Schoolkids from Luton ponder life after death in film

In less than 24 hours, the film featuring pupils from Ramridge Primary School has racked up more than 20,000 views across social media, with Harry Judd from McBusted and national charities including MacMillian showing their support.

Ramridge headteacher Carolyn Doherty said: “It was a really enlightening experience to see how deeply the children were able to think and talk about the subject of dying and in such a relaxed way.”

When asked ‘what happens when you die?’ students aged between four and five years old gave answers including ‘you sit on a star’, ‘your garden goes on top of you’ and even described how their pet cats go in jars.

The three-minute film was produced by Keech Hospice.

Clinical director Elaine Tolliday praised the innocence and honesty of the children and said it was helping to open up a conversation adults often find difficult.

She said: “As far as we know, Keech Hospice Care is the first ever hospice to do something like this and I’m proud to see us leading the way. Talking about death doesn’t bring death closer. It’s about planning for life.

“Without talking and understanding, death and terminal illness can be a lonely and stressful experience, both for the person who is dying and for their friends and family,” she said.

According to Keech, 81 per cent of people have not written preferences for their own death.

Only 25% of men and 35% of women across England have told anyone about their funeral wishes, with 60% having no will drawn up.

To view Keech Hospice Care’s film, visit www.keech.org.uk.