January has been all about collaborating

January, for me, has been all about collaborating. I’ve been reaching out more on social media, meeting new people, sharing ideas and chatting about possible new projects.

As we move into a new month, I’ve been reflecting on why I am enjoying collaborating so much.

The focus of my work is about creating opportunities and spaces for people to talk more openly about death, dying, end of life care planning and grief. With Alberta Gutteridge we run the North East London Death Cafe which is the perfect space to do this. However, we want to explore new and creative ways that we can have these conversations, using the arts (quite often we find it easier to talk openly when we’re doing something else).

I recently posted on social media asking if any local artists and community groups would be interested in collaborating and the response has been amazing. My head is now buzzing with ideas and we already have some exciting projects planned for 2022.

So why am I enjoying collaborating?

• I love connecting with new people, particularly other freelancers in my local community. Every meeting, many of which have been a walking meeting in the park, has left me feeling energised with a little spring in my step.
• It’s great to think about an issue from a different perspective. I’ve mainly worked within the health and social care setting but collaborating with artists and other creatives mean I’m now having the opportunity to think about how we open conversations about death, dying and grief in all kinds of different ways.
• I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and looking forward to where it takes me!

Photo credit: Tallulah Photography