Director of Full Circle Funerals and carbon literacy trainer
My first task at work is always checking in with the team. We do a 48-hour check-in before every funeral, making sure everyone has what they need, services are fully covered, and there are no last-minute surprises. It’s a small discipline that makes a big difference for the team and the families we support.
From there, I head to our service in Leeds, where I’m delivering a full day of carbon literacy training online. I completed my own carbon literacy training in 2024, and once the whole team followed, we noticed a real shift. It wasn’t just about knowledge, it was confidence. Confidence to think about carbon reduction in both the small, everyday decisions and the bigger strategic ones. It gave us a shared language and a framework that made sustainability feel practical and a shared commitment, rather than overwhelming.
Training days are one of the most rewarding parts of my role. Because the sessions are online, the rooms are full of people from right across the funeral profession: funeral directors, celebrants, ministers, manufacturers, lobbyists, and leaders of industry bodies and organisations. The diversity of experience and
perspective makes every session different.
The morning focuses on climate science, grounding everyone in the ‘why’ before we move on to ‘what next’. It’s serious content, and the discussions are always thoughtful and respectful.
At lunchtime, I tell everyone to take a proper break: go outside, get some air, step away from screens – then immediately fail to follow my own advice.
The afternoon is my favourite part, where the training becomes really action focused. We explore good practice, share ideas, and start shaping pledges: practical actions people can take back to their organisations. Every group I’ve worked with so far has been deeply engaged, and I’ve learnt as much from the delegates as they have from the course.
After the session, I deal with a handful of urgent jobs and make a conscious effort to leave everything else for tomorrow. Then it’s time to switch roles to taxi service for evening activities. This usually involves sitting by a hockey pitch in freezing temperatures. Who decided hockey should be a winter sport? If I’m lucky I can
spend time reading my book or heading out for a walk if the weather isn’t too treacherous.
The day finishes simply: some food, a bit of television, and an early night. When the coast is clear I generally sneak off to play with some clay – a hobby that brings me great joy and lets me let my creative side go wild. If I could get away with it, I’d be in bed by 9pm every night.
It’s a full day, but a meaningful one and if there’s one thing I’ve learnt through Carbon Literacy Training, it’s that meaningful change is built into the ordinary rhythms of our working lives