Our campaign has already got people talking; yesterday it was featured in the Independent and London Evening Standard and there’s more to come.

At this stage the real Death Café is just a proposal.  If you’d like to make it a reality, we need your support.  Here’s how you can get involved.

1. Buy shares

On October 19th we’ll launch a community share offer. Anyone over 16 can buy one or more of these not-for-profit shares. They will cost £50 each, which will go towards the costs involved in setting up the space.

If you want to see this project happen and your circumstances allow, please consider buying one or more shares in Death Café London.

We’ll let you know as soon as the share offer goes live.

2. Spread the word

If we’re going to meet our fundraising target we need to spread the word.  You can get the word out by sharing this project with your family, friends, communities and  networks.

3. Record a video clip for our fundraising video

We’re making a video to explain our project. Anyone who has the equipment, time and inclination can easily get involved. 

All you have to do is film yourself saying 'I support Death Cafe London because......' and upload the video here: https://www.hightail.com/u/flexiblefilms  

.Mov or MPEG4 or WMV files are all good. 

Please send in your film by the 8th October 2015.

4. Express your support in our key documents

We’re inviting organizations working with death and dying to publicly support Death Café London.

If you’d like to do this, please email Jon at underwoodjon@gmail.com:

1. Indicating your organisation supports the project.

2. Offering any quotes of support which you’re happy to be attributed to you in the form “We support Death Café London because…”

The content would feature in our business plan.  If you’d like to do this, we’d love to hear from you by the 7th October.

5. Share our press release

We’ve put together the press release below. If you have contacts in the media, anywhere in the world, please share it with them.

Death Café press releases – FINAL FOR SEND OUT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘Real’ Death Café to bring death to the community

London is to get its very first ‘real’ Death Café - a coffee shop and events venue established specifically to explore one of life’s most awkward subjects - its end. As well as an open café space, Death Café London will feature arts, events, meetings and training exploring death, dying and related topics.

The objective of Death Café is ‘to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.’  Death Café’s allow people to talk about death with no agendas, objectives or guest speakers. 

Death Café was started in the United Kingdom by Jon Underwood in September 2011, influenced by the ideas of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz.  Since then, over 2000 Death Cafés have been held in over 30 countries. Death Café has attracted global attention, with coverage in the New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, BBC and many more.

Until now, Death Cafés have operated as pop up events in homes or venues.  The permanent Death Café will run as a non-profit Community Benefit Society owned and managed by those who support it.  It will be funded by a community share offer, going live in October 2015, with shares priced at £50 each.

“I’m certain that Death Café London will be both beneficial for society and a chance for learning and discussion,” Underwood explains.  “The time is right to offer a place where people can come to engage with death.  More and more people are expressing support and getting involved.  Death Café London is committed to enabling all people – especially individuals with marginalized identities – to safely buy shares in, work at, use and shape the venture.”

In February 2015, a vote was held on the Death Café website to decide whether a ‘real’ Death Café should open in London.  91% voted in favour, and the project was launched.  “Death Café London will only exist if lots of people really want it to,” says Underwood.

For more information, please contact:

Louise de Winter

louise@louise-de-winter.com

+44 7506 315591