We are Funeral Director of the Year 2024, which is a national recognition from The Good Funeral Awards. Natural Endings is an independent company with over twenty-five years’ experience between us.
We are a member of The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors aka SAIF and the Association of Green Funeral Directors and are recommended by The Good Funeral Guide and the Natural Death Centre. We abide by their ethical codes of practice and are inspected by SAIF and The Good Funeral Guide.
I’ve been an undertaker for twenty two years. I’m also a trained psychotherapist.
I first became involved with funerals in 1995. Whilst nursing my terminally ill mum Zoë, I began, at her request, to look into options for her funeral.
When the time came I was able to wash and dress my mum myself, friends made her coffin and we held her funeral in a thatched barn. Zoë then had one of the first burials in a newly opened woodland burial ground with a hawthorn tree planted on her grave.
We found that by being fully involved in the entire process and having a very personal funeral in a venue where we could take our time was a cathartic experience. Friends and family used their own skills to make, speak, carry, create and cook.
It was a wonderful day, full of sadness but with great love and pride too. It helped us all immensely. I went on to train to be a funeral director in 1996 with the funeral pioneers Peace Funerals, working in London and Sheffield. I set up Natural Endings in Manchester in 2005 (became limited 2008) and then in Todmorden in 2022.
Although I’m Natural Endings owner I’m still very hands on. I meet with you, put arrangements in place and realise your ideas, I wash and dress your person and I’m with you on the funeral day. I’m interested in how we can make your special person’s funeral unique to them. And how your friends and family can contribute with their own ideas and skills.
I’m also available to give talks on a variety of topics such as:
Modern funerals, the Continuing Bonds bereavement model, rituals and participatory events around grief and mourning, green funerals, DIY and family led funerals.
I joined Natural Endings in 2022. Previously I worked for a funeral chain and later I had my own business supporting independent funeral companies in practical ways. I found that though I love death care work that working for a chain didn’t suit me. Working with Natural Endings is entirely different. I find the that being involved in the whole journey with a bereaved family provides a better experience for them.
I’m particularly interested in environmentally friendly death care and funeral options.
A reflection of a person’s life
We are all individuals. As such a funeral service should reflect the loves, achievements and authentic personality and life of your person.
Natural Endings provide a personal service that includes taking time to gain an understanding of you and your family’s values and beliefs and what is important to you. We help you create a funeral that is unique for your person; that celebrates their life and personality whilst acknowledging the sadness that they are no longer physically here or other difficult feelings.
Our death care policy
We are committed to the best care of your special person. Personal care of your person is female led. And you are welcome to join us in washing and dressing them with us if you wish. Or visit them and spend some time with them once we’ve done that for you. After recent awful reports in the press about terrible lack of care and respect for people that have died we want you to know that we’re respectful, ethical and transparent. It’s usually Lisa and Rosie that undertake our mortuary care. Occasionally we have other professional helpers. You’re welcome to meet them at any point and ask them questions. We want you to have all the information that you need to feel confident that your special person is being cared for in the best possible way.
Welcoming diversity
We welcome diversity and feel that we are inclusive of different families and communities needs. The care of the person who has died is done by our female-led team and we can even provide a female pall bearing team if you wish.
Though death and loss are natural parts of our lives they can often be painful and confusing. We hope to help you to navigate this potentially difficult time with compassion and humanity. We believe that growing to accept a loss and reflecting on someone’s life is a gradual process. The time leading up to the funeral and the funeral itself are important parts of this process.
Collaborating with you
We work closely with you and can either fulfil your ideas or offer appropriate suggestions for creating a funeral that reflects your person’s unique personality.
We are one of the founding members of the Association of Green Funeral Directors we are recognised experts in green funerals and natural woodland burial. We also arrange cremation, including direct cremation. We work with many funeral leaders from all faiths and non-religious ones. They vary a lot in character and approach so we try and find one that’s the right fit for you. We feel like we have a good hit rate with finding the right person for you! You might feel like you’d like something more informal. We also regularly support families to lead their own service and love to see what they create.
As well as arranging funeral ceremonies in churches and places of worship we are able to offer a choice of non-religious venues for a funeral ceremony. We have arranged funerals in a barn, pub, art studio, cinema, families own homes and gardens and even a sports stadium. More recently we are very pleased to offer our own ceremony space for a funeral.
At your convenience
We can do as much or as little as you need. It might be helpful for you to be very hands-on using your own skills and creativity. We love to see what you bring. Or perhaps if you’re feeling overwhelmed you would like us to listen to what you need and then take care of everything for you.
We understand that lives are busy at this time and that there is lots to do. Therefore we can visit you at home, if you wish, to take arrangements and give you a no-commitment estimate. Or if it suits you better you can make an appointment to meet us.
We have appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and contribute to broadsheet articles, and to BBC Online.
We always happy to answer your questions and help if we can.
Even if you’re not in our regions of Manchester, Cheshire, South Lancashire and West Yorkshire please contact me if you have a question relating to funerals.
You can read testimonials of people we have supported here.
If you have had a bereavement and would like to talk to someone about funeral arrangements,
please call our 24 hour numbers –
0161 969 6690 – for South Manchester and Cheshire
01706 941757 – for Todmorden, Calderdale and South Lancashire
We are happy to discuss your requirements and provide you with a no-commitment estimate of costs.
Contact us
