Author: Ruth Nicholas

  • A day in the life of a public health funerals expert

    A day in the life of a public health funerals expert

    A day in the life of Evie King, lead officer for council funerals at Wealden District CouncilAt 8.30am I switch on the computer and watch seven email inboxes come to life. No…

  • Make it sew

    Make it sew

    Last month we asked for teddies to comfort grieving kids, this month we appeal to FSJ readers to get ready, steady, sew to help make collecting a loved one’s belongings a little…

  • Make funerals more bearable for children

    Make funerals more bearable for children

    FSJ is calling on crematoria operators to help grieving kids get through funerals by giving them a comfort bear to cuddle and keep afterwards, and we’re asking you to help.The idea is…

  • Christmas funeral in July

    Christmas funeral in July

    Santa Claus isn’t much associated with crematoria, but he had a starring role in the funeral of 87-year-old Walter Hatton, as did his reindeer and elves.As Hatton neared the end of his…

  • Future of funeral transport

    Future of funeral transport

    Patrick Quinn, director at Fearghas Quinn, ponders how advances in automotive technology, AI and robotics could reshape funeral vehicles and funerals themselvesAs hearses and limousines are converted from passenger cars and as…

  • Ashes to ashes: a final resting place for unclaimed remains

    Ashes to ashes: a final resting place for unclaimed remains

    Unclaimed ashes are an issue for funeral directors and it’s not just a British problem. US funeral director Lanae Strovers describes her work tackling a sensitive situationLanae Strovers is a funeral director,…

  • Seeing isn’t believing

    Seeing isn’t believing

    Neural Smash founder Dan Bradley looks at the collective cost of not knowing what’s real and what’s not thanks to AIIn the last year or so a niggling little voice has crept…

  • Mighty oaks from little acorns grow

    Mighty oaks from little acorns grow

    Nina Leonelli, general manager at the Garden of England Crematorium, says small steps build into great outcomes when it comes to caring for the environmentWe’re all green now, aren’t we? No one…

  • SAIF answers the Undercover Undertaker’s challenge

    SAIF answers the Undercover Undertaker’s challenge

    Last month our columnist challenged funeral directors’ trade associations to “tell us plainly what you do, how it directly benefits funeral directors, and why we should continue to support you”. National Society…

  • NAFD responds to the Undercover Undertaker

    NAFD responds to the Undercover Undertaker

    National Association of Funeral Directors CEO Andrew Judd answers the challenge laid down by our columnistThe funeral profession is operating in a period of significant change. Public scrutiny has increased, calls for…