Angel wings is focal point of Dying Matters

The art installation, named #angelwingselfie, has been created as part of the locally generated festival, which creates conversation around death, dying, bereavement and living as an extension of the national Dying Matters Week.

Health & Social Care’s culture, arts and health manager Lottie Barnes gave an insight into the festival’s ethos and what the public can gain from attending the events.

‘We’ve been part of Dying Matters Week for over five years and each year we try to support their campaign,’ she said.

‘The theme of Dying Matters Week this year is What can you do in your community?

‘It’s to do with encouraging people to talk about death, dying and living.

‘We cover a range of things, from information on writing wills, planning a funeral, how to talk to children about death, to even thinking about your bucket list – not necessarily because you’re dying, but actually to make you think about living.

‘It’s really just about encouraging people to talk about death, because it’s such a difficult thing to talk about.’

Miss Barnes has been involved in creating other art installations for Dying Matters Week in the past.

But this year she has organised the first festival in Guernsey with the theme.

‘For me it’s about what role can the community play, aligning ourselves with the national campaign,’ she said.

‘So we’ve worked with the community to establish what would be beneficial and different organisations have put things on.’

‘Last night, the Cock and Bull hosted Psychology in the Pub, inviting people to talk about grieving.

‘Tomorrow, Ziggurat is putting on a Deathbed Dinner, inviting people to have a meal, a couple of cocktails and a facilitated conversation around death, dying and what it means to be alive.

‘Tomorrow, the Sunflower Project, which is aimed at children affected by bereavement, is in Market Square inviting families to plant sunflower seeds.

‘It’s about looking at what’s out there, who we can work with and if they are interested in delivering something for this.’

The angel wings are intended to create a first dialogue with the public.

Andy Graham was passing by and gave his thoughts on the festival’s ethos.

‘It’s a really good idea,’ he said. ‘It’s something that naturally we don’t really talk about much. It’s quite a British thing not to talk about. And as a man, it’s probably something us men are more guilty of than women.’

n Going Out With The Tide runs until Sunday. There have been free and paid-for events all week. For more information, the festival has accounts across social media.