SOME QUESTIONS FOR LYNSEY:
Question: What do you do to unwind at the end of a long day? Answer: To be honest I don't usually have much time for unwinding as I'm usually pretty busy in the evenings as well. Good food, good wine and good company is a good start though. In the summer, I love being on the beach or swimming in the sea. I enjoy pilates, cooking and love a good soak in the bath or watching T.V. when I need to switch off.
their 'Lasting Wishes' by planning their funerals in advance. Pre-planning is becoming increasingly popular and often comes after someone has attended a funeral; it’s typically a time when people start to think about what they would and wouldn’t like at their own service. It’s a good way of ensuring you get what you want whilst controlling funeral costs, as well as making it easier for those left behind who might otherwise be second guessing what you would have liked.
It's a very rewarding job, surrounded by tradition and etiquette. I wear black every day and a more formal suit for funerals when I’m directing, with a top hat and gloves. I walk in front of the hearse with a cane and there's a real sense of pride about what we do. It's about paying our last respects and making that final send off very special, while offering as much support as we can along the way.
Outside of my day job, I am also the fundraising and publicity officer for Brighter Futures, a small Jersey charity which supports parents, carers and young people. I am also a mediator with Family Mediation Jersey and I have various other voluntary roles including doing the publicity for the Association of Jersey Charities. I've learnt such a lot from my voluntary roles - I get out so much more than I put in and I've met so many people from all walks of life.
Question:What do you like most about being a Funeral Director? Answer: Meeting people and the variety of the job; no two days are the same and no funeral is the same so it's always different and interesting. It's a very humbling role and one which generates a lot of reflection and self-reflection. I've been amazed at just how grateful people are - what we do really doesn't seem that much in comparison to what people are going through. It's lovely to be thanked for the work you do and not something that you get in many jobs. I guess it's about coming alongside people at a time when they really need support and hearing you've helped someone a little makes it all the more worthwhile.
Question: What do you most dislike about being Funeral Director? Answer: Seeing people’s raw grief and pain as they mourn for their loved one.
It can be very difficult but we are a small team and are very supportive of each other.
Question: How did you become a Funeral Director? Answer: Strangely it's something that I had been thinking about for a while and then an opportunity to join Maillard’s came up, so it felt like something I had to do. I am a support worker for the Community Bereavement Service and have been a Samaritan for thirteen years. Alongside the event organising I did for five and half years previously, as the fundraising manager for Jersey Hospice Care, funeral directing seemed to be a good combination of all of these. Currently I am Jersey's only female funeral director and will soon undergo formal training as a celebrant.
I love my job and although it might sound a little odd, it's feels like it was meant to be.
Question: What advice would you give someone, either just starting their career or midway through their career, who wants to be a Funeral Director? Answer: You need to be a people's person and a good communicator; caring, compassionate and empathic as well as being a good juggler. It is essential to be very organised and able to think on your feet.
I think you also need to be in a
good place yourself before helping others with their sadness and grief. And on a lighter note, you also need a sense of humour which is important to help balance out the sadness of the job.
CARING 20/20 A day in the life of... Page 113
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116