Finding Hope + Meaning Beyond Covid-19

About the event

This recorded event will be available to watch on-demand during the festival. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed our nation to the brink over the past year and it continues to transform and challenge our society in ways we could never have imagined.

Many experts believe we’re facing a mental health crisis that will last for years due to the crushing loss of freedom, the still-mounting death toll and the fact that our hopes and dreams have been put on hold or lost entirely. 

Alongside this, Covid-19 could be the biggest catalyst for societal change since WWII. Seismic shifts are affecting every area of life: from the way we work to the way we educate our children; from the places we choose to live to the things we value most highly in life.

Join our panel of creators and thinkers, hosted by multi-award winning broadcaster and presenter, Anneka Rice, as they discuss their vision for a better post-pandemic society. Anneka’s guests include grief expert and author Julia Samuel MBE, best-selling author and palliative care expert Dr Rachel Clarke, podcaster Steve Bland and full-time GP and BBC Breakfast‘s medical expert, Dr Amir Khan. 

They’ll consider how lives and communities can be rebuilt to support those who are suffering, and how we can all find hope and meaning for the future.

Will we ever return to ‘normal’? Do we want to?

If you’re struggling with grief or need support, you can find free bereavement resources, and a list of organisations that can help, on http://mariecurie.org.uk/bereavement-resources . You can also call the Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309* for ongoing support from a trained bereavement volunteer.

*Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 11am to 5pm. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles. Your calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes.