Dying for a Cuppa - The Podcast

A little hello from me as I step into my 44th year! Before the next instalment of Dying for a Cuppa® officially begins next week, I wanted to sit down, reconnect and share a few thoughts, reflections and little birthday ramblings with you. No guest, no big topic, just me and a moment to pause before we begin the next chapter. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for continuing these import...

This is the episode we didn’t know we needed… but I’m so glad we’ve got it. This is a great way to end this series. Let me introduce you to Mathew Crawley, Chief Executive of the ICCM (Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management), a role that carries huge responsibility across the UK, and one Mat brings to life with real depth, honesty and character. This conversation goes far beyond what I e...

Mohamed Omer MBE joins us for the last episode of the series and what a way to finish! Dying for a Cuppa series 3 has been such a joy and a privilege. This episode is quite frankly AMAZING. Mohamed shares insights into his faith and the Muslim rituals and reasons around death and funeral practices, he speaks with heart about humanity, community and spirituality and I could listen to him all day. N...

Did you know you can make your own coffin? Or make someone else's? Sophia is a willow coffin maker and founder of Woven Farewell Coffins and can help. Sophia shares her path into coffin making, and what began as a conversation about willow, craftsmanship and the skill behind creating a coffin quickly unfolded into something much deeper. Of course, we talk about the art and care that goes into...

This week on Dying for a Cuppa, I’m joined by the brilliant Dr Carol McLeod, and she’s the final member of our LadBible roundtable crew! Carol is a forensic scientist, and hand on heart, I think she may have one of the most fascinating, and also one of the hardest, jobs of anyone I’ve spoken to. I first met her during the LadBible roundtable when she spoke about her involvement in the investigatio...

He's back! John Adams, friend, colleague, fellow board member, funeral director, past president of the NAFD, ambassador, advocate and all round expert and decent human, joined us last series to share his personal story of the loss of his Mum Maria when he was just 12 years old. This time he's back to share more about his work with funerals, changing the national curriculum and general world domina...

This week on Dying for a Cuppa, I’m joined by the absolute LEGEND that is Martin Jeffrey. Martin has over 34 years’ experience in embalming, post-mortem reconstruction, and mortuary operations. Known for his technical expertise and commitment to education, he has played a key role in developing embalmers across the UK and internationally. Martin and I first met during our LadBible roundtable back...

I’m so excited for you to listen to this week’s Dying for a Cuppa with the brilliantly gorgeous, social media star, Mikey the Death Doula. https://www.healingheartshouse.com/ Mikey is a fellow end-of-life companion and professional, just like me, but based across the pond in Pennsylvania, USA. We connected through social media, and I’ve loved watching how Mikey shows up online, sharing the very hu...

In this next episode of Dying for a Cuppa, I’m delighted to be joined by Dominic from Andy’s Man Club. https://andysmanclub.co.uk/ Andy’s Man Club is a men’s mental health support charity born from the heartbreaking loss of Andy, who died by suicide at just 23. Out of that tragedy, Andy’s family created something truly powerful — a simple, welcoming space where men can show up, talk, listen, and s...

We are so lucky to have this absolute legend joining us on Dying for a Cuppa — the formidable Angie McLachlan. On her website, Angie describes herself as an artist, a priest, a thanatologist, and a dreamer — and honestly, that barely scratches the surface. There is very little in the world of death, dying, and funeral care that Angie hasn’t been involved in. Her work has informed and educated peop...

I have to say, this episode is probably one of my absolute favourites. In this conversation on Dying for a Cuppa , I’m joined by Evie King , author of the incredible book Ashes to Admin . Evie speaks so honestly and openly about her work as a council funeral support person, and honestly… it’s fascinating. We cover a lot of ground — so many scenarios, so many parts of death, dying, and funerals tha...

In this episode of Dying for a Cuppa, I get to sit down with not just a friend and colleague, but a fellow soul midwife, the wonderful Mandy Preece . Mandy has written a truly beautiful and powerful book about the art — and skill — of listening. It’s something we all think we do, but this conversation really opens up how much deeper listening can go, especially when supporting people who are dying...

I'm really excited to share this week's episode of Dying for a Cuppa with the lovely an glamorous Debbie Homewood — someone I've actually shared space with before! Debbie and I previously took part in a roundtable conversation on the worldwide platform LADbible (if you enjoyed that, there are more conversations coming with others from that episode too!) This time though, it's just us, having a rea...

In this episode of Dying for a Cuppa, I’m joined by Paul Radcliffe from Laurelo for a conversation that genuinely surprised me. If you’d ever told me probate could be interesting — even inspiring — I’d have laughed. But this chat was honestly so enlightening. Paul takes what is usually a total minefield and explains probate with real clarity, in language that actually makes sense. We explore what...

In this episode of Dying for a Cuppa, I’m joined by Katie Wellman, professional home organiser and declutterer, for a really honest chat about STUFF and why it’s so hard to let go of it. We talk about the emotional weight our belongings carry, why decluttering can feel overwhelming, and the difference it makes when things are sorted before someone dies compared to after. Katie shares gentle, pract...

This week on Dying for a Cuppa I’m joined by the glorious Lee-Anne Duncan , joining us all the way from New Zealand. Lee-Anne is a writer and journalist, and also a bereaved child. She lost her mum at just eight years old, an experience that went on to shape her life’s work. Today, Leanne dedicates her time to exploring the long-term impact of childhood bereavement, listening deeply to others who...

We are back!! Series 3 kicking off with an incredible first guest! This week on Dying for a Cuppa, I’m joined by the truly amazing Teepa Snow — world-renowned dementia care expert and all-round human legend. https://teepasnow.com/ Teepa and I first chatted back in 2021, and it is an absolute honour to welcome her back for a cuppa and a deeply meaningful conversation. Together, we talk all things d...

And here we are… the final episode of Series 2. Episode 16 with Karen Kinsella. I’m closing the series with a deeply moving conversation with Karen, the other half of the Room to Grieve podcast. This is Karen’s story of her daughter Emily. Emily was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 14 and died at just 16. Karen talks about those two and a half years with such honesty, the way Emily lived, the way...

Series 3 might have wrapped… but I’m back with two powerful bonus episodes! Episode 15 with Bec Hadman First up is a conversation with Bec, one half of the incredible duo behind the Room to Grieve podcast. This episode is tender, raw, and honestly tough in places. Beck talks about her son Bradley, who died at 18 from a brain tumour. She shares his story openly: who he was, what he loved, his diagn...

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a funeral directors? Have you ever thought to ask what care your person receives after the funeral directors collects them? Do you understand the natural processes of the body after someone dies? Here I discuss all that AND MUCH MORE with the brilliant Judith Dandy from Dandelion Farewells Funeral Directors in Wisborough Green, West Sussex....

We’ve all heard the saying that hearing is the 'last sense to go' as we die. We talk about how even as someone is dying, they can still hear our words, our laughter, our love. But what does that really mean? In this episode, I explore the science, the soul, and the stories behind sound at the end of life - how words, vibration, and energy shape those final moments. Whether it’s reading the...

This week on Dying for a Cuppa – The Podcast, I’m joined by my lovely friend Vicky, sister to my dear friend Becky, who if you follow me on socials, will know passed away in March 2024. Vicky and I sit down for a deeply honest and emotional conversation about her family’s journey through multiple losses — her mum Pat, her sister Nicola, and then Becky — each loss different, each one leaving its ow...

In this episode of Dying for a Cuppa, I sit down with one of my close friends, Rachel Carter. Rachel isn’t just my death bestie – she’s also a fellow end-of-life companion, and a spiritual life-and-death coach. Rachel opens up about the loss of two significant people in her life, sharing her experiences with honesty and tenderness. It’s not always an easy listen, as we talk about the realities whe...

New episode of Dying for a Cuppa OUT TODAY - Do We Choose the Moment We Die? In this episode of Dying for a Cuppa, I explore one of those quietly profound questions that often comes up when sitting with the dying. Not sudden or tragic deaths, but the ones where you know it’s close — those vigil moments. The person holds on for days, then slips away the moment someone steps out of the room… or they...

This week’s episode of Dying for a Cuppa is an extra special one for me. I’m joined by my fiancé, Rick, and his best friend, Ben, as they open up about the loss of their best mate, Kris. Kris died of cancer at just 34, after only being ill for literally a matter of days, it was a complete shock. Now, a couple of heads up before you listen: this conversation is way out of Rick and Ben’s comfort zon...