnerships and help more people access end of life doula support. We’re looking for people who can bring experience, ideas and professional connections to help us do that.

We’d particularly welcome expertise in:

• Communications, public affairs or campaigning
• Government, policy and influencing
• NHS commissioning and the wider health and care system
• Strategy and organisational development
• Law and governance
• Fundraising and income generation

You don’t need previous trustee experience or a background in end-of-life care, and we certainly don’t expect one person to bring all these skills. This is a voluntary role, with four Board meetings a year: three online and one full day in person, plus preparation and occasional input between meetings. We ask for a three-year commitment.

To apply, send your CV or LinkedIn profile and a short statement about your interest and what you would bring to our Chair [email protected] by Wednesday 25th November 2026. Louise is also happy to arrange an informal conversation.

Please tag/share this with your networks or send it directly to someone who might be interested. Thank you!

28/10/2026

An end of life doula offers non-medical, practical, emotional, and (if requested) spiritual support to people who are approaching the end-of-life, as well as those important to them.

Every person and situation is different, so the support a doula offers will be different too. It might mean having someone to talk to, spending time together in companionship, exploring fears or hopes, helping with small everyday tasks, or supporting conversations about wishes, preferences and advance planning.

Some people want space to talk openly about dying. Others might prefer an open chat about their end-of-life over a cup of tea, a walk, help with practical arrangements or simply the reassurance of having someone there.

There is no set way to work with an end of life doula. The support is shaped around the individual, their needs and what matters most to them.

21/10/2026

Meet Karen, one of our members based in the North East.

‘’I am based in County Durham and work across Durham, Gateshead, Sunderland, Newcastle and South Tyneside. I offer support face to face, by phone and online. I have lived experience to provide safe, affirming support to people from LGBTQIA+ communities. I also have skills in supporting people with a learning disability to understand what is happening as they or a family member is approaching the end of life. I can support with preparation and planning, companionship, rituals and grief support.’’

If you would like to get in touch with Karen, or find an end of life doula near you, please reach out to us through the contact form on our website.

14/10/2026

End of Life Doula UK is looking for an experienced Communications and Events Officer to manage our external communications across social media and other digital platforms, coordinate events, and support communications with our members and stakeholders.

You’ll bring strong writing skills, experience of managing organisational social media and organising events, and confidence creating engaging materials in Canva. The role is 6 hours per week (with ambitions to increase subject to funding) paid at £16–£20 per hour depending on experience.

Please see the attached role description for full responsibilities and requirements. If you’re interested in applying, please send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected] by 5pm on Wednesday 4th November. Interviews will be held online in mid to late November, with a start date by the end of November.

We’d also be grateful if you could tag/share this opportunity with people in your network who may be interested.

07/10/2026

Death, dying, and grief are universal human experiences, and improving support means engaging with policymakers across the political spectrum. Our charity's role is to contribute our experience and policy recommendations to these conversations, independently of party political alignment.

With that purpose, we attended the Green Party Conference this weekend to share recommendations on funeral practices, health and social care, and inclusive end-of-life care.

Our fringe session included an exploration of the changes needed to improve care for q***r and Global Majority individuals, and to ensure that care and funeral practices respect people of all faiths and none. Everyone should have access to support that recognises their identity, relationships, beliefs and wishes.

We were very pleased to share the stage with Lucas, one of our members, who chaired our session.

We also had many meaningful conversations with attendees who were caring for someone at the end-of-life or interested in training to become end of life doulas themselves.

Our policy recommendations draw on the experiences of the people our members support, our community work across the UK, and the wealth of knowledge within our membership. We are keen to work with elected representatives across parties, at local and national levels, to improve end-of-life care and support within communities - if you'd like to speak to us please get in touch.

Address

Lewes

Telephone

+4401137339100

Website

https://eol-doula.uk/contact-us/, https://eol-doula.uk/

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