Sunday 20 April 2014

Programme of Speakers and Events for the A Graceful Death exhibition in St Peter's Church, next to Preston Manor, Preston Park, Brighton BN1 6SD

There are more postings about the exhibition, please do have a look below this one to find out more.

This programme will run within the exhibition itself.  The paintings, films, music and poetry will be within the church from 10am to 10pm daily from Tuesday 20 May to Friday 23 May.  You will be able to spend time with the paintings, you will be able to speak to me, to the AGD team, you will be able to write your thoughts and you will be able to eat cake.  Always cake available.  Because there is so much to say on the subject of end of life, we are delighted to present the events and talks below, and thank everyone for their support and expertise.


Tuesday 20 May 6pm Private View - formally opened by Glynn Jones, Chair to the Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals  and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex followed by introductory talk by the artist Antonia Rolls.  Harp music played by Jane Saunders.

Wednesday 21 May 2 to 4pm:  Session 1 Planning Dying - Much can be done way ahead of someone dying; raising awareness is not as difficult as it seems. 
Panel speakers : Eleanor Langridge Dementia Speaker on EOLC; Rachel Reed - Palliative Care Lecturer, St Barnabas Hospice Worthing; Rev Canon Peter Wells, Senior Chaplain, BSUH.
Panel chair: Alan Bedford - Former NHS Chief Executive, Non Executive Director Martlets Hospice.

Wednesday 21 May 6 to 7pm: Session 2 Dementia Information Session - Nigel Spencer Dementia Friends Champion.

Thursday 22 May 2 to 4pm: Session 3 Supporting Dying - Being alongside patients and families - knowing what help is at hand.
Panel speakers: Dr Mark Bayliss, Consultant in Elderly Medicine BSUH; Dr Simone Ali, Consultant in Palliative Medicine at the Martlets Hospice Hove; Nigel Spencer, Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, St Catherines Hospice Crawley.
Panel chair: Professor Bobbie Farsides BSMS

Thursday 22 May 6 to 8pm : Session 4 An early Evening Salon on The Art of Dying - Ars Moriendi.
Contributors: Dr Muna AlJawad, Consultant in Elderly Medicine, BSUH,  Medical Students at BSMS, Rev Robert Eastern, Chaplain to Brighton College.

Friday 23 May 2 - 4pm: Session 5 Communicating with the Dying - Having a conversation - are the dying any different to the rest of us?
Panel speakers: Dr Catherine Gleeson, Palliative Care Consultant, St Catherines Hospice, Crawley; Dr Rose Turner, Palliative Care Consultant, the Martlets Hospice, Hove; Dawn Allen, Chaplain, the Martlets Hospice, Hove.
Panel chair: Professor Bobbie Farsides BSMS

Friday 23 May 6 - 8pm: Session 6 Working with the dying - Taboo or not Taboo, that is the question?
Panel speakers:  Antonia Rolls, A Graceful Death Artist; Mandy Preece, Soul Midwife for Macmillan Unit, Christchurch Hospital.
Panel chair: Nigel Spencer, Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, St Catherines Hospice, Crawley

Friday 23 May 20h30 Closing thoughts to end of exhibition.

All events are free to attend but due to limited seating and high level of interest booking recommended via email to Peter.wells@bsuh.nhs.uk


Donations to support the exhibition welcome 

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Our poster for the next A Graceful Death exhibition in Preston Park, Brighton.

You are warmly invited to the exhibition below. An update of our speakers and topics will follow by the end of the week.




Grateful thanks to the excellent Team AGD Brighton


  • Nigel Spencer - palliative care nurse at St Catherine's Hospice, hypnotherapist for cancer sufferers 
  • Revd Canon Peter Wells, senior chaplain at Royal Sussex County Hospital
  •  Rachel Reed George, lecturer in palliative care at St Barnabas Hospice
  • Rhona Reedie, graphic artist and designer