It IS Good to Talk: Westerleigh’s Podcast Explores Death, Grief, and the Celebration of Life

Death and funerals remain subjects that people are often reluctant to talk about but that could be changing, thanks to a new podcast series.

Westerleigh Group, one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of crematoria and cemeteries, has launched a new podcast series called ‘Before You Go’.

The series has been produced in collaboration with Empica, one of whom’s specialisms is providing PR for the end-of-life and funeral sector.

Before You Go is a series of honest, down-to-earth conversations about death, grief and the ways we remember.

Published fortnightly, on a Friday, each episode runs for around 30 minutes and the series will cover a wide range of subjects, all aimed at encouraging people to consider their own mortality and, more importantly, to talk about it. 

Why would I want to talk about death?

Each episode is hosted by Matthew Brook, Head of Partnerships and Propositions at Westerleigh Group, who talks openly and frankly with a different special guest each week who has some involvement in the end-of-life sector.

Matthew said: “Of course, no one particularly wants to talk about death but ultimately, it is part of life. We will all lose loved ones and, of course, we will all pass away ourselves. 

“Talking about funerals early can make things a lot easier when the time comes – from your own wishes for your funeral to what your loved ones would prefer for theirs.”

Making funeral arrangements for a loved one while also coming to terms with your own grief is one of the most difficult things anyone can do. You are likely to be extremely emotional, not necessarily thinking clearly or rationally.

Talking about and planning funerals in advance can take away a lot of the additional stress of organising that final farewell, enabling those left behind to focus on supporting each other and coming to terms with their loss.

The changing face of funerals

Funerals themselves have changed a lot over the years, with more and more people choosing to step away from the more traditional, sombre, services and instead take a ‘celebration of life’ approach – which means conversations about these funerals do not have to be all ‘doom and gloom’.

Matthew explains: “Westerleigh Group prides itself on helping the bereaved to make funerals as uniquely personal as possible to reflect the life and interests of the person who has passed away.

“Some of our podcasts will look at different ways in which services can be personalised, and also ways in which families can memorialise their loved ones for many years to come.

“We hope these podcasts will help break down barriers and encourage people to start talking more about this subject, which will affect us all at some point in our lives.

“We hope to be able to dispel any myths people may have and encourage them to think about what they want for their funeral, as well as provide information about the support available to help those in need manage their grief as well as about the wide range of funeral and memorialisation options available.” 

How can I listen to Westerleigh Group’s podcast?

The initial response to the first few episodes have been extremely positive.

Matthew said: “When we were first talking about creating a podcast, I was asked what we were hoping to achieve.

“My answer was that if we can positively impact just one person, if we can make them stop, think or start and important conversation, then it is worth it.”

Less than 12 hours after launching the series, Matthew received a message from someone who had recently lost a colleague, and who said the podcast had come ‘at the most perfect time’, and that she was ‘crying and laughing at different points’.

There have been conversations with former BBC radio broadcaster-turned-celebrant Emma Britton, who was diagnosed with a rare, incurable, form of lung cancer earlier this year; Dr Bill Webster, an experienced grief counsellor; Duncan Reynolds, Managing Director of wholesale masonry business Odlings, who talks about traditional memories, and James Crossland, from Obitus, a multi-media company which is helping Westerleigh Group personalise funerals to unprecedented levels.

The ’Before You Go’ episodes can be found on all major podcast platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.