IT isn't a subject easily broached.

Death is something we will all face at some time in our lives - yet many of us prefer to skirt round the issue - even in circumstances where it is going to happen sooner rather than later.

Whether it be facing the devastating reality of end-of-life care or the sudden loss of a loved one, death affects us in different ways but the impact is immense.

We all have our own coping mechanisms and the support of family and friends can be crucial in getting you through, but for those who don't have a support network, losing a loved one can be a very lonely time and distressing time.

For those who feel isolated or who may be struggling dealing with their grief, Death Cafes can provide a supportive setting for people to chat openly about their loss - or to discuss death.

Far from being a morbid affair, Death Cafes tend to be held in social settings such as cafes or pubs - or health centre settings where I met Laverne Anderson, services manager for Bradford Bereavement Support, a free and confidential service set up in 1984 to support people who had suffered a loss.

She explains how Death Cafes are well established throughout Europe, North America and Australasia with more than 4,000 Death Cafes held to date.

The UK's first Death Cafe was held in Hackney in 2011 when the model was developed by Jon Underwood and Sue Barsky Reid based on the ideas of Bernard Crettaz.

Laverne explains Bradford Bereavement Support decided to explore the benefits of Death Cafes as part of their mission to support people in Bradford and engage in a subject that is often hidden and perceived to be taboo.

She says avoiding the subject can lead to isolation whereas discussing death normalises it.

"Death is part of life. It is everywhere and it affects everybody in all sorts of ways, but we shy away from talking about it. I think it is the last taboo subject," says Laverne.

She says with fewer people attending church or turning to religion communities can become increasingly fragmented, particularly as more women are now working instead of staying at home.

Bereavement counsellor, Anita Dunford, also refers to the 'stiff upper lip attitude' towards death despite the fact it is something that we will all face at some time in our lives.

She says part of what they are trying to do is to encourage people to seek support before they get into a situation where they are struggling to cope.

Laverne and Anita explain the sessions can also be used for 'managing your own death' as well. Some talk about their own funeral plans.

Through the Death Cafes, Laverne wants to bring people together to give them a platform to talk openly about death.

She says they want to encourage people to talk about death and make it part of life. "We are born, we die and the bit in between is about living it and there are all sorts of conversations people can have."

Many people call in out of curiosity. One lady who popped into the Death Cafe at the Canalside Health Centre in Bingley had lost her nephew suddenly.

"By having the Death Cafes it is also a way of sign-posting people to what is out there," explains Anita.

There are tools people can tap into too as Laverne demonstrates brandishing 'My End of Life Book.' She explains this is predominantly for people who are terminally ill, or those with dementia so they can put things in place, if they wish, before the inevitable.

"If you think about when somebody dies, in your grieving there is a lot of practical things, trying to honour that person's last wishes and if you don't know it is another issue - where you want your ashes going? What are your favourite hymns or songs? People do struggle with it but it is things that make it easier for the people who are left to organise it," explains Laverne.

Around 20 people, ranging in ages, attended their previous Death Cafe.

Laverne recalls a group of women in their 30s told how becoming mums had made them more conscious of their own mortality.

She says it also made them put into perspective the practicalities of life. "It was an interesting debate," says Laverne.

"Once you start talking about it, people do start opening up. It is getting people to get over that hurdle," she adds.

Working in end-of-life care, Laura Middleton-Green has been more exposed to death than most.

The former Macmillan nurse is now using her own expertise as an end-of-life lecturer at Bradford University.

As well as helping to run Death Cafes, Laura is working as a co-investigator alongside archaeology lecturer, Karina Croucher, on the project 'Continuing Bonds: Exploring the meaning and legacy of death through past and contemporary practice.'

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the project, which was launched in April last year and runs until July 2018, is an innovative collaboration between the University of Bradford and the LOROS Hospice in Leicester involving archaeologists and health and social care practitioners.

Karina explains the aim is to open up conversations around death using archaeological case studies.

She says looking at how people treated the dead in the past is helping to facilitate conversations.

"Not everyone thinks about how ancient Egyptians treated Mummies, and as a way in to talk about death and dying we are looking at using really interesting case studies from the past and looking at whether they get people talking about death and dying," Karina explains.

Adds Laura: "Everybody dies but we seem to have forgotten that and we hide death away and it mostly happens behind closed doors in hospitals so when it comes it comes as a surprise.

"It is making it a little bit more visible and bringing it out of the shadows and making us appreciate life a little bit more."

A week of awareness raising events are planned during Dying Matters Week (May 8 to 15). To find out more visit facebook.com/letstalkdeath2017.

To find out more about Bradford Bereavement Support call 01274 619522 or 07946 131940; email: info@bradfordbereavement.org.uk or visit bradfordbereavement.org.uk.