Knowledge Hub

This Valentines Day  Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your partner how much you care, so why not make this year extra special by getting them something meaningful and also practical?  End of life planning is something that many don’t think about, but it’s an important conversation to…

Coping With Bereavement  Coping with bereavement can be a difficult and overwhelming experience.  Everyone reacts differently, and there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to grieve. It’s important to remember that grief is a natural process, and to take the time to honour the life of the person who has…

How Do You Talk To Someone Who Is Dying? How on earth do we talk with someone who is dying? Selena was becoming more and more frail. It was clear that, though in good spirits, her body was nearing the end of her life. She kept having visits to hospital,…

What is an End Of Life Plan? An end of life plan can help ensure that your wishes are respected and that they receive the care that aligns with your values and beliefs. It can also help ease the burden on loved ones who may be unsure of what the…

National Grief Awareness  National Grief Awareness Week, held annually from December 2nd – 8th, is an important time to recognize and honour the grief that can come with the death of a loved one.  This week gives those who have experienced loss the opportunity to recognize their grief and to…

A Story Of Someone Who Didn’t Leave A Will Rock star Aretha Franklin didn’t leave a last will and testament.  What was she thinking?   Well, I assume she wasn’t thinking.  Her lawyer is reported saying he spoke to her repeatedly about having a last will and testament or a trust. …

What Is An End Of Life Plan? An End of life plan is a document which allows you to organise your affairs in the approach to and after death.  It allows you to take control of how you’ll be cared for, your finances, important documents, funeral matters, legacy and much…

What Is An End Of Life Plan? An End Of Life plan is a document which illustrates how you’d like your affairs to be arranged in the lead up to, near to, and after your death.  It’s a common misconception that an end of life plan is primarily about creating a…

How Do You Define End Of Life Planning? What exactly does end of life planning mean?  It’s a straightforward question and it’s one most people would be able to answer partially to begin with.  The usual suspects would crop up first, creating a will, power of attorney, appointing an executor.…

What is Will Aid 2022? Will Aid is a campaign that occurs every November in which volunteering solicitors waiver their fees for writing basic wills.  Solicitors up and down the UK invite their clients to make donations of around £100 and in return they will get a fully written, professional…

What is Seed Gathering Season? Seed Gathering Season is a campaign which inspires everyone to gather seeds, nuts and fruits to grow into trees for the future.  The festival starts each year on the 23rd of September (the autumn equinox, considered the first day of autumn) till the 23rd of…

Imagine receiving funding for your BIGS Facilitator Training? That’s exactly what happened to one of our licenced facilitators! Emma Satchell was successful securing training funding for her place on our BIGS End of Life Plan Facilitator Training. Emma is now one of our certified and licenced facilitators. Read our Interview…

The Aftermath Of a Funeral What happens after a funeral? Not a lot – unless you were very close to the person who died. For example, those who didn’t know the Queen well will have returned to their own lives after her death, and that’s what most other people did…

Feeling Grief Is A Part Of Being Human  Humans have the unique ability of being aware of life’s mortality, yet we are still surprised when grief shocks the system.  Often when you are grieving a loved one, you find yourself taken off track, your routine destroyed and your sense of…

Why is End Of Life Planning Important? Most people view end of life planning as something of a reaction.  Thus, end of life planning is seen as something that has to be done in relation to a good or bad event.  Won the lottery and want to make sure your…

Are you keen to do the BIGS End of Life Planning Facilitator Training but don’t have the means to pay right now? Here’s what to do…

The Queen’s Last Message Huw Edwards on BBC TV was speaking about the Queen having approved everything that was happening yesterday with her funeral. Obviously, for such a huge occasion, planning is essential, and it has been in place for decades (known under the code name London Bridge). It impacts…

Learning From The Queen’s Death The lessons we can learn from our Queen’s death and apply to our own mini-realms of family, friends and property. During her reign, the Queen has given us examples of many kinds of things that remind us we are all human. Even in her final…

Who should I have as the executor of my will? The answer to ‘who should I have as executor of my will?’ is often ‘someone in your family’.  But what if there isn’t an obvious person in your family to take on this role?  What do you do then?  In…

Why Talking About Death Matters  Talking about death isn’t exactly the best ice breaker in the world, but it’s certainly great at helping people open up and talk about issues not normally brought up in everyday conversation.  Human beings are self-aware in knowing life is finite, but surprisingly little time…

What Makes Afternoon Tea Week Special? Afternoon Tea Week is celebrated between August 8th and August 14th, so if you’re looking for an excuse to go out for a treat, you’re in luck.  The week-long activity celebrates socialising with loved ones, trying out local businesses and (most importantly) indulging in…

Practising Mindfulness  After a busy day at the office, hectic social life or a large family gathering, to practice mindfulness is a skill which can bring you closer to the present and make you feel much more at ease with your thoughts.    Have you ever been through periods of your…

How Do I Start Organising My Belongings?  Have you ever felt drained at the thought of emptying your garage?  Or is the idea of sorting out stacks of paperwork starting to make your stomach turn?  Often enough you ignore objects because they can remind you of a time that’s no…

Is an End Of Life Plan Important?  An End of life plan is a document which allows you to organise your affairs in the approach to, and after, death.  It allows you to take control of how you’ll be cared for, your finances, important documents, funeral matters, legacy and many…

How Do You Plan On Talking About Death With Family Members? Talking to family members about death can be a daunting prospect, but leaving it till a later date can make things even worse.  Has there ever been a conversation which has been shut down because you’ve been told ‘not…

Why Green Embalming is the Future for the Burial Industry  The process of green embalming has the power to change the burial industry forever. As eco-conscious families around the world look for a more earth-friendly way of embalming bodies, this article looks into the reasons why green embalming for your…

How to make end of life planning less difficult  Making your end of life plan easier can be more enjoyable than you think. From brainstorming ideas, finding support, and finding knowledge, in this article you will be able to discover all kinds of good gems to help you make your…

What is Children’s Hospice Week? A children’s hospice is an organisation which helps facilitate palliative care for young children. Children’s Hospice Week, which runs from June 20th to June 26th this year, helps spread awareness around the UK for all related child hospice services.  This year, the theme of Children’s…

What will your legacy look like? If you had to choose one thing you’d be remembered for, if you were gone tomorrow, what would it be? In other words, can you identify your legacy?  It can be quite difficult; depending on the life you’ve had until now, you may not…

Can Gardening improve emotional wellbeing? Clean cut grass, fresh flowers, birds chirping, there can be a subtle peaceful environment when a garden is looking healthy, can’t there? Similarly in life, to make something great it often needs time and commitment to have it grow into something special.  Today I’ll be…

How will you be celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee this week?  Street parties, family gatherings and a whole host of events, this week’s Jubilee has been planned effectively to get this summer off to a great start!  Like all great things, preparation is key and the Queens platinum jubilee is no…

Why is dealing with stress so difficult? By its own definition, stress is your body’s way of telling you to take action.  As students across the country face their final exams, let’s look at what stress is, how to manage it and how it can be used to get your End…

Have you ever had to play Sherlock Holmes? Missing garden equipment, important documents, finding passwords, finding documents after someone dies can be a nightmare! It’s often a mystery trying to find these details after a loved one has passed. To celebrate Sherlock Holmes National Day on May 22nd, we’ll be…

The Importance of End of Life Planning Why is End of Life Planning so important? Surely at some point it’ll all get taken care of, right?  Wrong! The vast majority of people wait until it’s too late to start their End of Life plan.  It’s not until stress, worry or…

When is the best time to start end of life planning? It’s a common question and the truthful answer is from age 18, i.e. when you are an adult. However, realistically, this is probably not going to happen – remember when you were 18? It’s most likely you felt that…

The Challenges of Difficult Conversations  In life, it’s all too easy to avoid difficult conversations until we’re forced to confront them.  When that happens, we find ourselves feeling uncomfortable, out of place and rushed as we’re sprung into making decisions at what can seem to be the worst possible time. So,…

The U.K. reflects on its National Day of Covid-19 This day is UK National Reflection Day. Two years ago, the country was turned upside down in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. Countless lives have been lost, families bruised, and all generations suffered. Today, we come together to reflect over…