OUR NEXT EVENT
Kent and Medway Death Cafe ( KMDC) Conference 2025
Dear KMDC member,
I am excited to release information about the programme for the KMDC Conference for 2025.
Please mark your diaries with the date. Details as below.
Date of event: 18 October 2025
Time: 9:30am- 5pm
Registration opens from 8:45am
Venue: King’s School Sports Centre, Function Room, 601 Maidstone Rd, Rochester, Kent, ME1 3QJ
This is a FREE event and we are proud to announce this is our 3rd Conference. In previous years, this event has been successfully attended and we expect bookings to again fill up fast.
Update: Bookings are now over half full. We would therefore advise you to please book your place early to avoid disappointment as there are only 27 spaces left!
Here is the programme of the day as it currently stands; (please note, this may be subject to slight revision before the day)
PROGRAMME OF DAY- KENT AND MEDWAY DEATH CAFE CONFERENCE 2025
09:30-10:00am-Arrival- registration and refreshments.
There will be the opportunity before the event starts to browse all our amazing stands!
10:00-10:05am- Welcome by Shila Jassal, Founder and CEO of Kent and Medway Death Cafe
10:05-10:10am- A few opening words from Lauren Edwards, MP for Rochester and Strood
10:10-10:25am- Holly Lyon Hawk- Settling and Grounding yourself- 15 mins
10:25-11:05am- Rosalyn Yates and Dr Rosie Chester- Wisdom Hospice-The Last Days- Making it Count with some Q and A.
11:05-11:45am- Holly Lyon Hawk- Final moments and our presence during the dying process of a loved one, with some Q and A. There will be a table discussion during this exercise. (40 mins)
11:45am- 12:05pm- Maria Therese Williams-poet- reading a selection of her own poems on reflections on life and possibility.
12:05-12:40pm- Sadie Watts, singing nostalgic songs on the theme of Death and Loss
12:40-1:00pm-Claudia Miller- Sound Bath before lunch.
1:00-2:10pm- Lunch. Over the lunchtime period there will be the opportunity to mingle and relax and browse the stands. Naushabah Khan, MP for Rainham and Gillingham will pop in to say hello and meet with attendees during the lunch break.
2:10-2:20pm- Expressive dance on death, loss and rebirth-Queen Genny
2:20- 2:45pm- Inspector, Alan Mullen- Kent Police- Supporting families in grief- best practices for the Police, with an opportunity for some Q and A
2:45-4:00pm- Adela Austin-Workshop focused on Emotional Healing for Peace of Mind and Preparing for Death.
4:00-4:25pm-Tea break
4:25-4:40pm- poetry- Maria Therese Williams-poet- reading a final selection of her own poems on
4:40-4:50pm- Grounding through sacred drumming and sound- Claudia Miller with support from Shila
4:50-5:05pm- Winding down session- Holly Lyon Hawk
5:05-5:15pm- Thanks from Shila and closing remarks from Tristian Oborne, MP for Chatham and Aylesford.
Close of event
OTHER THINGS TO BE AWARE OFF FOR THE DAY:
PARKING – For those coming by car to the event there is ample parking at the venue.
Link to venue: https://g.co/kgs/5HJZYox
Kings Rochester Sports Centre
CATERING AND REFRESHMENTS
Gillingham Catering Company have kindly agreed to provide a varied buffet lunch for us at £13 per head; for those who would like it, which will also include unlimited refreshments and snacks throughout the day.
If you have any special dietary requirements or allergies, please inform the KMDC Office at: kentmedwaydeathcafe@gmail.com
The Catering Team will do our best to accommodate this.
We are happy to have a chat with those who would like to attend but are not able to make the full level of payment towards the buffet meal. If you feel inspired to support us through pay it forward’ or make a higher donation then you are of course most welcome to do so. Any funds will be gratefully received.
Please note that any donations made are non-refundable. The online details to make a donation to our KMDC Business Bank Account is:
Sort code: 30-99-50
A/C number: 14893563
Reference when making payment:
KMDCCONF25
If you are interested in having the buffet lunch, please could you let the KMDC office know no later than the deadline of 3 October 2025 on: kentmedwaydeathcafe@gmail.com
Confirmation of booking will be made via e-mail and will be on a first come first served basis.
You are welcome of course to bring a packed lunch if you prefer, rather than have the buffet meal.
STALL HOLDERS
Stalls are now full for the day. However, if you would like to bring some literature to display on the general table for a donation of £5, e-mail and let us know.
LIVE STREAMING OF EVENT
For all our Facebook members and those outside Kent, there is the opportunity to watch the Conference online, where it will be live-streamed. Please join the KMDC Facebook Page before the event to ensure you can watch the event live.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/524115853032611
I look forward to seeing you at the Conference, at what promises to be another amazing and illuminating event; and a wonderful opportunity to connect with beneficiaries, stakeholders and supporters of the Service to colloborative and celebrate all that we have achieved together over the past few years.
See you soon.
Warmest regards
Shila Jassal
Founder and CEO of Kent and Medway Death Cafe
SHILA JASSAL – HOST FOR KENT AND MEDWAY DEATH CAFE CONFERENCE 2025
Shila Jassal is the Founder and CEO of the Kent and Medway Death Café (KMDC) and CEO of Let’s Get Chatty. A multi-award-winning community leader, she has launched and led numerous initiatives that promote emotional well-being and meaningful social connection.
Shila is a quali ed therapist specialising in bereavement support, as well as a death doula, life coach, hypnotherapist, spiritual healer, and complementary therapist. With extensive experience in personal growth and development, she has supported thousands of clients in enhancing their emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. She also serves as a second responder during major incidents, providing compassionate support to the bereaved.
Beyond her therapeutic work, Shila is a recognised consultant in equality, diversity, and inclusion across the statutory and private sectors. She currently leads on well-being within her organisation and has pioneered the development of well-being podcasts within the Civil Service.
Shila is proud to be hosting the third KMDC Conference, continuing her commitment to bringing professionals and the public together to foster compassionate conversations around death, loss, grief and dying.
ROZ YATES- SPEAKER ON PALLIATIVE CARE- THE LAST DAYS
Rosalyn (aka Roz) Yates is a quali ed nurse and has had a varied career, previously working in neonatal and adult intensive care, HM Prison Service, and addiction services. She has a post-graduate Diploma in Forensic Mental Health and a Diploma in Bereavement Counselling, specialising in HIV/AIDS. She joined the Wisdom Hospice as a Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist from 2002-11, completing her Masters modules in Palliative Care Studies during this time. After a brief spell working in child and adult safeguarding, Roz joined the Kent Oncology Centre in 2014 as an Acute Oncology Nurse Specialist, eventually becoming the Lead Matron for Cancer and Haematology. Roz returned to the Wisdom Hospice in 2023, as Clinical Lead for the service.
Her interests within the palliative care eld are supporting patient choice and improving wellbeing for sta , and her current goal is to re-open the Wellbeing and Therapy Day Centre.
In her spare time, she is a funeral celebrant, a keen hiker and rides a classic Vespa scooter.
DR ROSE CHESTER – SPEAKER ON PALLIATIVE CARE- THE LAST DAYS
Dr Rosie (aka Rose) Chester, qualified from Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in 2011 and completed her subsequent medical training in Medway and
Maidstone. Personal experiences led her to specialise in oncology, and later, palliative medicine. She completed her speciality training in 2021, following placements at hospices across Kent and South London. She then joined the Wisdom Hospice in Rochester, where she now serves as Lead Consultant. Her interests within the eld are Namaste Care and improving patient experience, particularly for palliative patients in the hospital setting. In her spare time, she’s a devoted mum and daughter, and enjoys completing fundraising challenges for the hospice with her family, such as abseiling and hiking, and raising awareness of the hospice within the wider community.
GENNY JONES- DANCE PERFORMER
Genny Jones also known as *Happy Genny* and *Con dent Queen Genny*, is a wellbeing coach, African dance facilitator, and the UK Laughing Champion 2023. She uses music, laughter, and movement to inspire con dence and joy in others, even in the face of life’s challenges.
In 2022, Genny experienced deep personal loss when, within the space of three days, she lost her cousin-in-law on a Sunday, her mother on the Monday, and her uncle on the Wednesday—just before Christmas. With one funeral after another, it was a season of immense grief.
Despite this, she has chosen to honour life through celebration, dance, and joy, drawing on her African roots where dance is a way of both mourning and uplifting the spirit. At the conference, she will share her journey through movement and her belief that even in the midst of loss, healing and hope can be found.
INSPECTOR ALAN MULLEN- SPEAKER- SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN GRIEF; BEST PRACTICES FOR THE POLICE
Inspector Alan Mullen from Kent Police will be speaking at the Kent and Medway Death Cafe (KMDC) Conference on Supporting Families in Grief: Best Practices for the Police. He brings valuable insight into how law enforcement can compassionately support bereaved families and is looking forward to engaging with attendees at the event.
A committed advocate of KMDC’s work, Alan actively supports its mission within the community. He is leading on delivering training to Kent Police sta to raise awareness of KMDC’s vital role and the work of Let’s Get Chatty within the community and explore opportunities for meaningful collaboration between the organisations and the police service.
HOLLY LYON-HAWK- SPEAKER, HOLISTIC FUNERAL DIRECTOR AND END OF LIFE PRACTITONER
Hello, I am a multi-award winning holistic funeral director as well as an end of life practitioner for both people and pets and author of A Gentle Goodbye with Cinnamon the Rabbit, a book for all to help through the difficult time of losing a pet.
I co-founded Gentle Endings Ltd, a company that o ers many alternative and eco- friendly ways to say goodbye, which
includes; www.gentleendingscremations.co.uk, www.gentleendingsfunerals.co.uk and Gentle Endings Natural Burials.
I also co-founded www.stagcremations.co.uk , a holistic approach to those who choose a direct cremation, ensuring both the bereaved family and the person who has died receives the best support and care possible.
I live in the beautiful Kent countryside with our young and energetic Border Collie Shepherd and my darling, son. I am passionate about supporting families with love and kindness. I believe strongly that families should be given all the options available to them to empower them to be able to choose what is right for them and their family, whatever that may look like. With love, Holly.
MARIA THERESE WILLIAMS- PROFESSIONAL FUNERAL CELEBRANT AND POET
Maria is an active member of Let’s Get Chatty and Kent and Medway Death Café. She is a Professional Funeral Celebrant and also, an insightful poet who has a talent for creating enticing narratives. The poetic sharing of her innermost thoughts and observations on life engage the mind of her readers. Bittersweet re ective monologues resonate with feelers and thinkers. Her emotive writing voice reveals humanity and kindness as well as the reality of passionate aversion to certain aspects of society. Her careful observations are relatable and meditative.
Maria’s work can be found in many poetry books, and we are excited to announce that her recent collection, RoamingRe ections: Mind Flow, was released in July 2025. Signed copies can be purchased at the event.
ADELA AUSTIN- PSYCHOTHERAPIST AND SPEAKER ON EMOTIONAL HEALING FOR PEACE OF MIND AND PREPARING FOR DEATH
I am fortunate to have worked as a therapist for over forty years and a therapy supervisor for over 30 and this work continues to enrich my life. During these years I have worked with thousands of people who have had concerns relating to death, dying, bereavement and loss, many of whom I have learned a great deal from.
At the same time as helping others facilitate their healing journey I am also continuously working on my own personal growth.
I am particularly interested in developing simple, e ective ways that people can use to help themselves. I use these self-help techniques in my own life and gain a lot of joy in sharing them with others.One of the many things thatparticularly inspiresme is Emotional Healing for Peace of Mind and Preparing for Death, which I will be sharing more about during my talk at the Kent and Medway Death Café Conference.
To die with peace of mind is a desire that many of us share. What does this mean for us, and how can we make this possible for ourselves?
The workshop I will lead during the Conference will introduce us to safe and e ective ways of healing those parts of ourselves and our lives that prevent the growth of inner peace. It will support us to have a more loving and compassionate relationship with ourselves in daily life and when facing death, so we can meet death in a more peaceful manner.
CLAUDIA MILLER- PERFORMER AND SOUND HEALER
Claudia Miller is a healer and spiritual channel, and a Sound Healing Practitioner for animals and humans, with over 12 years’ experience. She is also a Tao Lightwall practitioner and has studied with Master Sha and the Tao Academy. As well as her spiritual work, she o ers one to one and group sessions and is currently supporting people with mental health issues.
SADIE WATTS- PERFORMER AND PROFESSIONAL SINGER
Sadie Watts is a professional singer who regularly performs at various events. Music, as well having a strong faith has enabled her to get through many challenging life experiences. This has also inspired her to write her own songs. Sadie enjoys encouraging others through song and scripture and has pioneered the Freedom for All organization, bringing hope and freedom to those who have experienced abuse and trauma.
Sadie is looking forward to performing for the second time at the KMDC Conference 2025.
Also a MASSIVE THANK YOU to our incredible sponsors of the Conference.
Feeling very blessed to have their support to make this day possible.
