A moving and inspiring account of how one Final Flinger used the site to help her live life to the full, right to the end.
Living life to the full – right to the end
Final Fling’s story
Order of Service recipe
This week, my friend Rebecca shares a surprising, delighting moment at a recent family funeral – to come across an Order of Service recipe. “Pat Mills, died at the end of last year and in my family, that officially marks the End of an Era. Pat and Bunty were legends. They were distant cousins of ours – […]
Designing compassion into services for death and dying
Designing compassion into services for death and dying has been at the heart of Final Fling’s work since our online community launched in 2012.
6 years on, Founder Barbara Chalmers presented a slot on designing compassion into services for death at the Everyday Compassion conference organised by Good Life Good Death Good Grief to bring together death workers from all over Scotland and beyond.
Designing compassion into services
This week I’m talking at an end of life conference about designing compassion into services. The conference is Everyday Compassion: Supportive responses to dying and bereavement by schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces.
Transforming funerals through design innovation
In case you hadn’t noticed, design innovation and funerals has been obsessing me for the past decade. So I’ve spent the past year really digging into this by studying for a Masters in Design Innovation (Service Design), with a focus on funerals, at the prestigious Glasgow School of Art.
Death Cafe feedback
This week, I’m reaching out for Death Cafe feedback from anyone who’s attended a Final Fling Death Cafe.
Masters in funerals
The big news today is that Barbara Chalmers, Founder of Final Fling now has a Masters – with distinction – in funerals.
“Well, in reality, it’s an MDes – a Masters in Design Innovation, Service Design – and my final project was on funerals, so I consider it a Masters in funerals,” said Barbara. “I just found out on Friday at our degree show that I achieved a Masters – with distinction – in funerals (as I call it) and I couldn’t be more delighted.”
Does Final Fling work internationally?
I’ve just had a message from Karin, a new Flinger in Australia, who – having just signed up over the weekend – wanted to check: does Final Fling work internationally?
I thought I’d share my answer more broadly. Yes it does!
Death and letting go
This week, we look at the challenge of facing death and letting go, thanks to Evelyn Temple who shares her thoughtful, poignant story of her dad’s end of life wish – Just Let Me Go. Evelyn shares: February 25 2017 marked ten years since my Dad died. My Dad – strong, humble, constant, hardworking. He was my rock […]
Final Fling’s Life support system
Happy New Year from Final Fling – the positive thinking, forward planning, reality checking life support system. Since Final Fling began its life in 2012 as a life support system for people faced with making tricky life and death decisions or those thinking ahead, the world has changed.
Too Busy to Die?
The limited edition guide Too Busy to Die launches on 14 October 2016 at Cheltenham Literature Festival, when Barbara Chalmers, Founder of Final Fling, talks about end of life planning.
Time for a Life MOT?
Are you interested in a Life MOT? Barbara Chalmers, Founder of Final Fling offers personalised Life MOT packages. A qualified life coach, executive coach, and COSCA Counselling Skills qualified, Barbara is trained in MAP and PATH techniques and is also considered a death coach.
End of life care experience: survey
Do you have end of life care experience? Can you help with a new survey? The Co-Care project is trying to understand how volunteers can provide support for family caregivers at home.
Women Do Death Differently
10 years ago, it occurred to me that maybe women do death differently. That’s when I bought the domain name, Final Fling, in the hope that I could contribute in some way. We’re more about emotional engagement than transaction. We’re collaborative, supportive, we cut to the chase and focus on the important things. We’re good at […]
Humanism | A Quiet Revolution
Final Fling is connected to the Scottish Charity, A Quiet Revolution… a small, quiet movement to promote creative and positive living in a Humanist way. A Quiet Revolution aims to encourage human beings to fulfil themselves by paying attention to the things that matter most and bring most meaning in life… love, care, mindfulness, friendships, ‘family’ – in […]
Good Funeral Awards 2012
6 months after its launch, in September 2012, Final Fling won the title for Most Outstanding Contribution to Understanding Death at the Good Funeral Awards 2012.