Tackling taboos over tea and cake

The life-affirming Chorlton death cafe

Dear members — As the quote goes, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” But while taxes are a sure thing, death is certainly a more difficult topic to wrestle with — which might explain why so many of us go through life thinking about quite literally anything but our mortal demise.

One person who this doesn’t apply to is Debbie Jones, a funeral celebrant who hosts Chorlton’s death cafe — a “space where people discuss death and dying.” We sent writer Dani Coles to visit this thoughtful event series, which she reports on below. But first: the country’s biggest urban farm could be built in Oldham, King Street cocktails and more, in our briefing.