Meet Zarine Jacob who aims to eliminate the fear of death in Ely residents under the worldwide ‘Death Café movement’

An Ely woman plans to “eliminate the fear of death” in city residents at one of the county’s first ever ‘Death Cafés’.

You may have never heard of a ‘Death Café’ before, but all around the world people are coming together to discuss the taboo topic surrounding the end of our lives.

Zarine Jacob, who has lived in Ely for 18 years, hopes to spark conversation among city residents and promote the “Death Café movement”.

Originally from India, Ms Jacob said that where she’s from “funerals are treated as a big social event”, unlike the traditional British ceremony.

She said: “We just don’t talk enough about death and I’ve been interested in the topic for a number of years now. We need to do more in this area [East Cambridgeshire].”

Ms Jacob, a self-proclaimed ‘death coach’, said she became interested in what happens when we die after reading a French book called ‘Intimate Death’.

She added: “India is far more open about death; my husband hadn’t seen a dead body until he came back with me some years ago.

“The group in Ely, which is purely a community thing, is quickly growing. But it’s not about numbers; it’s about talking and sharing stories.”

To find out more about Ely’s Death Café, when the group meets and how you can take part, visit: www.facebook.com/ElyDeathCafe