June 2015

 
Welcome to the latest edition of the Institute Update
 

A brief update this month with the main aim of passing on two pieces of information.

The first is of a celebratory note: Barbara has just recorded the IoCF's 40,000th funeral ceremony on our database! Most of you will remember that it was only just over fifteen months ago when we reported on the 30,000 ceremonies taken by our members: proof of the exponential growth in the awareness and popularity of IoCF Civil Funerals.

Secondly, a final reminder that the National Funeral Exhibition takes place next weekend, Friday 12 June to Sunday 14th June, at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

If you are planning to attend, please remember to wear your IoCF badge. You must register with the organisers to obtain an entry badge - www.nationalfuneralexhibition.co.uk/registration.

Members of the Council and Institute members (and Barbara for some of the time) will be on the IoCF stand (stand 250 in the main hall) all through the three day event, so if you are there please do come and say hello to us.

On the stand, we will have available for sale - to IoCF members only - the new script cover pages, bearing the golden rose and new IoCF logo. They will go on sale that day at an introductory offer price of £2.50 per twenty-five sheets and will also be available for sale via our stationery order form after that weekend.

Devising the script cover paper and new trifold leaflets has taken up much of the Council's time this month but we wanted to get them absolutely right. As they go on sale in the next couple of weeks, we hope that all members will agree that they present a new, updated image for the IoCF.

Council also has a great deal of 'work in progress' at the moment so, in the coming months, do watch out for further news of new IoCF leaflets, stationery and merchandise; a talk and visual presentation that will be available for members to deliver to funeral directors' trade association meetings or in-house training sessions for funeral arrangers; the IoCF (Ireland) website, tailored to the working methods and needs of IoCF members in Ireland; new resources pages on the IoCF website and last, but by no means least, the programme for our annual conference and AGM (Yarnfield Park, Staffordshire: 6th - 8th November) and accommodation details should be finalised by the end of next month.

Plenty to look forward to.

Best Wishes
Christine Ogden
 

 
Admin News

Membership News
Council received the sad news of the death, in early April, of Julia Jupp who had been a member of the IoCF since 2012 and who will be missed by her colleagues in the SE London area.

There are also several members who are on sabbatical from the Institute at the present time as they cope with illness, or that of a family member. The Council would like to send them very best wishes on behalf of everyone.
 

The IoCF 'Toolkit'
Having either attended the last Best Practice day or read the report on how much everyone enjoyed the day, you will now know about 'Toolkits'!

Work on assembling the IoCF Toolkit is in progress: the aim is to share resources and 'hints and tips' which will benefit every member, particularly when they find themselves involved in arranging a ceremony that, for whatever reason, is very different from the 'norm'. An obvious example of this, which many members have experienced, is the 'civil funeral' for a family from another country with a strong religious and cultural background.

John Lewing has kindly written a report of his experiences of 'Dual Culture' ceremonies which you can read in full here. We will take many useful pointers from John's experiences to add to our Toolkit.

John's words make fascinating reading. If any member has equally interesting and useful ceremony experiences to share, do let us know - we would very much like to include them in a future IoCF update.
 

Calling All Runners!
The Child Funeral Charity (CFC) is an official charity at the Oxford Half Marathon on Sunday 11th October.

Could you run 13 miles for CFC in 3 and a half hours or less? CFC has places available for runners who can help the charity by raising sponsorship for their run.

If this is YOU, please email Anne (anne@civilceremonies.co.uk) for a registration form.
 

Death and Funerals in different religions and cultures in the UK
The CFC 2015 Educational Seminar considers the need for a wide-ranging understanding of the expectations of death and funerals within a multicultural society with an array of religions and cultures.

The seminar is on Tuesday 14th July, 10.00am-4.00pm, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, and will include contributions from:

Mohammed Omer - Trustee at the Gardens of Peace Cemetery in Hainault, East London;
The Revd. Dr Sandra Millar - Head of Projects and Developments, Archbishops' Council at the Church of England;
Dr Rami Seth MBE FRCS who will talk about Hindu death and funerals.

The delegate fee is £75 and includes all talks, workshops, certificates of attendance for CPD purposes, refreshments, lunch and car parking. Full details and registration information is on the CFC website.

 
CFC will also be at the NFE on stand 403 - pop by to say hello.
 

 
Training News

The following courses are being held by Civil Ceremonies. Full details on the CCL website.

Level 4 Advanced Practice Courses

Tribute Writing Techniques - 6th October
Voice and Delivery Skills for Funeral Celebrants - 7th October
Child and Baby Funerals - 13th October
Bereavement Interviews - 14th October

There are two sets of fees for the above courses depending on whether you wish to take the full qualification (which involves extra work away from the training day) or just attend the one day training.
For the full qualification (inc distance learning, assessment, registration and certification): £220.50 + VAT
For the one day training without the qualification: £121.50 + VAT

 
Level 2 Course

Poetry and Readings for Funerals - 15th October - £99 + VAT

If you achieve 3 of the above 4, Level 4 qualifications, Civil Ceremonies will also award you with an Advanced Practice Diploma in recognition of your achievement.

IoCF Members receive a 10% discount on course fees.
 

 
2015 Diary Dates

 
And Finally ...

Congratulations to the following members who have reached another milestone in their work:
        Graham Cuthell and Chris Wynn-Owen.
 

And thank you for reading.
Barbara