Dying Matters Week (Monday, 5 to Sunday, 11 May)
25 Apr 2025
Share your experience of bereavement at the University
As part of Dying Matters Awareness Week (Monday, 5 to Sunday, 11 May 2025), we want to hear from colleagues and students about their experiences of bereavement at the University.
Each year, Dying Matters Awareness Week offers an important opportunity for people across the UK to start conversations about death, dying, and grief—in whatever way feels right for them. Why not take a moment to talk with your colleagues, friends, or team members and share your thoughts and experiences?
In November 2025, colleagues from across the University came together to explore the possibility of creating a compassionate campus at the University. The aim of the workshop was to find out about current experiences relating to end-of-life, dying and bereavement, and hear ideas for supporting all our staff and students who may go through these experiences in the future.
Introducing a Compassionate Campus
A compassionate campus means creating a community that is compassionate in their support of people going through the challenges associated with end-of-life, dying and bereavement. Becoming a compassionate campus could mean organising awareness campaigns, producing guides, running training or carrying out research. Crucially, a compassionate campus would support the whole university community through these experiences.
Compassionate Campus Workshop – Thursday, 12 June
On Thursday, 12 June, we are holding a workshop with Hospice UK to explore further becoming a compassionate campus. This workshop is for anyone interested to helping us become a compassionate campus.
If you are interested in attending the workshop, please send us a message via wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk.
We are aware that talking about death, end-of-life, caring and bereavement can be difficult. If you would prefer to share your experience or ideas directly with someone, please contact us via email: wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk.
The Compassionate Campus project is a Social Responsibility funded initiative being led by Christine Rowland (Psychology), Patty Doran (Sociology) and Helen Brewis (Head of Colleague Wellbeing, People Directorate).
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