Two new community initiatives aimed at providing holistic support for birth and end-of-life care were presented to Glastonbury Town Council at a recent meeting.

Louise Torea introduced the Sacred Birth Centre, a project designed to transform the way birth is supported in the local community.

She highlighted that one in three women describe their birth experience as traumatic, often due to a lack of emotional and holistic support during the process.

"Birth is much more than just a medical event—it's one of life's most profound transitions," she said. "Too often, maternity care focuses on managing risk but fails to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of the mother."

The Sacred Birth Centre aims to offer a dedicated space in Glastonbury where parents-to-be can receive support from midwives and doulas, creating a more positive birthing experience.

The project also includes an advocacy campaign to reduce birth trauma, with a focus on collecting and sharing birth stories from the local community.

Torea called on the Town Council for support, whether through connections, funding, or collaboration, to help make the project a reality.

Following this, Lucy White presented the Sacred Death Centre, an initiative dedicated to holistic end-of-life care and grief support. Established in January 2024, the project received initial funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and has been providing workshops, companionship, and homeopathy clinics for those nearing the end of life, their carers, and those experiencing grief.

"Death is a natural and sacred transition, deserving of the same care, compassion, and preparation as birth," White said. "Our vision is to provide a service where people can approach the end of life with dignity and support while ensuring those left behind have the resources to process their grief in a healthy way."

The Sacred Death Centre's long-term goal is to establish a holistic hospice in Glastonbury. In the meantime, it is offering workshops and community events, including grief support groups and a planned community grief ritual later this year.

The initiative will also be marking National Dying Matters Week (5–11 May) with a series of events, including a weekend gathering at the Red Brick Building and a ceremonial concert at St Benedict's Church.

White invited the council to collaborate and support the initiative financially, ensuring that holistic end-of-life and grief support remains accessible to those who need it.

The Town Council thanked both speakers for their presentations and acknowledged the importance of their work in the community.