Three minute read
In this short guide, we highlight resources and support for LGBTQ+ people, and the people close to them, which help answer questions about planning a funeral and end-of-life care.
We also include sources of information and training for professionals who want to understand and meet the needs of gender diverse, trans and LGBTQ+ people.
AGE UK LGBTQ+ Resources
The charity Age UK offers an excellent range of projects, support groups and resources for older LBGTQ+ people. This factsheet specifically focuses on the needs of trans and gender diverse people.
Ceremony Matters
Ceremony Matters provides professional development training for funeral celebrants. Subscribers can still access webinars from their 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Online Conference.
CliniQ
CliniQ provides physical and mental health services for trans people in London, as well as their friends and family. They also offer trans awareness training.
The Diversity Trust
The Diversity Trust is a social enterprise working to promote equality, diversity and inclusion. They offer training opportunities for workplaces and have helpful research reports.
Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES)
The charity GIRES works to improve the lives of trans and gender non-conforming people across the UK. As part of their mission, they provide training to businesses. GIRES also has resources that are aimed at health professionals, many of which are relevant to the funeral sector.
Specific training for death care and health care professionals to help them better support gender diverse and trans people at the end of the life is running in various locations throughout Spring 2024. Find out more about the Being Ready training and how to book.
Hospice UK
I Just Want To Be Me is a report which uses real-world experience to highlight the needs of trans and gender diverse people at the end of life.
It sets out recommendations for what hospices and palliative care professionals can do to make end of life care more equitable and accessible for everyone.
Marie Curie
Practical resources and support for LGBTQ+ people who are living with a terminal illness and the people close to them.
The Queer Funeral Guide
Ash Hayhurst is the author of this excellent resource for people in the LGBTQ+ community as well as their friends and family members. The guide covers a huge range of questions and is a must-read for people in the funeral sector.
Switchboard LGBTQ+ Helpline
The charity Switchboard operates a confidential helpline for people in the LGBTQ+ community, their friends and family members. They’ll listen to anything you’d like to talk about and can offer support.
Switchboard in Brighton also runs the Grief Encounters project for LGBTQ+ people experiencing bereavement. Read our blog about the project here.
UK Cancer and Transition Service (UCATS)
Services and advice for trans and gender diverse people with cancer or a history of cancer.
Further support
If you know of any other resources, training or opportunities, like this Death Café run by London LGBTQ+ Centre, do let us know.
At Poppy’s, we are supporting the Being Ready project to help us build on the service we already offer trans and gender diverse people, their families and friends when they are in our care.
We also offer a free service called My Funeral Wishes, which enables you to talk about and record your funeral wishes and what's most important to you with our member of our team. Book an appointment here.
To stay in touch with all the latest news and updates from Poppy's by email, sign up here or contact us if you need help planning a funeral.
