TV and radio personality and entrepreneur PJ Ellis has partnered with Living Well UK to host an event about navigating grief in adulthood. Taking place at grounded., the wellbeing café located on St Paul’s Square in Birmingham, the event aims to create space for people to share their own experiences, listen to others, and recognise that they are not alone.
After losing his mum, Ellis launched Mommy’s Boy to help men open up conversations about their feelings after the death of a parent. Now he’s teamed up with Birmingham and Solihull’s leading mental charity for an event that’s taking place on Wednesday 28 January 2026.
The evening will centre on real stories, reflection and connection, encouraging attendees to relate to one another’s experiences and find language for feelings that are often left unspoken. Ellis will be joined by Holly Beedon from Living Well UK, Louise Ellis from Cognitive Wellness and Kimberley Owen.
With funding from NHS England, Living Well UK has launched three grounded. hubs to date. Selly Oak and St Paul’s Square offer a community cafe where a cup of coffee meets a moment of mindfulness; alongside events, workshops, one-to-one and group therapies. As well as Hall Green, which provides mental health support, registered therapeutic mentors, and community wellbeing events.
PJ Ellis, founder of Mommy’s Boy added:“Mommy’s Boy came from trying to understand parts of my journey through grief I had never really spoken about out loud. I missed my mom and I wasn’t ashamed to say it – and I know so many others feel the same, but are scared to be vulnerable.
What has surprised me most is how many people saw themselves in what I was talking about, which is why – when Living Well approached me about this event – I immediately said yes. This event isn’t about having the right words or any answers. It’s simply about creating a space where people can say, ‘this is what I’m carrying’, and know that someone else in the room might be carrying something similar.”
Louise Ellis, CBT & IPT Practitioner from Living Well UK added: “We see every day how unspoken grief can shape people’s mental health, especially in adulthood when there is often an expectation to simply cope or move on once your bereavement leave is over. Hosting this conversation at grounded. St Pauls Square, we want to show that difficult topics can actually be human and accessible, once a space has opened up for you to feel safe. January can be a very reflective time, especially after the festive season, as people explore what a year without a loved one actually looks like. We want people to come along and understand that whilst it won’t be easy, they’re not alone.”
Grief in adulthood is rarely discussed openly, and beyond bereavement, many adults carry quieter forms of loss, from changing family dynamics and relationships to identity shifts and missed expectations. For many, the festive season can intensify these emotions, bringing absence, reflection and isolation into sharper focus.
Data shows that around 86% of UK adults aged 16+ have experienced the death of a loved one, and yet, 83% of people believe the UK is bad at discussing death and grief. Living Well is on a mission to bring those stats down across Birmingham and Solihull, with grounded. in grief marking the start of targeted interventions to get more adults speaking about loss and the effect it has on their mental health.
grounded. in grief takes places on Wednesday 28 January 2026 from 6pm-8pm. It’s free to attend and you can sign up here.
