Don’t think it can’t happen to you! Imagine taking your A-levels while physically addicted to heroin, let alone being admitted to an inpatient detox the same week as your A-Level results are due. Read Damian’s story of how he managed to quit 21 years later …
We are holding a service of remembrance in memory of those lost in recent years to mental health and addiction issues. It would be great if you could join us during this time of reflection to come together as a community…
As the rest of the world waits to get back to ‘normal’ as we come through the Covid pandemic, some of us are taking life-changing actions. Congratulations to Julie for reaching 8 months sober and thank you for sharing your story with us. #RecoveryContagion
Thank you to Rosie for writing and sharing her recovery story with us. The Covid pandemic has tested us all. To be 8 months into recovery is a wonderful achievement and now, just as Tom showed you it was possible, you are now showing others. Well done! #RecoveryContagion
Following our announcement of TBRP being awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in June, we were recently honoured to have had not one, but two visits and presentations to receive the award crystal and certificate.
Thank you to Sam for writing and sharing his recovery story with us. The challenges over the past 12 months have been difficult for everyone but changing your whole life around and remaining in recovery is an amazing effort. Well done Sam!
After being admitted to hospital for physical alcohol problems; I knew I couldn’t get better on my own. I registered with CRS to get some help and started groups in Todmorden…
WY&H HCP is funding 10 Green Social Prescribing Projects, which help connect people to nature to improve their mental and physical health. TBRP is regenerating a disused and neglected piece of land in an area of deprivation…
Thank you to Kelly for writing and sharing her recovery story with us. She’s shown true grit and determination to become sober after a lifelong relationship with alcohol. Recognising that “You never fail until you stop trying” gave her the courage to seek further support from TBRP.
“I was 11 when I first started drinking. I turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism from an early age to deal with childhood trauma. I’d seen my family members use alcohol to cope with the day to day so in a way, it was sort of ingrained in me that alcohol would help.” …
Congratulations to Kelly who recently celebrated 1 year sober!
We know this is a worrying time for everyone.
Helping children and young people cope with the information and changes related to the Coronavirus can be a huge challenge. From school closures and social distancing to increased awareness of infection and hygiene, there is a lot for children and families to process.
This guide brings together trustworthy information and resources to support you and your family during these difficult times. This information was provided by Healthy Futures Calderdale.
A PDF version can be downloaded here – COVID-19 HEALTH AND WELLBEING RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES PDF
| Calderdale Community Midwifery | Support from the Calderdale community midwifery team | For non-urgent queries: 01422 261364 https://www.cht.nhs.uk/services/ |
| Calderdale Public Health Early Years’ Service (PHEYS) | Support from the Health Visiting Team, breastfeeding support, maternal mental health, and support in pregnancy and for children from birth to 5 years. | To speak to a health visitor: 030 0304 5076 “Calderdale Health Visiting” on Facebook |
| Healthy Early Years Calderdale | An online health and wellbeing guide for parents of children aged birth to five years | http://www.healthyearlyyears.co.uk/ |
| Healthy Futures Calderdale | Health and wellbeing advice, support, signposting and referral service from public health nurses for school-aged children and their families. NEW Chat Health confidential secure text messaging service, launches 27th April 2020 | To speak to a nurse: 030 3330 9974 “Healthy Futures Calderdale” on social media Young people’s service: text 07480 635297 Parents and carers service: text 07507 332157 |
| Safeguarding Calderdale | Advice and support if you are worried about any adult or child. | Multi-Agency Screening Team: 01422 393336 Out of hours Emergency Duty Team: 01422 288000. |
| Open Minds Partnership (the new name for Calderdale CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) | If parent/carers, young people or professionals have concerns about the emotional health of a young person, please contact the First Point of Contact | 01422 300 001 |
| Calderdale Council coronavirus advice and updates | Provides links to information including financial support, food banks, mental health, domestic abuse and support for migrants | https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/ coronavirus/advice-and-updates |
| C & K Careers | Careers advice and guidance for Calderdale and Kirklees residents aged 13+ | https://ckcareersonline.org.uk/ 01484 213856 chat@ckcareers.org.uk |
| NHS 111 online | Online COVID-19 symptom checker | https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19/ |
| NHS and Government advice | NHS coronavirus advice Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do | https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ coronavirus-covid-19 |
| Lullaby Trust | Provides safe sleep advice and advice on coronavirus for if you are pregnant or have a young child | https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep- advice/coronavirus-and-caring-for-your- baby/ |
| RCOG | Coronavirus infection and pregnancy information for pregnant women and their families | https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines- research-services/guidelines/coronavirus- pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and- pregnancy/ |
| Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and Healthier Together | Advice for parents during coronavirus on how to manage common childhood illnesses and when/where to seek medical advice | Download PDF |
| Unicef | Advice on infant feeding and breastfeeding during the coronavirus outbreak | Website Link |
| Institute for Health Visiting | Top Tips for Parents: advice on looking after your new baby from when they are born to when they go to school | https://ihv.org.uk/families/top-tips/ |
| Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) | Preventing accidents in the home | https://www.capt.org.uk/News/preventing- accidents-in-the-home |
| The Children’s Commissioner | Children’s guide to coronavirus: aims to answer children’s questions, tell them how to stay safe and protect other people, and how to make the best of their time at home | https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk /wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cco-childrens -guide-to-coronavirus.pdf – PDF Download |
| Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust | Coronavirus fact sheet for children | https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resou rces/campaigns/101/resources/5093 |
| BBC News | Coronavirus: Keep it simple, stick to facts – how parents should tell kids | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51734855 |
| BBC Newsround | Coronavirus: What is being done to tackle the virus? | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround |
| Coronavirus: a book for children | Free digital book to help primary-aged children to understand coronavirus, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the Illustrator of The Gruffalo | https://nosycrow.com/wp- content/uploads/ 2020/04/Coronavirus-A- Book-for-Children.pdf – PDF Download |
| My Hero is You: how kids can fight COVID-19 | Free digital book to help primary-aged children to understand coronavirus | https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2020/4/ 5e8ecdba4/childrens-storybook-released- help -children-young-people-cope-covid- 19.html |
| Childline | Telephone and online support for children and young people | https://www.childline.org.uk/ 0800 11 11 |
| Open Minds Calderdale | Emotional health and wellbeing information, support, advice and signposting for children, young people and families in Calderdale, including support around coronavirus. | http://www.openmindscalderdale.org.uk/ |
| Public Health England | Government guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children- and-young-peoples-mental-health-and- wellbeing /guidance-for-parents-and-carers- on-supporting -children-and-young-peoples- mental-health-and -wellbeing-during-the- coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak |
| World Health Organisation (WHO) | Helping Children Cope with Stress during the COVID 19 outbreak | https://www.who.int/docs/default- source/coronaviruse /helping-children-cope- with-stress-print.pdf – PDF Download |
| Child Bereavement UK | Supports children facing bereavement | https://www.childbereavementuk.org/ 0800 028 8840 |
| Grief Encounter | Information and advice on supporting bereaved children, young people and families during the Coronavirus pandemic | https://www.griefencounter.org.uk/ young-people/ 0808 802 0111 |
| Winston’s Wish | Support for children and their families after the death of a parent or sibling | http://www.winstonswish.org/ 0808 802 0021 |
| Open Minds Calderdale | Open Minds Calderdale Bereavement support | http://www.openmindscalderdale.org.uk/ bereavement-support |
| NHS Every Mind Matters | Tips and advice to support your mental wellbeing while staying at home | https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/ coronavirus-covid-19-staying-at-home-tips |
| Citizens advice | Coronavirus: what it means for you, including information on what to do if you are worried about having less money because of coronavirus | https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/ coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you |
| Relate | Advice and tips for helping your relationships stay healthy during COVID-19 | https://www.relate.org.uk/relationship-help/ covid-19-advice-and-information |
| The Lucy Faithfull Foundation | Confidential helpline for anyone concerned about their or someone else’s behaviour | 0808 1000 900 |
| Active Calderdale | Includes ideas and resources to help you keep active during coronavirus | https://active.calderdale.gov.uk/ |
| Thinkuknow | Advice for children from age 4 upwards, and parents/carers about how to stay safe online | https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk |
| Net Aware | A guide to keeping children safe on social networks, apps and games | https://www.net-aware.org.uk/ |
| Internet matters | Practical tips to help children benefit from the internet safely and smartly | https://www.internetmatters.org |
| Parent info | Support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online | https://parentinfo.org/ |
| NSPCC | Online safety advice for parents | https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety |
| Calderdale Local Offer for children with special needs or disabilities | Information on services and support in Calderdale for children and young people aged 0 – 25, with special educational needs and disabilities | https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents |
| Contact | Coronavirus information for parents of disabled children | https://www.contact.org.uk/advice-and-support/coronavirus- information-for-families-with-disabled-children/ |
| The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health | Coronavirus, and helping children with autism | https://www.acamh.org/ |
| National Autistic Society | Coronavirus resources for autistic people and families | https://www.autism.org.uk/services /helplines/coronavirus/resources |
| National Children’s Bureau | Open letter from the Children’s Minister to children with SEND and their families | NCB Open Letter Link Here |
| National Deaf Children’s Society | COVID-19 (coronavirus): support for deaf children | https://www.ndcs.org.uk/covid-19- |
| Government Department for Education | Details of online education resources for home education | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resource |
| BBC Bitesize | Government recommended daily lessons and resources for primary, secondary and post 16 pupils, including celebrity sessions! | https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize |
| Oak National Academy | Government recommended video lessons, across a broad range of subjects for every year group in primary and secondary school | https://www.thenational.academy/ |
| Calderdale Council | 50 things to do in Calderdale before you’re 5! A Free app with low cost and no cost activities for children from birth – 5 years old | https://calderdale.50thingstodo.org/app/os |
| Public Health England | Active Imaginations – ideas for exercise in the home for children aged 2 – 4 years | https://www.activeimaginations.co.uk/ |
| Joe Wicks, The Body Coach | Daily PE lessons for all ages 9.00-9.30am | https://www.youtube.com/thebodycoachtv |
| Book Trust – Getting children reading | Free online books and videos, games, win prizes, quizzes, and learn how to draw favourite characters | https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading /have-some-fun |
| World Book Day | Stay at home ideas including audio books and craft ideas | https://www.worldbookday.com/ |
| David Walliams – author | David Walliams reads a free story every day | https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com |
| British Red Cross | Power of kindness calendar: how children and young people can practise kindness every day during the coronavirus emergency | https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/ teaching-resources/kindness-calendar |
| BBC Cbeebies | Things to do indoors with your children | https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/ things-to-do-indoors-with-your-children ?collection=have-fun-at-home |
| Hungry Little Minds | Simple fun activities for 0-5 year olds | https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/ |
| BBC Tiny Happy People | Activities and advice to help develop your child’s communication and language skills | https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people |
| British Cycling: Ready Set Ride | Helping children to learn to ride a bike, including activity calendar and online videos | https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/getinvolved /article/20200325-getinvolved-Getting-the-most -out-of-HSBC-UK-Ready-Set-Rid-0 |
| Calderdale Library Service | Books are available for FREE by joining Calderdale library service. You can open an account for your child as soon as they are born, giving access to 3,000 eAudiobooks, 4,500 eBooks, and over 1,500 eComics | You can join the library at https://www.calderdale.gov.uk /v2/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/join-library. |
| BMW Education | Safe on the Streets animated road safety education for 7-11 year olds | https://bmweducation.co.uk/safe-on-the- streets/ |
| Google Arts and Culture | Take virtual tours and discover new places across the world from your home | https://artsandculture.google.com/ |
Updated: 5th January 2021
We know COVID-19 has affected our recovery communities in a big way. Keeping you and the rest of the community safe has been and continues to be, our priority. All our hubs meet the COVID-19 secure guidance and we are providing limited face to face group meetings. These are restricted and are only available through your keyworker at Recovery Steps (Calderdale) or CHART (Kirklees) Mutual Aid groups will also continue with limited numbers and social distancing guidelines in place.
Please do not turn up to a recovery hub without a prior appointment. We will most likely have to turn you away if you do.
If you are unsure about any group attendance please call TBRP prior to leaving your home.
You MUST wear a mask to enter a recovery hub where enhanced COVID-19 screening, sanitising and temperature checks remain in place.
Please also NOTE that we will be ventilating our hubs further, leaving windows and doors open where it is safe to do so. As a result, the temperature inside the hubs will be much lower than usual so come prepared.
The latest timetables can be found HERE but they are subject to change (and at short notice) so please check with the office or our Facebook Groups to ensure you have the most up to date information.
You can keep up to date with the latest news, support services, online meetings etc. and offer and receive support by joining our community recovery support Facebook Groups, CalderdaleinRecovery and KirkleesinRecovery.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us or our partners at Calderdale Recovery Steps or CHART.
In our efforts to host face to face groups and manage our hubs, we have limited capacity to run Zoom meetings. These will be phased out for our main group work but will continue for social connection. If you need help installing Zoom, here is a useful article: Getting Started with Zoom at TBRP.
We thank you in advance for your continued support and cooperation.
In addition to joining the community groups, don’t forget to LIKE the FB pages too:
The Basement Recovery Project Facebook page.
Calderdale in Recovery Facebook page.
Kirklees in Recovery Facebook page.
The Basement Recovery Project is pleased to announce the opening of our new hub in Todmorden – The Kindness Hub
The hub will officially open its doors for public viewing on March 6th 2020 between 1pm and 3pm. You are welcome to come along.
Kindness: Believe there is good in the world
In the wet hills of Yorkshire, the community of Todmorden is at the forefront of a movement that is picking up momentum across a UK disillusioned with corporate business, government and cuts. It is neither hippy nor New Age but is made up of ordinary people, old and young, from both affluent homes and social housing. Call it a sharing revolution. Talk about community empowerment, social enterprise, co-operatives (it has various titles) but this asset-based approach leads to local members taking over the infrastructure of their community.
Having supported the development of the recovery community in Todmorden over the last few years we believe the next strategic step is to sustain a ‘grassroots’ hub offering vital and meaningful services anchored in the heart of the community. Our Kindness hub is a revolutionary venue that’s so much more than your usual community space. We hope to provide a truly welcoming, creative and intelligent space where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can potentially dine, hang out, socialise and relax.
Primarily we have a venue for our community cafe right in the heart of the Town centre that allows local people who are energetic, driven, optimistic, and aspirationally based to have a focal point for their activities. Our aim is to make a contribution to the local community based on the principles of caring and communitarianism. We will encourage participation in community life and ‘giving something back’ by making a commitment to community involvement and engagement.
Our space will be a welcoming, creative hub where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can meet, socialise and relax. The hub has a wider potential to offer a range of opportunities for people to support each other and develop, personally and socially. As well as hosting our therapeutic programmes we hope to build on our existing partnerships with local businesses, incredible edible, community arts providers and work closely with local artists, musicians, poets and performers to offer a wide range of entertaining, educational and inspirational social events. There will be an opportunity to develop social enterprise activity, giving people in the locality the opportunity to gain skills and experience, as well as access training and qualifications.
The project will create the opportunity for both the statutory partners and the recovery community to share space and offer a greater level of visibility with more flexible opening hours. Significantly, we will provide more dignity and discretion for those we support, allowing them to reconnect and in doing so hope to provide a sense of ownership in the building for the community we support.
TBRP staff, past and present clients, members of our recovery communities and friends and relatives are all getting behind an event to help raise vital funds for Ward 17 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. We hope you will too!
Rallying the recovery communities of Calderdale in Recovery and Kirklees in Recovery is Fiona Whitehead who, at one point, was given just hours to live. Fiona considers herself lucky and due to the professionalism and quick thinking of the staff at Ward 17, she is still here and able to say thanks by helping in their campaign. Ward 17 are trying to raise a massive £20,000 for vital life equipment.
See how you can help …
Each year, we send a letter to the Halifax Courier asking them to thank our communities for their support throughout the previous year. Here is a copy of the letter for 2018.
Dear Editor
It’s the time of year that many of us reflect on the year passing, and look forward to what’s in store for the new year. It’s also a time that we at The Basement Recovery Project (TBRP) say thank you to all those who have helped us over the last 12 months to support people who are affected by the illness of addiction.
Every day, 20 people die as a result of their drinking. But alcohol harm is not inevitable. This Alcohol Awareness Week communities across the country call for change. Find us at Halifax market all week and at Todmorden market on Thursday.
Posted on behalf of Incredible Edible to share these great events:
We kick off tomorrow (21st June 2018) with our birthday bash. 10 years of actions. Please share this post.
Celebrate the Summer Solstice with the Incredible Festival of Ideas! On 21st June why not join us for an exhibition at Todmorden Town Hall from 3 pm – Todmorden – the place we made, and the place that made us! Mary Clear, co-founder of IET is talking at 5.30pm in the Ballroom about Kindness – come and be inspired! She is followed by 3 Valleys Gospel Choir at 6.15pm – their songs are uplifting and joyous to welcome the Summer Solstice and then carry on with a Summer Celebration, meeting at Pollination Street at 6.45pm processing with the Oakenhoof Cloggers and the 3 Valleys Gospel Choir to the Unitarian Church for a Solstice ceremony followed by a picnic in the evening sun. At 7.30pm you could join the Philosophy Walk, leaving from outside the Unitarian Church doors and arriving sometime later in Todmorden for some Philosophy in The Pub. Or you could gather with walkers who are also singers (that means all of you) to Sing the Solstice from the Tops – meet at 9.00pm at the bottom of the Calderdale Way opposite Lumbutts chapel. Go early, on the T6 or T8 bus (leaving at 13 minutes past the hour from Todmorden Bus Station) and fit in a visit to the Top Brink Inn or The Incredible Farm or walk up from the Unitarian picnic if you are able. Wear something yellow or orange – and an animal, flower or sun mask if you like…..
it would be brilliant if you could join in with Friday’s conference, it’s about new ways of looking at places, you are most welcome to call in to the town hall for as little or as long as you like, starts at ten on Friday. Really great speakers are lined up, no need to book just turn up…
…good coffee and buns!
is with Andy Kershaw at the golden lion £7… Q and A plus African beats:
Saturday is a fabulous food day at the community college, very family friendly:
plus a healing day in the old coop:
Sunday we have the fabulous feast, Joe Cox’s sister and dad will come to feel the love. The venue is stunning and we have the most amazing line up of cooks, all is free, bring a bag as we have lots of food to take home. We will highlight the food system and share out intercepted food. Things for children, great music and dancers. We will take our new kindness sign 30 feet long because we are from Todmorden.
Each year, we send a letter to the Halifax Courier asking them to thank our communities for their support throughout the previous year. Here is a copy of the letter for 2017 published today:
Dear Editor
It’s the time of year that many of us reflect on the year passing, and look forward to what’s in store for the one ahead. It’s also a time that we at The Basement Recovery Project (TBRP) say thank you to all those who have helped us over the last 12 months to support people who are affected by the illness of addiction. In years past, we have also spoken about the climate that we work in, which has been both positive and negative over the years. However, this year, we would like to comment on the theme of ‘homes’ and what that means to each of us.
Recovering addict, Vickie Lee, has produced a video featuring people in recovery from Calderdale and Kirklees, to raise awareness of addiction:
“I made a conscious decision in making this short film as it is something I wish I had been able to access and see a few years ago. I believe education is the key to alerting individuals to the risks associated with substance use and abuse and being able to recognise the signs, in both yourself and in others in your life. This should be done earlier in people’s lives to help reduce the risk of active addiction taking over and robbing you and your family of years of absence and pain.
On Friday 15th September 2017, 14 members of the local recovery community will be coming together to cycle 170 miles from Morecambe to Bridlington over the course of four days. Those taking part have been training for a number of months; prior to which they had little or no experience of cycling any significant distance…
Within the past week or so we have started promoting a new project within Calderdale in Recovery. The hope is that we will raise enough funds to purchase a defibrillator that will be accessible in Halifax Town Centre 24 hours a day. If someone suffers a heart attack then quick access to this equipment can literally mean life or death.
I’m told that, currently, there are at least 6 accessible defibs in Sowerby Bridge and three in Todmorden (purchased through some impressive fundraising in those local communities) so I find it shocking that we do not have one in Halifax town centre that can be accessed by anyone who needs it at any time of day.
Many of the members of Calderdale in Recovery feel compelled to give something back to our community – something that we already do by supporting local projects such as Incredible Edible and Slow the Flow project. Many people who have seen their lives consumed by drug addiction and alcoholism appreciate the assistance, support and kindness that has helped them to come out the other side. It is also no secret that when in the grip of this horrible illness, individuals can have somewhat negative effects on those closest to them and the wider community – so once abstinent many are keen to give something back and make amends.
We have a few ideas up our sleeves for fundraising and raising awareness and we would really appreciate any donation through the JustGiving page – you never know, it maybe you or a loved one that benefits from a defibrillator in the future!
This week we met with Holly Lynch MP who was thrilled to hear about this project and the work of Calderdale in Recovery – she also gave us some good ideas for how to reach our goals.
If anyone wants to get involved or support this project in any way then they should definitely speak to a Calderdale in Recovery Builder via their Facebook Page! Let’s do this!
I’m really grateful that I was given the opportunity to be part of a wonderful and educational weekend – attending a mutual aid convention in London. It was great to be around like-minded people – many living their clean journey and others wanting and working towards that.
We had quite an amusing journey to London. I think we might have been the loudest people on the train. We were laughing, joking and playing cards all the way there. Someone joked that we were probably ‘the cleanest’ on the train as well! Just goes to show that you don’t need a substance to have fun!
Each year, we send a letter to the Halifax Courier asking them to thank the people of Calderdale for their support throughout the previous year. Here is a copy of the letter for 2016:
Dear Editor
Thanks to your continued support over the years, our success in Calderdale has been recognised at a national level. We are now part of an overall integrated system of care in Calderdale – Calderdale Recovery Steps, and this past year we were able to extend our services into Kirklees through two new hubs in Huddersfield and Dewsbury. Read more
In recognition of all those who volunteer within DISC and The Basement Recovery Project, Christina Howard and Andy Bryant planned and produced a special Volunteer Appreciation Presentation Ceremony held at the Basement on Wednesday 1st June 2016, which coincided nicely with National Volunteers Week. A local celebrity, in the form of the recently elected Mayor of Halifax, was cordially invited to hand out the ‘Certificates of Appreciation’ to all those who were able to attend, which was roughly about seventy five percent of us and, when all sat together, we made a rather large group of particularly attractive people.
Calderdale Recovery Steps held its debut gig on Saturday 21st May to raise money for Home-Start Calderdale, a national family support charity that helps parents to build better lives for their children. The musical evening took place in the Gothic splendor of Todmorden Unitarian Church, which was acquired by the Historic Chapels Trust after the church closed in 1987 and restored, and is now a regular meeting place for Incredible Edible Project Todmorden.
For many people music provides solace, inspiration and healing. Tom Petty described it as;
This event was part of a festival in Todmorden to inspire conversations around death and dying. And I was intrigued and excited straight away – just by the whole concept. Hasn’t every addict contemplated their own death at some point, either as a result of their using or as solution to the pain they are in? We’ve either coveted it or been driven insane by the fear of it, witnessed friends die in front of us or sadly missed the ability to say goodbye to those we loved. So who better to talk about this fascinating and highly emotive subject?
