Dying Matters Conference

This Dying Matters Week, we want to get Teesside talking about death and dying.

We’re hosting our first Dying Matters Conference from 11am – 2pm on Tuesday 5^th May, 2026, and we’d love to welcome all members of the community to join us.

While it’s a part of everyone’s life, death is a topic that so many of us have difficulty discussing. As part of Hospice UK’s Dying Matters Awareness Week, we’re hosting a conference at Teesside University’s Student Union to start the conversation.

We’ll be joined by local funeral planners, solicitors, celebrants, Teesside Hospice teams and more to get Teesside talking about dying and how we can prepare while we’re still here. A line-up of stallholders can be found below, with more still to come.

We’ll also be hosting breakout sessions as part of the event, with sessions on will writing and funeral planning free for all to attend. Our Wellbeing team will also be offering an introduction to the service, with specialist treatment taster sessions.

Joining us at the event so far are:

• Macks Solicitors
• David Knowles Funerals
• Teesside Hospice Lymphoedema team
• Teesside Hospice Bereavement Counselling Service
• An introduction to legacy giving with Teesside Hospice
• And more to come!

The event will take place at Teesside University Students Union, Southfield Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BA.

What is Dying Matters Week?

Dying Matters is a national campaign by Hospice UK which aims to break down the stigma of talking about death and dying.  27% of people find it hard to talk about death with family or friends, but if we don’t talk about death and dying and bereavement, it can be harder to cope when we experience it.

This Dying Matters Awareness Week we’re focusing on the importance of conversations about death and dying, helping to get the conversation started.