This is a free talk and workshop at Natural Endings Funeral Services in Todmorden. Natural Endings is a small, independent, modern green undertaker. We're Funeral Director of the Year 2024 (The Good Funeral Awards) and have a progressive and inclusive approach to caring for the dead and those who loved them.

Talk: Rachel Hawthorn is a death doula, artist and shroud maker. She will give a brief history of shrouds and show us her Luddenden Shroud and cradle, crafted from natural found materials. There will be some film and stills of some of the shrouds available in the UK. Also, suggestions of how you can make your own. We'll have examples of shrouds, shroud trays and cradles, including some from Woven Farewell and Respect Everybody Shrouds. We'll also have a demonstration of shrouding.

As it's the Autumn Equinox, please bring something natural, such as a leaf, seed, twig or fruit, so that you can be involved in the shrouding.

,Shrouds serve both utilitarian and symbolic functions, promoting dignity for the person who has died, sometimes reflecting cultural and religious traditions and/or facilitating a connection to nature and the Earth in eco-friendly burials. A shroud can beas simple as a large piece of cotton fabric or a bed sheet, or it can be a more complex, structured cotton vessel with ties. There are no rules, and it is difficult to get shrouding wrong! A shroud can be wrapped around a person and then they're placed in a coffin. Or they can be used with a specially made board, tray or cradle. We'll be showing you some examples.Shrouds used to just be used for burial, but now they can also be used for cremation. We're expecting the use of shrouds to increase due to the new funerary methods that are likely to become available in the UK soon, human composting and resomation. These techniques need shrouds rather than coffins. Also, we are finding more families interested in joining us in shrouding their special person as a symbolic and meaningful act.

This is an in-person event at Natural Endings, Former Mail Sorting Office, Rise Lane, Todmorden, OL14 7AA.

Photo credit. Shrouds and willow trays from @wovenfarewellcoffin

Poster by Pete Yankowski

Shrouding - Free event at Natural Endings in Todmorden