Around 65 people attended to share these celebrations and to mark the end of this phase of this piece of work.

We had a variety of people attending apart from the project team and the participants of the project and this included many family and friends of the participants, our project evaluation team, a non Executive Director and some Directors of Sandwell Primary Care Trust and some staff from the Hospice at Home Team and Bridges Support service. It is interesting to note that we had 3 generations present for a number of those who had participated in the work providing their 'stories for end of life'. It was good to see children being just as interested in this piece of work.

Following arrival with refreshments and some chatting amongst those attending, I opened the evening with a summary of the project and work, the reasons why we need such stories, what needs to happen next and the fact that the need for such public awareness raising methods has been recognised in the National End of Life Care strategy released the day before on Tuesday 16th July. Our work is very innovative and obviously timely! In doing so I also thanked (with flowers) each member of the project team.

Next Manjula spoke of the recruitment process for the work, highlighting how many more people had wanted to be involved and noted the special gift of the participants of the project to this work. Then Maria, as would be expected, told a very potent and short sharp story, essentially providing a metaphor for the importance of telling and sharing our stories with others as part of our being truly human and connected to each other highlighting the impact this sharing has on our lives.

This was followed by the presentation of a copy of the book and the audio CD 'The First Primrose' to each participant. Hugs and kisses all round!

This time was then rounded off by Gill, one of the project participants who recited 2 of the poems she had written while being part of the project conveying her sense of well being in living and dying.

I then closed the event with more on what needs to happen next and a reminder to take the postcards (outlining the origins for their design) which have the website address for where the work of the project can be accessed (see the resource section for copies of the post cards) and to circulate these amongst family, friends and work colleagues. Equally for them to take more copies of the book and audio CD of the stories. We gave away over 100 copies of the book and the same for the CD.

While people were leaving, as a project team, we received some very moving and positive feedback about how the work had touched them and had provided and would provide ways in and a voice to talk about dying and death and living in this part of their lives and of those close to them. That is just great.

Pauline Smith
End of Life Care Lead
NHS West Midlands