Oban’s postcards to absent friends
Oban will be sending postcards to absent friends next month as it joins a festival of storytelling and remembrance across Scotland.
To Absent Friends is a week-long festival created five years ago by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care to give people the chance to remember others who have died but are still important to them.
This is the first year Oban has taken part in the festival and a series of events from reminiscence cafes to an exhibition, radio and film show are being organised to run from November 1 to 7 at a number of venues across the town, including the Oban Chocolate Company and the War and Peace Museum on the Esplanade.
People going along to the cafes will be encouraged, if they want, to write messages or just a few words on blank postcards that will make up a writing and photography exhibition running from Monday November 5 to Wednesday November 7 at the Rockfield Centre from 10am to 4pm both days.
Anyone visiting the cafes is also asked to bring a photographs or object that reminds them of someone as a conversation starter. Photographs will also be taken at the cafes, with permission, to go with people’s postcards to be included in the exhibition.
The idea of the festival is to strengthen the local community through active remembrance, talking about memories of loved ones, says Lucy Hunt, who is Oban Hospice community services co-ordinator based at The Dove Centre in Stevenson Street.
The festival week starts on Thursday November 1 with a reminiscence cafe at North Argyll Carers Centre in Albany Street from 2pm to 4pm, then a later cafe at the Oban Chocolate Company from 5pm to 6pm.
Friday November 2 will see another reminiscence café at The Dove Centre’s men’s group from 10.30am to 12.30pm with storytelling through music then an afternoon cafe at War and Peace Museum from 2pm to 4pm.
A crafting session painting rainbows and making pebble models for all ages and family members together takes place on Saturday November 3 at The Dove Centre from 10am to 2pm. Then on Sunday November 4, Oban Phoenix Cinema will show a film by The Good Grief Project called A Love That Never Dies, a beautiful film documenting how families cope with the death of a child. Representatives from Rachel House in Kinross will be at the showing, which starts at 6pm.
And Ken Hunter will be reminiscing on the radio on Tuesday November 6 from 10am to noon on his Oban FM slot.
‘Most people have lost someone dear to them,’ said Robert Peacock, of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief – the alliance of organisations behind the national festival.
‘But they live on in our stories and memories. To Absent Friends recognises that.
‘We want people to stop and take some time to share those stories – whether it’s just raising a glass, getting the old photo albums out, or something more formal. We’re very glad that The Oban Hospice has chosen to mark the event with their Postcards to Absent Friends event.’
Go to the festival website at toabsentfriends.org.uk