16th October 2026
Shades of Grief brings community together through poetry, creativity and conversation
People from Nottingham’s Black African and Caribbean communities came together for an evening of poetry, creativity, food and conversation at the second Shades of Grief event.
Held at Queens Walk Community Centre in The Meadows on 25 September, the event created a relaxed, protected space for people to explore themes of death, dying, grief and loss through creative expression.
Shades of Grief is a partnership between Nottinghamshire Hospice, Grandma’s House CIC, and the University of Nottingham. Through a series of events, the project aims to create opportunities for open conversations around death, dying and grief, while building stronger relationships with communities that are currently underrepresented in hospice care.
Poetry, creativity and time to connect
The evening began with a performance from Nottingham poet Chris Oliver, who used spoken word to explore experiences and emotions around grief and loss.
This was followed by a creative workshop facilitated by Michelle Mother Hubbard. Participants spent time discussing shared themes and experiences, exploring words that held meaning for them and taking part in creative activities, including writing and decorating memory stones.
Most of those who attended chose to take part in the workshop, but the evening was designed to offer something for everyone. There was no pressure to speak or share personal experiences, with plenty of time to listen, enjoy food, socialise and connect with others.
At the heart of the evening was an opportunity to reflect on the different ways grief and loss can affect our lives – including the impact they can continue to have long after someone has died.
By bringing people together in this way, Shades of Grief aims to make conversations around grief feel more open and to help people recognise that they do not have to struggle with difficult experiences alone.
Continuing the conversation
Our next Shades of Grief event will take place on Saturday 9th January 2027. If you’d like to find out more, please call us on 0115 962 1222 or email info@nottshospice.org
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the evening, to Chris Oliver and Michelle Mother Hubbard, and to our partners Grandma’s House CIC and the University of Nottingham for their continued work on the project.