Keeping the
story alive
In the depths of grief, and in the years that follow the
death of a loved one, a familiar voice can offer the world
of comfort. Hospice Biographers is the charity that
grants terminally ill patients the chance to have their life
stories professionally recorded. But the benefits of their
work expand far and wide...Writing | Kathryn WheelerHospice Biographers:
W
hen someone
we love
passes away,
a million
things may
be running through our minds
as we try to come to terms with
the hole they left in our lives.
But what if you could tune in
to hear your loved one’s voice
telling their story in their own
words, and guiding you through
their legacy?
Barbara Altounyan was in her
late 20s, and about to become
a reporter for the BBC, when
her family got the news that her
dad didn’t have long left to live.
Instinctively, Barbara borrowed
a tape recorder, and set about
recording her dad’s life story as
a way to preserve his memory
and celebrate his life.
Sadly, Barbara’s dad passed
away just a few weeks after they
finished, but the experience
inspired her to volunteer as an
audio biographer at a nearbyhospice. From here, she went on
to found Hospice Biographers:
the charity that records people’s
life stories as they enter its final
chapter.BUILDING A LEGACY
Each year, hospices around the
UK support more than 200,000
people with terminal or life-
limiting illnesses. For those
who approach the Hospice
Biographers, there is comfort
and purpose to be found in the
offer of a recording session.
“They’re looking for a number
of things,” Barbara says. “It may >>>They want to
feel that, after
they die, they
have something
permanent for those
that they knowIs mental health on your company agenda?
We believe mental health fi rst aid training should be given equal importance to physical
fi rst aid training in every workplace. If you would like to become a mental health fi rst aider
at work, Happiful can train you, and we've created this email template to help you explain
the benefi ts to your boss
*Source: MHFA EnglandTo register your company’s interest or to book an
individual place, visit training.happiful.com or
drop us an email at [email protected]
Dear <<Boss/HR Manager>>,
I'd like to become a mental health first aider for
<<your company name>> and I'm hoping you can help.Here are some of the reasons why <<your company name>>
will benefit from offering Mental Health First Aid training to our
employees:- Build staff confidence to have open conversations around mental
health and break the stigma in the office and in society. - Encourage people to access early support when needed. Early
intervention means faster recovery. - Empower people with a long term mental health issue or disability to
thrive in work, and ensure that we are compliant with legislation in
the Equality Act 2010. - Promote a mentally healthy environment, and allow people to thrive
and become more productive. - Embed a long-term, positive culture across the whole organisation,
where our employees recognise their mental and physical health are
supported as equal parts of the whole person. - Proudly share that mental health is on our company agenda and
improve retention as a result of a reduction in staff stress levels.
Happiful offers two-day mental health first aid training courses for
individuals across the country for £235 + VAT per person, and they
can also offer bespoke courses on-site at our workplace if we have a
minimum of eight attendees.Yours sincerely,
<>
Did you know that stress,
anxiety, and depression
are the biggest causes of
sickness absence in our
society?Mental ill-health is
currently responsible for
91 million working days
lost each year. The cost
to UK employers is £34.9
billion each year.*Happiful has partnered
with Simpila Healthy
Solutions to o er
internationally recognised
courses and training
events in the UK.Each course is delivered
by an accredited Mental
Health First Aid England
instructor and is delivered
in a safe, evidence-based
programme.Proudly working withHealthy SolutionsSIMPILA