Being Ready: trans and gender diverse experiences of dying, death and bereavement
The ‘Being Ready’ project was set up to address the needs of trans and gender diverse people during all stages of dying, death and bereavement. We are creating evidence-based training for professionals who work with the dead, dying or bereaved so they are ready to meet everyone’s needs, and be more trans and gender diverse inclusive.
The Being Ready evidence-based training for professionals
This unique training was developed to help professionals address the needs of trans and gender diverse people during all stages of death, dying and bereavement.
Being Ready Training Parts 1 & 2
Training Facilitators: Ash Hayhurst (Day 1) Ash Hayhurst & Angie McLachlan (Day 2)
Online training over two half days: 3.5hrs per day
Maximum number of participants: 30 people
Cost: £140 per person for both days
Day 1 Dates: 3rd June or 18th June 2025
Day 2 Dates: 5th June or 25th June 2025
Training Details:
- Start time: 10am
- Training will be delivered via Zoom or Teams
- PDF Being Ready Training Resource Book will be sent to participants prior to the training
- Participants will be required to complete pre and post-training survey
Day 1
- Introduction to Being Ready
- Introduction to trans and gender diversity
- The law and good practice
- Inclusive policy and safeguarding
- What is gender-affirming care?
- Introducing the personal Being Ready Journal
Day 2
- Introducing the Smith family
- Palliative and end-of-life care experiences
- Faith and belief
- Paperwork and admin when a death occurs (updated for Medical Examiners)
- Funerals and memorials
- Bereavement care
Please book your place on the Day 1 and Day 2 training here (This link will take you to the booking form) or use the QR code
Being Ready Training Part 3
This section of the training is delivered in person at a venue provided by the participants
Training venue requirements:
- Parking close to the entrance to enable discreet transportation of the Ichabodies
- Level access or lift to the teaching room
- Private room with space for personal care work with the Ichabodies
- LGBTQ+ safe venue
- Room for up to 30 participants to do practical work with Ichabodies
- To enable hands-on training it would be advantageous to have access to a hospital bed or coffin
- Ideal locations for the training are funeral homes, palliative care settings, or crematoria.
If you are able to host the training, please email being.ready@gires.org.uk
Training Facilitators: Ash Hayhurst & Angie McLachlan
Training Day: 10am – 4.30pm with 30min lunch break
Maximum number of participants: 30 people
Cost: £140 per person
Training criteria: Participants have to have either attended the 2024 Being Ready training or Part 1 & 2 of the 2025 training.
Training Content
- Introduce Vinicha and Micha Smith – Ichabodies – Death Dummies™
- Introduction to how we work with the Ichabodies – Death Dummies™
- Palliative care of trans and gender diverse people demonstrations
- Intimate care for trans and gender diverse people
- Creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people
- Navigating complex relationships with LGBTQ+ people
- Faith and belief considerations
- Respecting the wishes and defending the rights of trans and gender diverse people –
- Being Ready Journal
- LGBTQ+ experiences of death, dying and bereavement
- Care of the body of the person who has died
- Mortuary etiquette
- Reflections on caring for trans and gender diverse people
To book yourself or multiple places for the training Day Please use the following
booking form (This link will take you direct to the form ) or use the QR code
About the trainers
Ash Hayhurst (he/him) is a GIRES trainer and funeral professional. He has been the Being Ready Project Lead since 2021 and is the author of the Queer Funeral Guide, published in 2019. Ash has experience in teaching, residential care work, funeral arranging and mortuary assistance. He has been a guest at a number of conferences speaking about his work.
Angie McLachlan (they/them) has over 30 years of experience in death care, is a care of the body tutor and retired embalmer. Angie also created The Ichabodies – death dummies™ and has built two bespoke models for the Being Ready training. They have undertaken most of the practical tasks relating to funerals, including being a premises inspector for a Funeral Trade Organisation. Angie is a member of the British Institute of Embalmers and the Dying Matters Coalition.
We welcome anyone who works in any capacity in death, dying or bereavement care. This training may be of particular interest to people who work in the following areas:
Feedback from the training
“The training was fantastic, informative and delivered in a very professional manner”
“This training would be so valuable to be delivered to pre registration nursing and allied health professional students, so it becomes part of every day practice”
If your organisation would be interested in hosting a training session from September 2024 onwards please contact us at: web@gires.org.uk